Flock & ALPR Cameras in Illinois
At least 8,054 automated license plate readers have been reported across Illinois — the 5th most-surveilled state in the country by camera count.
Updated Oct 6, 2026 · Live data
8,054 automated license plate readers have been reported in Illinois as of October 6, 2026, ranking it #5 of 52 states and territories. They are documented in 636 cities and towns across 88 counties. 78 percent are Flock Safety cameras.
705 cameras were added to the Illinois map in the last 30 days and 73 were removed. The most recent camera was reported on September 11, 2026. Rosemont (344) has the most, followed by Chicago Loop (188) and Rockford (135).
58 operators are named in the records, including Chicago Police Department, Illinois State Police, Champaign Police Department. Source: community-mapped camera data (OpenStreetMap, ODbL) with DeFlock The USA’s permanent history.
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Every one of those 8,054 cameras photographs the plate of each car that passes it — logging where Illinois drivers go, when, and how often, whether or not anyone is suspected of a crime. Here’s what that means, and what you can do about it.
On the agenda: East Peoria meeting — Flock Safety (Oct 6)
Tuesday, October 6 — today · The full record → · Read the agenda ↗
On the agenda: Winnetka Village Council Regular Meeting — Automated License Plate (Oct 6)
Tuesday, October 6 — today · The full record → · Read the agenda ↗
On the agenda: Edwardsville Transportation Committee — Surveillance Camera (Oct 7)
Wednesday, October 7 — tomorrow · The full record → · Read the agenda ↗
Every record for this area on the Docket → · nothing is ever deleted.
- Oct 6 Flock Safety camera newly reported
- Oct 6 Flock Safety camera newly reported
- Oct 6 Axis Communications camera newly reported
- Oct 6 Axis communications camera newly reported
Newly reported by volunteers — cameras may have been up long before someone mapped them.
📷 8 new license plate readers just reported around Near South Side, IL. Newly mapped by volunteers — see what's watching. #ALPR #Surveillance #NearSouthSide
📷 6 new license plate readers just reported around Murphysboro, IL. Newly mapped by volunteers — see what's watching. #ALPR #Surveillance #Murphysboro
📷 11 new license plate readers just reported around Cherry Valley, IL. Newly mapped by volunteers — see what's watching. #ALPR #Surveillance #CherryValley
What these cameras actually do
Automated license plate readers (ALPRs) like those sold by Flock Safety aren’t normal traffic cameras. Each one reads every passing plate, stamps it with a time and location, and stores it in a searchable database — often shared across agencies. Across Illinois, that’s 8,054 points quietly building a record of residents’ movements. See how the tech works and where your data goes.
How Illinois compares
Illinois ranks #5 of 52 states and territories by reported ALPR cameras — among the most heavily surveilled in the nation. Nationwide, volunteers have mapped over 142,000 cameras and counting. Nearby by camera count: Florida (9,538), Georgia (10,050), New York (4,439), Ohio (6,856).
The latest from Illinois
- What to know about the Illinois secretary of state race between Alexi Giannoulias and Diane Harris
- Watch Illinois push to regulate Flock cameras raises surveillance concerns - FOX LOCAL Chicago
- Illinois push to regulate Flock cameras raises surveillance concerns
- Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar » Roundup: Data centers and surveillance cameras under the microscope
- DOJ Defends Illinois’ License Plate Readers at Appeals Court
The conversation about Illinois:
DeFlock The USA@deflocktheusaBluesky📷 8 new license plate readers just reported around Near South Side, IL. Newly mapped by volunteers — see what's watching. #ALPR #Surveillance #NearSouthSide11 hours ago★ Our signalDeFlock The USA@deflocktheusaBluesky📷 6 new license plate readers just reported around Murphysboro, IL. Newly mapped by volunteers — see what's watching. #ALPR #Surveillance #Murphysboro4 days ago
FlockWatch@flockwatch.bsky.socialBluesky📍 National: Congress is investigating Flock Safety cameras. Source: advantagenews.com, 09/27 #Flock #ALPR #privacy1 week ago★ Our signalDeFlock The USA@deflocktheusa.bsky.socialBluesky📷 11 new license plate readers just reported around Cherry Valley, IL. Newly mapped by volunteers — see what's watching. #ALPR #Surveillance #CherryValley2 weeks ago
Derek Eder@derekeder.comBlueskyOn August 5th, 2025, I voted to cancel Oak Park's contract with Flock Safety, Inc. This post is for my peers in other cities - elected officials across Illinois and the US. Here's why you should vote to…2 weeks ago
Cynthia Brumfield@metacurity.comBluesky--Illinois universities spend $450k on Flock surveillance, --China-linked FamousSparrow targets Latin American governments, --Cisco warns critical ISE flaw is under active attack, --Cybercrime crew weaponizes safety-disabled AI agent, --CISA urges critical infrastructure to deploy cyber decoys, 3/43 weeks agoAll surveillance news → · All video & feeds →
What you can do in Illinois
You don’t have to accept it — and you don’t have to be anti-safety to demand accountability. File a public records request to learn your town’s retention and data-sharing policy, speak up at a city-council meeting, and see the full playbook on our Take Action page.
Not sure what one looks like? See photographs of installed cameras before you go looking.
DeFlock Illinois — Statewide, Illinois
Statewide campaign to stop mass license-plate surveillance across Illinois.
Join the fight ↗DeFlock Sterling — Sterling, Illinois
Independently run local group listed on the DeFlock project directory (deflock.org).
Join the fight ↗Get the Flock Out Indivisible HP — Highland Park, Illinois
Independently run local group listed on the DeFlock project directory (deflock.org).
Join the fight ↗Get the Flock Out Quad Cities — Moline, Illinois
Independently run local group listed on the DeFlock project directory (deflock.org).
Join the fight ↗Shut The Flock Off BloNo — Bloomington-Normal, Illinois
Independently run local group listed on the DeFlock project directory (deflock.org).
Join the fight ↗StopFlock CU — Urbana-Champaign, Illinois
Independently run local group listed on the DeFlock project directory (deflock.org).
Join the fight ↗Stop Flock in Woodstock — Woodstock, Illinois
Independently run local group listed on the DeFlock project directory (deflock.org).
Join the fight ↗Flock & ALPR cameras by city in Illinois
We track 636 Illinois cities and towns with reported cameras — each with its own local report:
Flock & ALPR cameras by county in Illinois
88 Illinois counties have at least one reported camera. Tap any county for its full local report.
Counts come from the open-source DeFlock project’s volunteer reports and update as new cameras are mapped. A county not listed has no reported cameras yet — not necessarily none. Spot one? Report it.