Plano, Illinois council votes unanimously to end Flock contract and remove four cameras

Event: October 12, 2025 · First reported: October 14, 2026 · 1 source

The Plano City Council voted unanimously on Oct. 12 to rescind the city's contract with Flock Group, Inc. and to shut down its four license plate reader cameras immediately, after Police Chief Norm Allison recommended the move. The city aims to remove the cameras within 30 days, at a cost of $500 per camera, though one camera at U.S. Route 34 and Eldamain Road requires Illinois Department of Transportation approval for removal. Allison cited alleged misuse of Flock systems by officers at other northern Illinois agencies, pending legislation and legal challenges, limited department use, and resident privacy concerns. The police department says there are no current reports of any Plano officer misusing the technology.

Why this matters

Plano's decision shows a police chief, rather than outside advocates, initiating a withdrawal from ALPR surveillance, citing proximity of alleged misuse cases and unresolved state law. It also raises questions for the neighboring agencies that share access through the KenCom dispatch system, which has approved an audit of its own Flock data.

Key facts

The Plano City Council voted unanimously on Oct. 12 to rescind the Flock contract and immediately shut off the cameras; removal is targeted within 30 days at $500 per camera.
Plano awarded Flock a $13,950 contract in December 2025, with renewal set for Dec. 10; four cameras are currently in the city.
A Joliet police lieutenant was indicted on felony computer tampering and official misconduct charges related to Flock Safety; two former officers from Itasca and West Chicago were charged with felony misconduct over allegedly unauthorized Illinois plate searches, per the DuPage County State's Attorney's Office. These are charges, not convictions.
The Plano Police Department says no Plano officers have been reported for misusing the technology.
Plano's system operated through KenCom, which approved a $27,500 annual Flock contract in 2021 and has since approved a full audit; Yorkville, Oswego, Montgomery, the Kendall County Sheriff's Office and some fire agencies also share access.

Sources

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

Plano approves taking down Flock cameras; police chief cites alleged misuse in other agencies (Shaw Local, October 14, 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 October 14, 2026. Corrections: blockflock@bytebunny.io. See all documented incidents or search the full article archive.