Elburn, Illinois police investigate anonymous allegation officer misused ALPR for tows

First reported: September 11, 2026 · 2 sources

Elburn village officials said they opened an investigation after an anonymous Facebook post on Wednesday alleged an Elburn police officer used another agency's in-car automated license plate reader to conduct administrative tows last year and this year. Police Chief Nick Sikora said no formal complaint has been filed but the department is reviewing the claims and will issue a news release when the review concludes. Village President Jeff Walter said the officer remains on full duty status because the accusations were made anonymously online rather than to the village. Sikora said Elburn does not use Flock cameras but does operate ALPR tied to Axon in-car video systems.

Why this matters

The allegation raises questions about how ALPR access is shared between agencies and audited, and about the financial incentives tied to tow-related fees. The claims are unproven and the investigation is ongoing.

Key facts

Anonymous Facebook post on Wednesday alleged an Elburn officer used another agency's in-car ALPR for administrative tows
No formal complaint has been filed; the officer remains on full duty status, per Village President Jeff Walter
Chief Nick Sikora said Elburn does not use Flock cameras but has ALPR connected to Axon in-car cameras
Elburn's administrative tow fee is $500, separate from towing company charges; the village rotates among three tow companies
Sikora said administrative tows apply to DUI, revoked or suspended license, and vehicles used in crimes, and are permitted under Illinois statute

Timeline

September 11, 2026Elburn police probe alleged misuse of license plate reader by officer
September 21, 2026Elburn police probe shows no license plate reader misuse

Sources

This summary was written from the published reporting below and links to it; BlockFlockNow does not reproduce article text.

Elburn police probe alleged misuse of license plate reader by officer (Shaw Local, September 11, 2026)
Elburn police probe shows no license plate reader misuse (Shaw Local, September 21, 2026)

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About this record

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 21, 2026. Corrections: blockflock@bytebunny.io. See all documented incidents or search the full article archive.