Documented Incident
Chesterton, Indiana council votes 5-0 to end Flock contract after officer data-misuse probe
Event: September 15, 2026 · First reported: September 15, 2026 · 1 source
The Chesterton Town Council voted 5-0 to terminate its contract with Flock Safety, with the town's license plate reader cameras set to be disconnected by Oct. 31. The decision followed the appointment of a special prosecutor to investigate former Chesterton Cpl. Christopher Schoof, who resigned Aug. 27 after being confronted with evidence of potential misuse of Flock data in 2024 and 2025. An internal investigation found Schoof had run an unusually high number of searches on a small number of license plates. Police Chief Tim Richardson will be the only person with system access while he audits other officers' use.
Chesterton is one of three nearby Indiana agencies dealing with alleged ALPR search misuse at the same time, and council members framed the cancellation as contingent on Flock supplying stronger access controls and audit tools — a standard other communities may cite when weighing renewals.
Key facts
- Council vote was 5-0 to end the Flock contract; cameras to be disconnected by Oct. 31.
- Former Cpl. Christopher Schoof resigned Aug. 27; a special prosecutor is investigating his Flock searches from 2024 and 2025. No charges have been reported.
- Council President Erin Collins said the system's law enforcement value is recognized but called for stronger access controls, oversight, documentation, and real-time flagging of improper searches.
- Similar cases are unfolding at the Porter County Sheriff's Department, where a deputy was placed on unpaid leave and a special prosecutor took over, and at Michigan City Police, where an officer resigned.
- Collins said the town could revisit the technology only if additional safeguards are added.
Sources
This summary was written from the published reporting below and links to it; BlockFlockNow does not reproduce article text.
- Chesterton to disconnect Flock license plate reader system (Chicago Tribune, September 15, 2026)
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BlockFlockNow documents reported incidents involving Flock Safety cameras and automated license plate readers: council votes, contract decisions, misuse by authorized users, lawsuits, audits, and community response. Every record is reviewed by a person before publication. New to the topic? Start with What is Flock?, find meetings near you, or learn how to request your town's camera records.
Updated September 16, 2026. Corrections: blockflock@bytebunny.io. See all documented incidents or search the full article archive.