Warrenville residents will get a chance to question police about the city's network of license plate reader cameras at a public meeting Tuesday, Sept. 15.

The Warrenville Police Department will host the session at 6:30 p.m. at the Hubble Middle School Performing Arts Center, 3S600 Herrick Road, according to a city notice. Police staff and a representative from Flock Safety, the company that makes the cameras, will take questions about how the system works, what data it collects and how long that data is kept.

The meeting comes after several residents raised concerns about the cameras at an Aug. 17 City Council meeting, according to the city. It also follows a case in neighboring West Chicago, where a police officer was placed on administrative leave Sept. 1 for possible misuse of that city's Flock system, as Patch reported. West Chicago asked the DuPage County State's Attorney's Office to investigate possible criminal charges.

What the cameras capture

Warrenville operates 14 Flock cameras positioned along county and state routes around the city's perimeter. The City Council approved their installation in 2022 and again in 2023. One additional camera at the entrance to the Winchester subdivision is privately owned by the homeowners association, not the city.

The cameras capture still images only. They do not record video, audio or GPS data and do not identify drivers or passengers. Each image logs a vehicle's license plate, make, model, color and distinguishing features such as damage or bumper stickers.

Images are stored for 30 days, then deleted, according to the city's FAQ page.

Access and oversight

The department said in its FAQ that officers access the system only when searching for a missing or endangered person, when investigators have identified a specific vehicle tied to a crime, or when a "wanted" vehicle alert has been issued. Only authorized law enforcement personnel can view the data, and the software tracks who accesses it, when and why.

Officers who access the system without authorization face disciplinary action up to termination, the department said. Under the Illinois Trust Act, law enforcement cannot use plate reader data for immigration enforcement, reproductive care surveillance or any purpose outside a criminal investigation. Warrenville does not share its data with federal agencies or any agency outside Illinois.

If an out-of-state agency requests information, it must cite Illinois law, provide a case number, state a specific investigative need and receive approval from a department administrator. Access is limited to that single case and disabled afterward.

How to participate

Residents can submit questions in advance through an online form at the city's website. Question cards will also be available at the meeting. Only written questions will be accepted. Any questions that cannot be answered during the session will be published on the city's website with responses.

Attendees should enter Hubble Middle School through Door #1 by the flagpole. Signs will direct them to the Performing Arts Center auditorium.

The DuPage County Legislative Committee is also examining Flock camera policy. At its Aug. 4 meeting, Committee Chair Dawn DeSart asked staff to explore inviting State's Attorney Robert Berlin to a future session to discuss the technology's pros and cons, according to committee records.

Residents with questions before the meeting can call the Warrenville Police Department's non-emergency line at 630-393-2131.