Automated License Plate Readers
Information for Residents
Automated License Plate Readers (ALPRs), commonly known as Flock cameras, are an important law enforcement tool. They help police investigate crimes, locate stolen vehicles, and enhance public safety.
ALPRs capture images of vehicles and license plates in public areas. They do not use facial recognition or capture images of drivers or passengers.
The St. Charles Police Department recognizes that the use of this technology must be balanced with transparency, accountability, and public trust. The Department has policies in place that govern who can access ALPR information, how it can be used, and how long it is retained. These safeguards include:
• Every search is logged, creating an audit trail. Searches cannot be conducted anonymously.
• Data is retained for 30 days.
• The St. Charles Police Department owns and controls the data collected through its ALPR system.
• Data is not shared with agencies outside of Illinois.
Anyone can learn more about how the system is used through the Police Department’s public transparency portal: https://transparency.flocksafety.com/st-charles-il-pd. This portal contains the rolling number of requests, the agencies who have agreements to access our data (all within Illinois only) and the agencies that permit us to access their data.
In addition to our transparency page, we are in the process of finalizing an internal audit committee to review all searches within our network. That committee is slated to meet at least once monthly, and more frequently if an issue arises, and will be comprised of both police department personnel and non-police department personnel from our City staff. We will also have a process for escalation if there are concerns of any searches that occurred during the review.
The St. Charles Police Department is committed to maintaining the public’s trust and ensuring law enforcement tools are used responsibly. The Department continually reviews its policies and practices to identify opportunities to strengthen transparency and accountability.