Five public universities in Illinois are still operating surveillance camera systems provided by Flock Safety, according to a contract review released by public radio station WBEZ on September 17, 2026. The review identified ongoing agreements at five campuses, including the University of Illinois Urbana‑Champaign and the University of Illinois Chicago, while the remaining three institutions were not named in the report.
WBEZ’s analysis examined the contractual relationships of all twelve public universities in the state. It found that, although a number of campuses have terminated their agreements with the controversial surveillance firm, a subset of five continues to maintain active contracts. The two named universities, UIUC and UIC, are among the larger research institutions in the system, and both have confirmed that their current camera contracts remain in effect. The review did not disclose the specific terms of the agreements or the duration of the remaining obligations.
The broader picture shows that half of Illinois’ public university system has moved away from Flock Safety’s technology, reflecting a trend among many institutions to discontinue the partnership. The continued use of the cameras at the five campuses indicates that those schools have either found the systems satisfactory for their security needs or have not yet completed the process of replacing or ending the contracts. The WBEZ report highlights the ongoing presence of Flock Safety equipment on these campuses as of the date of the review, underscoring the differing approaches taken by Illinois public universities in managing campus surveillance.
The findings come amid ongoing public discussion about the role of automated surveillance on college grounds, with the continued contracts representing a notable portion of the state’s higher‑education landscape.