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FOR FLOCK'S SAKE

ALPR records in Illinois

Ask your police department or sheriff what their license-plate cameras log, who they share with, and what they cost. A starting point, not legal advice.

Public records law

Illinois public records law

We haven't verified this state's statute citation and deadline against an official source yet, so we're not listing them. The generator below leaves a placeholder for the law's name. The Reporters Committee Open Government Guide covers every state.

Fees & appeals

  • Set a fee cap in your letter and ask for an estimate before any work that would exceed it.
  • Ask for electronic copies. They're usually cheaper than paper.
  • If anything is withheld, ask for the specific exemption and the reasonably segregable parts.
  • If you're denied or the deadline passes, ask the agency in writing how to appeal.

General guidance, not state-specific fee or appeal rules.

What to ask for

  • Search audit logs

    Every ALPR search: date, the officer or agency, the plate or reason entered, and the case number. This shows who is looking, and why.

  • Contract & invoices

    The vendor agreement (Flock Safety or other), renewals, purchase orders and what it costs.

  • Retention policy

    How long plate reads are kept and the records retention schedule that applies.

  • Sharing list

    Every outside agency or organization that can search your local cameras, and the ones your agency can search.

  • Hot lists

    Which watch lists are loaded into the system, who can add plates, on what basis, and how many alerts fired.

  • Policy & camera list

    The written use policy or general order, and the number and locations of cameras.

Your Illinois request

We haven't verified Illinois's statute yet, so the letter leaves a placeholder. State guide →

Every state's law differs on deadlines, fees and how to submit. Find yours in the Reporters Committee Open Government Guide. Not legal advice. Nothing you type leaves your browser.

[Your Name]
[Address · Email · Phone]
October 13, 2026

To: Public Records Officer, [Agency name]

Re: Public records request: automated license plate reader (ALPR) records

Under [Illinois's public records law], I request copies of the following records, in electronic format where available:

1. All contracts, purchase orders, renewals, and invoices with any ALPR vendor (including Flock Safety) from January 1, 2024 to present.
2. Any policy, general order, or procedure governing ALPR use, data retention, sharing, and access.
3. A list of outside agencies or organizations with which ALPR data is shared, or which have access to your ALPR system or network.
4. Audit logs, search logs, or audit reports of ALPR queries from January 1, 2024 to present, including the stated reason for each search where recorded.
5. The number and locations of ALPR cameras operated by or on behalf of the agency.
6. Any records retention schedule that applies to ALPR data.
7. Any hot lists, watch lists, or alert lists loaded into the ALPR system (or records describing who may add entries and on what basis), and the number of hot-list alerts from January 1, 2024 to present.

If any portion is withheld, please cite the specific exemption and release all reasonably segregable portions. If fees will exceed $25, please contact me before proceeding. I request a fee waiver because this information is in the public interest and is not sought for commercial purposes.

Thank you,
[Your Name]
Open in email

City files in Illinois

Each city file links to a request prefilled for that city. Find the exact agency name and records portal on the agency's website.

Illinois ALPR law

605 ILCS 140/5 (see repeal note) 625 ILCS 5/2-130 5 ILCS 140/7.5

Requires Illinois State Police, Department of Transportation and the state toll authority to work together on a program to increase cameras in specified areas of the state. Authorizes images from these cameras to be used by any law enforcement agency conducting an active investigation but limits scope to vehicular hijacking, terrorism, motor vehicle theft, forcible felonies, and highway safety while prohibiting use for petty offenses. Can also be used for incident management or highway safety purposes. Images are required to be deleted in 120 days unless part of an ongoing investigation. Prohibits are used to monitor individuals or groups in a discriminatory manner. Requires annual reporting to the legislature. [Above provisions repealed effective July 1, 2028) An ALPR user shall not sell, share, allow access to, or transfer ALPR information to a local jurisdiction for the purpose of investigating or enforcing a law that denies or interferes with a person’s right to choose or obtain reproductive health services or permits the detention or investigation of a person based on their immigration status. Any user may not share ALPR information with an out-of-state law enforcement agency without obtaining a written declaration from that agency affirming that ALPR information obtained will not be used in a manner that violates the above. The ALPR information shall be fully held confidentially permitted by law. ALPR data collected and used by the Illinois State Police and images from cameras under the Expressway Camera Act are exempt from public records laws.

Summary quoted from NCSL, Automated License Plate Readers: State Statutes, updated September 28, 2026. Not legal advice; read the statute.