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PROPOSED ORDINANCE AMENDMENT
REQUIRING SEMI-ANNUAL REPORTING ON USE OF AUTOMATIC LICENSE PLATE READERS BY COOK COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE
BE IT ORDAINED, by the Cook County Board of Commissioners, that Chapter 46, Article II, Division 1, Sec. 46-37.1 of the Cook County Code is hereby amended as Follows:
Sec. 46-37.1. - Quarterly reporting.
(a) The Sheriff's Office shall report to the Board of Commissioners quarterly on the cost that the office incurs due to investigating and processing cases involving firearms.
(b) The Sheriff’s Office shall submit and present to the Board of Commissioners a semi-annual report concerning the use, oversight, and safeguards associated with its Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) technology. Such reporting shall focus on documented investigative use, compliance with established policies, auditing procedures, data privacy protections, and measures taken to prevent and address unauthorized use. The semi-annual reports shall include the following:
(1) Investigative Use and Accountability
Information concerning the use of ALPR technology for authorized law enforcement purposes, including:
a. The number of investigative queries conducted.
b. The number of investigations in which ALPR information was documented as having been utilized.
c. Compliance with requirements for documenting a legitimate law enforcement purpose, criminal investigative predicate, and associated case or incident number.
(2) Auditing and Policy Compliance
Information concerning the Sheriff’s Office’s oversight and auditing of ALPR use, including:
a. The number of audits conducted and investigative queries reviewed.
b. The scope and methodology of audits conducted during the reporting period.
c. The number of potential policy violations identified through auditing or other oversight mechanisms
d. Aggregate statistical information regarding the disposition of substantiated violations and any resulting corrective actions, including retraining, suspension, or revocation of system access, or disciplinary referrals, as applicable.
(3) Data Privacy and Access Safeguards
Information concerning the security of ALPR information, including:
a. Compliance with established data retention and deletion requirements.
b. Enforcement of authorized user access restrictions and authentication requirements.
c. Compliance with restrictions governing access to and sharing of ALPR information with all agencies that have executed a Declaration of Investigative Intentions for Access to Cook County Sheriff’s Office ALPR System (“ALPR Declaration”).
d. The number of identified incidents involving unauthorized access, use, or disclosure of ALPR information, if any, and the actions taken in response.
(4) Security and Data Protection
Information concerning the security of ALPR information, including:
a. Any known identified security incidents or confirmed data breaches involving ALPR information.
b. Any substantiated violations of established data-sharing agreements or access restrictions involving all agencies that have executed an ALPR Declaration.
c. Actions taken to address identified vulnerabilities, prevent unauthorized access, and strengthen data security protections.
Limitation of Disclosure of Security and Data Protection Measures. Disclosure under this Section 4 shall not include information about CCSO’s security system, access controls, or security vulnerabilities, including information relating to any third-party vendor’s software procured by the CCSO, the release of which could reasonably compromise CCSO’s network security, or the network security of a third-party vendor’s software, or reveal a third-party vendor’s proprietary information otherwise prohibited from disclosure. This Section does not limit disclosures required by CCSO under applicable law.
(5) Safeguards Implementation and Improvements
A summary of any material changes to ALPR policies, procedures, training requirements, access controls, or auditing protocols implemented during the reporting period to strengthen accountability, protect personal information, and ensure compliance with applicable requirements.
a. Reports shall present information and data in aggregate form and shall not require the disclosure of personally identifiable information; confidential investigative information; information that would compromise an active investigation; information that would compromise or interfere with an internal disciplinary process; information that could reasonably compromise network security of CCSO, Cook County, a third-party vendor, or other law enforcement agency; information that could reasonably lead to the disclosure of a third-party vendor’s proprietary information that is otherwise prohibited from disclosure under law or by an agreement between relevant Parties; information relating to another law enforcement agency’s use of its own ALPR system that CCSO is not authorized to release; or information that is otherwise prohibited from disclosure pursuant to State or federal law.
b. Reporting shall emphasize documented investigative use, adherence to established safeguards, audit findings, and corrective actions. The total number of license plates passively captured by ALPR cameras shall not be required as a quarterly reporting metric, as such information does not independently establish how ALPR information is accessed, utilized, or managed by authorized personnel.
Effective date: This ordinance shall be in effect starting March 1, 2027.
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