Two former suburban police officers charged with misusing Flock license plate cameras
A pair of former suburban police officers face official misconduct charges alleging they conducted unauthorized searches using police databases, including those linked to Flock automated license plate readers.
A grand jury indicted former Itasca police officer Marisa Ciccola, 30, on 13 felony counts of official misconduct, and eight misdemeanor counts of computer tampering, the DuPage County state’s attorney’s office announced late Monday.
The grand jury also indicted former West Chicago officer Gerardo Solis, 39, on one felony count of official misconduct and one count of computer tampering, prosecutors said.
Ciccola and Solis turned themselves in Monday, and were released on their own recognizance. Prosecutors did not disclose their hometowns.
The indictment against Ciccola alleges that between June 2025 and May 2026, she made forbidden inquiries about Illinois license plates, using the Law Enforcement Agencies Data System and the Flock ALPR system, prosecutors said.
Solis, while working for West Chicago between December 2024 and January 2025, made an unauthorized inquiry regarding an Illinois plate using the Flock system, authorities allege.
“It is extremely troubling when someone entrusted with upholding the law is accused of breaking it,” State’s Attorney Robert Berlin said in the announcement of the charges.
Berlin went on to say that ALPRs remain a “crucial component of law enforcement.”
“Misuse of this technology, however, must carry consequences and anyone who breaches the public trust in such a manner will be held accountable,” he said.
The charges come amid intense scrutiny and national debate over law enforcement’s use of Flock cameras and similar technology. While law enforcement leaders remain committed to the technology, some suburbs are reconsidering their relationships with Flock and rewriting the terms of their agreements with the Atlanta-based company.
Ciccola and Solis are not the first suburban police officers to face criminal charges alleging misuse. William Copp, the former chief in Holiday Hills and former officer in Prairie Grove, was charged earlier this year after prosecutors alleged he improperly accessed Flock data hundreds of times in 2024 and 2025 to track former romantic partners and others.
Officers in other suburbs, including Bloomingdale and Naperville, have been placed on leave amid investigations into allegations they misused Flock data. The Naperville officer later resigned.
Leaders of both the Itasca and West Chicago departments issued statements Monday night saying they are committed to professionalism, integrity and transparency.
“The City of West Chicago takes the integrity of our public safety systems seriously,” West Chicago Chief Colin Fleury said. “We acted promptly when concerns were identified and fully cooperated with the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office. We appreciate their thorough and independent review of this matter.”
Both Ciccola and Solid are scheduled to appear in court Nov. 16. If found guilty of official misconduct, they face a maximum two to five years in prison, though probation also would be possible.
ssarkauskas@dailyherald.com