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KenCom auditing Flock system; Yorkville police say usage by its officers ‘100%’ compliant · Kendall County News - Shaw Local

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  KenCom, Auditing Flock System, Yorkville Police say usage by its officers 100
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  compliant. This article is being read by
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  an automated voice brought to you by Everlett. As KenCom, the multi-agency
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  public safety dispatch in Kendall County, gears up for a full audit
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  of its flock safety system, here's a closer look on how it
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  impacts the Yorkville Police Department. Across the county, several towns share access
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  to the system, including police departments in Yorkville Plano, Oswego and Montgomery.
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  The Kendall County Sheriff's Office and several local fire agencies also share
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  access. While there are no current flock cameras installed in Yorkville, its
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  officers currently have access to cameras outside the city through KenCom.
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  Contract. Each agency already has been conducting their own audit of utilizing
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  the Flock system. The upcoming full audit will be the first conducted
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  by Kencom itself. Kencom's board insisted on conducting the audit because the
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  Flock contract is ultimately through Kencom. Kencom Board member Chris Funkhauser, also
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  a Yorkville alderman, said during the September 8th City Council meeting that
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  he requested the audit of Kencom's use of the system. We as
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  the board from Kencom do hope that there are no findings of
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  interest, Funkhauser said during the meeting. KenCom originally approved a 27,500
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  annual contract with Flock in 2021. Several police Office in Will County
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  have been placed on administrative leave or faced disciplinary actions for unauthorized
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  use of the Flock system According to The Washington Post, at least
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  69 officers nationally have been placed on leave, fired or charged. Earlier
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  in September, a West Chicago police officer was placed on administrative leave
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  during an investigation by the DuPage County State's Attorney's Office for possible
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  unauthorized use of the city's flock system. Yorkville Police Chief James Jensen
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  said the department only utilizes Kencom's flock system for very specific incidents.
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  The police department started its automated license plate reader network in 2023.
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  We only use FLOC for serious crimes, defined as any felony crime,
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  or also if we have a lost senior or lost child, we
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  can use the Flock system for that, Jensen said during the meeting.
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  We
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  have done audits every month. We have not failed an audit for
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  everybody on the
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  board that was concerned about that. Jensen said, the department has been
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  one hundred percent compliant regarding completed audits. When reached for further comment,
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  the Police Department said other criteria to access FLOC include other crimes
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  as deemed necessary by YPD Command. The police department said the audits
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  highlight any access by Yorkville police officers of the Flock
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  system and the reason for their access, proper use, and authorization. We
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  have not flagged any access as unauthorized since the program began, the
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  Police Department said While the police departments in Plano and Oswego currently
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  utilize the flock system more than Yorkville, Plano recently made moves to
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  close down its participation. At a recent Plano City Council meeting, Plano
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  Police Chief Norm Allison told the city council that the police department
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  will request to remove future funding from Flock and end its use
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  at the end of the year. Plano currently has Flock cameras installed
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  within the city. Proponents of the Flock system argue it provides law
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  enforcement with unparalleled technology to track suspects and investigate serious crimes. When
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  announcing its own officer being under investigation, the West Chicago Police Department
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  said The tools have provided important public safety benefits, but their use
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  must be balanced with appropriate safeguards, clear policies, meaningful oversight and accountability.
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  In addition to public concerns of a heightened surveillance State opponents in
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  Illinois have accused local law enforcement of enabling the misuse of FLOC
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  by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to aid immigration raids and
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  arrests. Illinois law enforcement collaborating with ICE is illegal under the Illinois
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  Trust Act, which prohibits collaboration without a court-issued warrant. In 2025, a
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  statewide audit conducted by the Illinois Secretary of State's office found that
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  U.S. Customs and Border Protection gained access to Illinois license plate camera
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  data. The audit found that flock safety allowed access to the agency.
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  This sharing of license plate data of motorists who drive on Illinois
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  roads is a clear violation of the state law. Secretary of State
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  Alexei Genulia said in a news release. Janilius said the audit discovered
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  that Flock did not have proper safeguards in place for data sharing.
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  During this period, Flock was running a pilot program with U.S. Customs
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  and Border Protection. Janilia said Flock leadership was unaware of the pilot
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  program and has since paused its pilot with CBP and other federal
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  agencies, not only in Illinois but nationwide. Janullias urged local law enforcement
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  agencies to make sure their use of flock is not in violation
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  of the State's Trust Act, according to the release.