Bloomington City Council Introduces Ordinance to Ban Automated License Plate Readers

On September 16, 2026, the Bloomington City Council introduced Ordinance 2026-22, a measure that would permanently ban the city from acquiring or using automated license plate readers (ALPRs) and prohibit the sharing of surveillance camera data with third parties. Sponsored by Councilmembers Isabel Piedmont-Smith, Isak Nti Asare, and Sydney Zulich, the legislation represents a definitive rejection of mass surveillance tools by the municipal government.[2][4]

The proposed ban legally codifies a shift that began earlier in the year. In March 2026, the city allowed its contract with surveillance vendor Flock Safety to expire, following a month-long internal review and intense public pushback. The new ordinance ensures that this operational pause becomes permanent policy, applying to any city department, board, commission, or contractor.[4]

At the core of the legislation is a mandate to prevent the creation of administrative databases that track the movements and locations of residents without reasonable suspicion of criminal activity. The text of the ordinance explicitly aims to "protect the health, welfare, privacy, civil liberties, and constitutional rights" of the public, drawing a hard line against technologies that log the daily routines of unaccused motorists.[4]

The introduction of the ban follows a coordinated effort by local civil liberties advocates, who spent the early months of 2026 protesting the city's use of 11 permanently mounted Flock cameras. Critics raised alarms over data retention policies, the lack of democratic oversight, and the potential for local surveillance data to be accessed by federal agencies, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement.[4][6]

Bloomington's move mirrors a growing skepticism toward ALPR technology across the region. On July 23, 2026, the Monroe County Board of Commissioners voted 2-0 to terminate their own Flock contract, opting to pay a $3,000 cancellation fee to remove cameras operated by the Sheriff's Office. Similar grassroots opposition has emerged in neighboring areas, including a recent petition in rural Lawrence County that gathered over 500 signatures demanding a ban on the technology.[4][5]

Despite the political momentum against the cameras, law enforcement officials have consistently defended their utility. Prior to the expiration of Bloomington's contract, the Bloomington Police Department credited the ALPR system with providing crucial leads in severe cases. The department cited instances where the cameras helped safely recover a kidnapping victim and identify suspects in homicide and roadside sexual assault investigations.[4][6]

While acknowledging these investigative successes, the council's legislative approach prioritizes structural privacy over technological convenience. The ordinance reflects a consensus among its sponsors that the risks of unchecked data collection outweigh the benefits of the surveillance network, particularly when the software ecosystem and data integrations are managed by private vendors.[3][4]

The ALPR ban was introduced during a marathon five-hour council session that also tackled sweeping changes to the city's housing policies. Alongside the surveillance debate, the council voted 5-3 to approve Ordinance 2026-20, which eliminates minimum parking requirements and reduces lot widths in residential zones to spur affordable housing development.[1][4]

The council will hold a second reading and a final vote on the surveillance ban during its next regular session on October 14, 2026. If passed, Bloomington will establish one of the strictest municipal prohibitions on license plate readers in Indiana, forcing local law enforcement to rely entirely on traditional investigative methods and setting a clear precedent for surrounding communities.[4][5]