Joliet Police Officer and Dispatcher Suspended Over Flock Camera Misuse

A Joliet police officer and a dispatcher have been placed on administrative leave over alleged misuse of Flock Safety licence plate reader technology. The matter has been referred to the Inspector General and the Illinois State Police.

Joliet Police Launch Investigation Into Flock Surveillance System Misuse

Two members of the Joliet Police Department have been placed on administrative leave following the discovery of alleged misuse of Flock Safety automated licence plate reader technology, shawlocal.com reported on Friday.

In a statement issued around 4 p.m. Friday, department officials confirmed that "a sworn officer and a public safety dispatcher" were suspended pending investigation. The department referred the matter both to the City of Joliet Inspector General and to the Illinois State Police for an independent review.

The announcement came after shawlocal.com contacted the Joliet Police Department on 31 August to ask whether a dispatcher had been suspended for alleged misuse of the Flock Safety camera system. Joliet Police Sgt. Dwayne English, the department's spokesman, said at the time that he was "unable to comment on personnel matters and cannot provide further details."

Shaw Local subsequently filed a Freedom of Information Act request seeking records from 2024 onwards showing department staff placed on administrative leave or administrative duty pending allegations of Flock misuse. As of Friday, the city had not yet responded to that request.

This is not the first such case within the department. Last year, Joliet Police Lt. Jeremy Harrison was recommended for termination for allegedly misusing Flock technology. Harrison is appealing his termination and denying the allegations against him.

The pattern extends beyond Joliet. The Channahon Police Department, which borders Joliet, has an ongoing investigation into an officer accused of misusing Flock. In Homer Glen, the mayor suspended Flock cameras following an internal investigation into a deputy with the Will County Sheriff's Office, though authorities have not clarified whether that deputy is accused of misusing the technology.

Joliet Township's highway commissioner has gone further, revoking the permit for Flock cameras on township roads entirely. In a public statement, the commissioner said there was not "enough oversight on their use, and allow the government to use them in ways that further implicate citizens' freedom of movement, expression, and privacy."

Source: Google News MT — Crime (en)