Wheaton Police Chief P.J. Youker told the Rotary Club of Wheaton on Wednesday, Oct. 7, that the city's license plate readers do not use facial recognition. The cameras automatically delete data after 30 days, and the department audits officer searches monthly, Youker said.
The presentation came days after a DuPage County grand jury indicted two former police officers from neighboring departments for allegedly misusing the same Flock Safety camera technology Wheaton relies on.
Youker described the department's Automated License Plate Readers (ALPRs) as high-resolution cameras with infrared filters that capture images of plates, vehicle make, model and color. He told the Rotary audience the system does not capture images of vehicle occupants, connect to law enforcement databases, record video or monitor speed, according to a Rotary Club recap of the presentation.
The city does not share its ALPR data with any federal agencies, Youker said. Wheaton owns the images, the data is fully encrypted, and none of it is sold to third parties.
Officers follow a two-step verification process before acting on an ALPR alert. They first confirm the camera image matches the actual plate characters, then check the plate against a law enforcement database. The department conducts monthly randomized audits of officers' searches.
Images not tied to an active investigation are automatically deleted after 30 days. Once deleted, they cannot be recovered.
Youker offered a rationale for the program: almost two-thirds of all people arrested in Wheaton live outside the city.
Indictments next door
On Sept. 29, a DuPage County grand jury returned a 21-count indictment against former Itasca Police Officer Marisa Ciccola, 30, alleging 13 counts of official misconduct and eight counts of computer tampering. Prosecutors allege Ciccola made unauthorized searches of Illinois license plates using LEADS and the Flock system between June 2025 and May 2026, according to the DuPage County State's Attorney's Office.
The same grand jury indicted former West Chicago Police Officer Gerardo Solis, 39, on one count each of official misconduct and computer tampering. Prosecutors allege Solis made an unauthorized Flock inquiry between Dec. 18, 2024, and Jan. 15, 2025.
Both turned themselves in on Monday, Oct. 5, and were released on their own recognizance. Their next court date is Nov. 16.
DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin said in a statement that misuse of the technology must carry consequences and that anyone who breaches the public trust will be held accountable.
Wheaton's track record
In a Sept. 21 interview with the Wheaton Record, Youker said he had not found any officers abusing their access to ALPR technology in the Wheaton Police Department. He addressed resident concerns about a centralized database, saying data is released only when law enforcement explicitly requests it.
"If an officer misuses any of that stuff or violates the trust of their community, they obviously should be held accountable," Youker told the Wheaton Record in September.
The Wheaton City Council approved the ALPR program in 2023. A community-mapping site estimates 62 reader locations across the city, though that figure is not an official count. In a November 2024 Rotary presentation, Youker described roughly 20 readers installed at the time.
Residents who want to contact the Wheaton Police Department can call 630-260-2161.
