09/01/2026
So let me get this straight…
We now have THREE separate incidents in Will County involving alleged misuse or improper use of Flock license plate reader cameras: Joliet, Channahon, and now the Will County Sheriff’s Office.
And suddenly Homer Glen is concerned about PRIVACY?
You cannot make this stuff up.
Back in 2023, when Flock cameras were on the ballot in Homer Glen, many of us opposed them for EXACTLY this reason. We raised concerns about privacy, who would have access to the information, how that information could be used, and what safeguards existed to prevent abuse.
We were told the cameras were about public safety.
Those concerns apparently weren’t enough to stop Flock cameras from coming to Homer Glen. The current board ignored the 2023 vote against flock cameras and voted them in anyway.
But now that a Will County Sheriff’s deputy has been placed on administrative leave while Internal Affairs investigates alleged policy violations reportedly involving Flock, the Village announces that it is suspending use of Homer Glen’s cameras because of, and I quote:
“the privacy concerns at issue.”
Excuse me?
Where was that concern for OUR privacy when residents were objecting to these cameras?
And whose privacy are we protecting now?
If an employee entrusted with access to this system potentially misused it, the public deserves transparency about what happened. Obviously, legitimate information that legally must remain confidential during an investigation should remain confidential. But “privacy” cannot become a convenient shield that protects government employees from accountability when the entire controversy involves technology capable of tracking members of the public.
And here’s another question:
Why can’t Homer Glen residents comment on the Village of Homer Glen Municipal page about this?
The Village posts about an issue involving public safety, government surveillance, taxpayer-funded equipment and potential misuse of residents’ information, yet the very residents affected by it cannot publicly comment on the Village’s page?
That is completely backwards.
This administration supported Flock despite residents raising privacy concerns. Now we have three incidents in Will County raising questions about the use of this technology, and residents STILL aren’t given a place to publicly respond to their own Village government.
You don’t get to ask the public to “remain vigilant” while preventing the public from participating in the conversation.
Turn the comments back on.
Tell residents what Homer Glen knows.
Tell us who has access to Homer Glen’s Flock data.
Tell us what safeguards are in place.
Tell us whether Homer Glen’s camera data was involved in this investigation.
And explain exactly what the Village means when it says there are “privacy concerns at issue.”
Those are reasonable questions.
We raised co ncerns about privacy in 2023.
Maybe it’s time someone finally listened.
The Joliet Patch reported this afternoon that a Will County Sheriff’s Deputy has been placed on administrative leave, pending an Internal Affairs investigation for alleged policy violations. Specifically, the Patch reports:
“On Monday morning, Joliet Patch confirmed that another personnel issue with FLOCK cameras has just arisen at the Will County Sheriff's Office.” (Available at https://patch.com/illinois/joliet/flock-camera-misbehavior-will-county-sheriffs-office-employee-deputy-placed) (last checked on August 31, 2026).
The Village understands that the investigation has to take its course and remains committed to public safety.
However, given the limited information that has been reported to date, and the privacy concerns at issue, the Village has suspended the utilization of Flock ALPR cameras located within the Village of Homer Glen, pending final determination of the investigation and review of the Sheriff’s ALPR protocol.
Please keep safe and remain vigilant.
