Elgin Community College in Illinois tried to cancel its contract with Flock Safety, the surveillance camera company, but the vendor refused to take down its equipment. The college first requested removal in October 2025, citing concerns about data sharing with Customs and Border Patrol, insecure camera feeds, and alleged abuse of access by law enforcement and Flock employees. Flock rejected the request, saying it had not violated the contract.
According to college president Peggy Heinrich, staff then covered the cameras with black trash bags and zip ties. But workers in an unmarked vehicle, which Heinrich assumed belonged to Flock, repeatedly removed the coverings. The back-and-forth continued until the contract expired in April, at which point Flock removed the cameras.
The episode illustrates how a customer can be locked into a surveillance contract even after losing trust in the vendor. The college offered to pay for the remaining five months of the contract in December, but received no response from Flock before resorting to covering the cameras.