Illinois marked a groundbreaking milestone last year, recording zero fatal expressway shootings throughout 2025. Police designed a strategy centered on technology, particularly automated license plate readers, to maintain public safety on the state’s highways.

Cambridge canceled its contract with Flock over privacy concerns. Mere days later, those same license-plate readers helped solve one of the region’s most high-profile murders. The rapid shift from skepticism to reliance on the technology raises pivotal questions about balancing civil liberties and public safety.