Park Ridge police share license plate reader data with more than 200 law enforcement agencies across Illinois, according to a new department transparency portal.

The portal discloses that the department operates eight license plate reader cameras through its Flock Safety program. The system retains data for 30 days, according to the portal, and every search requires a logged reason stored indefinitely.

The disclosure comes roughly two months after Alderperson John Moran's failed attempt to reopen debate on the program at the Aug. 3 City Council meeting.

That motion died on a 3-3 tie.

Who gets the data

The portal lists agencies ranging from neighboring departments like Niles, Des Plaines, Norridge and Morton Grove to the Chicago Police Department, Cook County Sheriff's Office, Illinois State Police and the Illinois Attorney General's office. The full list spans police departments, sheriff's offices and prosecutors' offices statewide.

Park Ridge police said on the portal that data is used for law enforcement purposes only, is owned by the department and is never sold to third parties.

What the cameras can and cannot do

The system detects license plates and vehicles. It does not use facial recognition and does not detect people, gender or race, according to the portal.

Prohibited uses include immigration enforcement, traffic enforcement, harassment or intimidation, targeting based on a protected class such as race, sex or religion, and personal use. Officers must verify hotlist alerts before taking action.

The immigration enforcement ban carries particular weight in Illinois. In 2025, the Illinois Secretary of State's office reported that Flock had been sharing data with federal immigration authorities in violation of state law, as the Chicago Tribune reported. The company said at the time it would stop.

Council approved cameras in July

The Park Ridge City Council voted 6-1 in July 2026 to approve a one-year, $24,000 contract extension with Flock Safety, a Georgia-based company, according to the Chicago Tribune. Alderperson Fred Sanchez cast the lone dissenting vote. The city owns the cameras; the contract covers data management and minimal upkeep.

Police Chief Bob Kampwirth told the council at the July 6 Committee of the Whole meeting that the cameras had helped locate stolen vehicles and led to a quick arrest after a Glenview shooting. "If that vehicle pops up anywhere in the system, it will alert Park Ridge and every camera in the system," Kampwirth said at the time.

But privacy concerns followed quickly. Moran, who was absent for the July vote, pushed to revisit the contract in August. After his motion failed, he told the Tribune he expected sharp scrutiny when the contract comes up for renewal.

"My concern now is, what was presented to us as a wonderful new advancement in policing, the negative side of that is showing," Moran said in August.

The one-year contract extension is set to expire around July 2027. No renewal date has been announced.