FOX 32 Chicago reported that the Chicago Police Department ran more than 23,000 searches using Flock's license plate database from May through July. The searches come from audit logs the station obtained, and Mayor Brandon Johnson's office has responded to questions about the access.
How did Chicago pay for Flock access?
FOX 32 reports that the city reportedly began paying a third-party company for access to Flock's database in 2024, using nearly $75,000 in taxpayer funds. The city's arrangement with Flock dates to a memorandum of understanding signed in January 2023, according to the mayor's office.
Because the city used what it calls an "existing master services agreement" through that third-party company, FOX 32 reports, the arrangement allegedly bypassed the city budget office and the City Council. That means there were no public hearings and no votes.
The mayor's office says OPSA used its discretionary budget to pay for access. It says OBM and the mayor's office did not need to approve the spending because OPSA has contracting authority.
Who can search the database?
A higher-ranking source inside the department told FOX 32 that only investigators and a designated tech team of civilians have access to Flock's network. CPD has not confirmed that.
What have city officials said?
The mayor's office says it "recognizes the serious concerns raised by this arrangement" and is in urgent discussions about measures to reduce potential harm to residents. The office told FOX 32 that Johnson is expected to speak about it at some point, and FOX 32 does not give a date.
CPD says it is updating its ALPR policy to add guardrails on how the systems are used. It says plate readers help locate vehicles in investigations into shootings and homicides, and in cases involving endangered and missing persons.
What changes for drivers?
CPD says it will keep using plate readers under state law. FOX 32 does not say what the new guardrails will be, or how many plate readers the city operates.
To see where cameras are in your area, use the camera map. For background on the systems themselves, read how plate readers work.
The mayor's office says Johnson is expected to address the arrangement, and CPD's policy update is still in progress.