Joliet Police Face Probe Over Camera Tech Use

Joliet police put an officer and a dispatcher on leave after they were accused of misusing Flock Safety cameras. The cameras read license plates automatically. The department said it sent the case to the city inspector general and asked the Illinois State Police to look into it as well.

A local news outlet asked about the dispatcher's leave and got no comment from the police spokesman. They then filed a freedom of information request for records since 2024 about any staff put on leave for Flock issues. The city has not answered that request yet. Last year, a lieutenant named Jeremy Harrison was told to leave his job for similar claims; he is fighting the decision and says he did nothing wrong.

Nearby Channahon police are also looking into an officer for possible Flock misuse. Meanwhile, the highway commissioner for Joliet Township took away the permission to put Flock cameras on local roads, saying there is not enough oversight and that the tools could be used to limit people's movement and privacy.

Shaw Local first reached out to the police on August 31 to ask if a dispatcher had been left off duty for allegedly misusing the Flock system. The spokesman declined to discuss personnel matters. After that, the news outlet submitted a freedom of information request for any records from 2024 onward that show officers or dispatchers placed on leave while the Flock matter is under review.