Joliet Leader Calls for Camera Oversight After Misuse Charges

State Senator Rachel Ventura from Joliet is asking for tighter rules on Flock Safety cameras after a police lieutenant faced criminal charges. The lieutenant, Jeremy Harrison, was indicted by a Will County grand jury for computer tampering and official misconduct. He is accused of using the camera system to look up a fellow officer’s personal car more than a hundred times without a proper reason. Ventura says the situation shows why oversight matters.

Flock Safety cameras read license plates and note vehicle details to give police a searchable record. According to the charges, Harrison entered false information into the system, marking the woman’s vehicle as wanted, stolen or driven recklessly when there was no basis for that. A special prosecutor is handling the case, and Harrison’s lawyer says the claims are baseless and plans to fight them in court. The company says its technology helps investigators find leads and connect incidents.

Ventura said she had voted against installing Flock cameras while she served on the Will County Board and she also opposed expanding drone use by the state. She believes the government must keep people safe but also respect privacy and constitutional rights. On August twentieth the Will County Board voted fourteen to eight to keep using the technology, with Naperville Police Chief Jason Arres explaining that officers need to provide a case number, note the crime type and log the reason for each search. He added that the logs are reviewed to ensure proper use.

Ventura pointed out a proposal from board member Destinee Ortiz to ban Flock on county‑controlled roads, arguing that residents deserve accountability and that removing the systems helps prevent abuse. Joliet Township Road Commissioner Vincent Alessio has already pulled the cameras from township roads, calling them a powerful tool that lacks enough oversight and threatens freedom of movement. Will County Undersheriff Dan Jungles responded that Alessio does not oversee public safety, noting that the areas losing the cameras, like Preston Heights, tend to have higher violent crime rates. He said the removal could affect neighborhoods that already face safety challenges.