Both candidates for DuPage County sheriff say they would keep Flock Safety license-plate cameras but crack down on misuse, a point of agreement that emerged at a Sept. 13 forum at Elmhurst City Hall.
Democrat Peter Coolidge and Republican Sean Noonan each pledged stricter access rules and regular audits during the half-hour session hosted by the League of Women Voters of Elmhurst, as first reported by Elmhurst Patch.
Their promises come as officers in at least four suburban departments have been placed on administrative leave for alleged improper use of the cameras, the Chicago Tribune reported Sept. 13.
Noonan: restrict access to detectives and supervisors
Noonan, an Oakbrook Terrace police officer with more than 23 years in law enforcement and a former DuPage County Board member, said the cameras are a proven investigative tool. He pointed to a homicide case in Oakbrook Terrace where Flock data proved critical.
"In my opinion, it should be limited to detectives and supervisors only, not patrol level, because people are abusing it," Noonan said at the forum.
He also called for regular audits of camera searches. Noonan was the only candidate to directly criticize the current sheriff's office, saying there had been a deficiency in its support for municipal police departments and that he wanted to rebuild those relationships.
Coolidge: zero tolerance and shorter data retention
Coolidge, who retired from the DuPage County Sheriff's Office after nearly 30 years, pledged what he called a zero-tolerance policy for any misuse of Flock data.
In a separate Shaw Local election questionnaire, Coolidge laid out specifics: move toward Flock's new seven-day default retention period, require a documented case number for every search and refer any misuse to the DuPage County State's Attorney's Office for independent review.
Coolidge also raised concerns about Flock data being shared with other government agencies and called on the Illinois legislature to regulate cross-agency access.
Misuse cases across DuPage County
The debate is not hypothetical. A West Chicago police officer was placed on administrative leave after the city found indications the officer may have used the Flock system for an unauthorized purpose between late 2024 and early 2025, CBS News Chicago reported. The DuPage County State's Attorney's Office is investigating that case.
Officers in Bloomingdale, Itasca and Channahon also face administrative leave over alleged Flock misuse, according to the Tribune. Flock Safety has responded by recommending a seven-day default storage period, down from 30 days, and requiring all customers to adopt its Audit Assistance feature, which flags suspicious search activity, WGN reported.
What's next
Coolidge and Noonan are competing to replace two-term Sheriff James Mendrick, who ran for governor earlier in 2026 and has not endorsed a candidate in the general election. Mendrick backed Undersheriff Eddie Moore in the Republican primary, but Noonan won that race.
Voters will choose between the two by Tuesday, Nov. 3.
