Evanston police are using surveillance technology to help hunt down people seeking abortions1 and for their immigration status2. This is explicitly against Illinois state law3 and several Evanston ordinances.4
In the January 8th, 2024 City Council meeting5, Evanston cop Ryan Glew promised that the data from Flock Safety automatic license plate reader cameras “…cannot be used for out of state investigations of women coming through town for exercise of reproductive rights.” or “…in investigation of immigration status as well.” Investigations show that it was happening regardless.
In the same meeting Ryan Glew said “any vendor and the service they provide falls out of step with what we are trying to do as a community, then we terminate that relationship.”.
Councilmembers unanimously voted for this increased state surveillance and were aware of the issues all along.6
The Chief of Police Schenita Stewart along with supervisors also knew and sent assurances to city council.7
While neighboring agencies have willingly provided public audit records from ALPR use, Evanston is resisting the release of their audits.8
We also saw the Evanston drone program funded by Homeland Security for “counter-terrorism efforts” used against people at rallies for Palestine. This is a violation of another state law called the Freedom From Drone Surveillance Act (of which State Senator Daniel Biss was a sponsor).9 This indicates a pattern of lawlessness indicative of policing that we’ve seen time and time again.
Evanston cannot be a Welcoming City AND a Surveillance City.
How many people have been and/or will be harmed by the years of our data that Evanston police quietly collected?
It’s time to BAN ALL SURVEILLANCE in Evanston!
Meanwhile our investigation continues…
– footnotes –
- Cox, Joseph. “A Texas Cop Searched License Plate Cameras Nationwide for a Woman Who Got an Abortion.” 404 Media, 29 May 2025, https://www.404media.co/a-texas-cop-searched-license-plate-cameras-nationwide-for-a-woman-who-got-an-abortion/ ↩︎
- Koebler, Jason. “ICE Taps into Nationwide AI-Enabled Camera Network, Data Shows.” 404 Media, 27 May 2025, https://www.404media.co/ice-taps-into-nationwide-ai-enabled-camera-network-data-shows/ ↩︎
- 625 ILCS 5/2-130 User of Automated License Plate Readers; Prohibitions. 1 Jan. 2025 https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/fulltext.asp?DocName=062500050K2-130 ↩︎
- City of Evanston Code of Ordinances. “Municode Library.” Ordinance No. 17-O-25 “Welcoming City Ordinance”https://library.municode.com/il/evanston/ordinances/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=1341285, Title 1 Creating Chapter 23, “Bodily Autonomy” & Title 8, Chapter 1, “Health Department,” https://cityofevanston.civicweb.net/document/422735/Ordinance%2043-O-25,%20Health%20Data%20Protection%20Ordin.pdf?handle=1971E69F070C49A9B1997CC1DA55FE50 ↩︎
- City of Evanston. “Evanston City Council Meeting 1-8-2024” – YouTube. 8 Jan. 2024, https://youtu.be/PyyfBlKwRXI?list=PLMPrwqz2aSjPkAv7-HisDvC7OiG4gThGa&t=8970 ↩︎
- FOIA Request #25-1744: ALPR Emails to Councilmembers https://www.muckrock.com/foi/evanston-7790/alpr-emails-to-councilmembers-187534/ ↩︎
- Stewart, Schenita. Email. “…we conduct regular organizational and network audits, which I personally review.” 26 May 2025. https://www.muckrock.com/foi/evanston-7790/alpr-emails-to-councilmembers-187534/#file-1292026 ↩︎
- FOIA Requests #25-1578: Flock Safety ALPR Audits 2025 (Evanston Police Department) , #25-1704: ALPR Audit Reports Review by Chief of Police Schenita Stewart https://www.muckrock.com/foi/evanston-7790/alpr-audit-reports-review-by-chief-of-police-schenita-stewart-187409/ ↩︎
- Illinois General Assembly . 725 ILCS 167/1. “Freedom from Drone Surveillance Act”, 1 Jan. 2014, https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs3.asp?ActID=3520 ↩︎