The Flock camera contract that Elgin Community College could not cancel
In April 2025 Elgin Community College in Illinois installed six Flock safety cameras to enhance the safety and security of students. By September the administration grew concerned that Flock was sharing data with Customs and Border Patrol that camera feeds were not properly secured and that both law enforcement and the company's employees were abusing access to the data.
Flock refused to remove cameras despite college's requests
The college attempted to cancel its Flock contact but the company refused to take its cameras down. Elgin Community College covered the cameras using black trash bags and zip ties so that they would not be able to capture footage. Workers in an unmarked vehicle which the college assumed belonged to Flock repeatedly removed the coverings.
Back and forth between college and company
According to Elgin's President Peggy Heinrich the college and Flock engaged in a back and forth where the college would cover the cameras and Flock would remove the coverings when they came to service. This continued until April of this year when the college's contract expired and Flock removed the cameras.
Formal requests met with silence
In October 2025 Elgin Community College requested that Flock remove its cameras. Flock rejected the request saying it had not violated its contract. In December school officials offered to pay for the remaining five months of the contract and still requested that the cameras be removed. They were met with silence.
What this means for institutions using surveillance technology
The episode highlights the difficulty institutions face when trying to remove surveillance technology that a vendor considers integral to a contract. It also raises questions about data sharing practices camera feed security and vendor access policies. The college's experience may inform other institutions evaluating or deploying similar safety systems.