10/7/26
Today, our guest speaker was PJ Youker, Chief of Police. Much of the presentation and discussion focused on the legitimate use of, and control of the ALPRs (Automated License Plate Readers).
What is an ALPR?
ALPRS are a high-resolution digital cameras with an infrared filter to capture images of vehicle license plates. As vehicles pass through the field of view of the ALPR camera, a picture of the rear of the vehicle is taken. ALPRs are designed to capture images of the vehicle’s license plate and basic characteristics, such as make, model, and color. They are not designed to (1) Capture occupants of vehicles or use facial recognition, (2) Connect to law enforcement databases, (3) Capture names, dates of birth, or social security numbers, or continuously track individuals, (4) Record video, (5) Monitor speed or red-light violations, or issue citations.
Why are they used?
Locally, almost two-thirds of all arrestees reside outside of the City of Wheaton.
How are they used?
Authorized department users have the ability to search for a license plate to determine if that vehicle has been captured on an ALPR. The search is limited to the City’s ALPRs and to other ALPR locations which have been shared with the police department. The City does not share its ALPRs with any federal agencies.
Limiting misuse and abuse of ALPRs
Officers follow a two-step verification process before taking enforcement action: they verify the image against the actual characters of the license plate in the alert and then confirm it against a law enforcement database. Monthly randomized audits of officers’ searches are conducted.
Data retention and security
The City owns the ALPR mages and the data is fully encrypted. None of the data will be sold to any third party. Data is only shared with other law enforcement agencies. Captured images, not collected as part of an investigation, are automatically deleted after 30 days. Once deleted, the images are no longer accessible
Number and location: https://flockcamera.app/locations/illinois/wheaton/