– 64 entries
Police Using License-Plate Camera Networks to Stalk
Officers across multiple states have used automated license-plate-reader networks — most often Flock Safety's — to track ex-partners, relatives, and other private individuals, in cases running from a handful of lookups to roughly six hundred. The searches were logged and later recoverable, but nothing in the systems stopped them at the time; the misuse surfaced through complaints and audits after the fact, not through controls that prevented it.
Police departments across the country have adopted automated license-plate-reader networks — overwhelmingly Flock Safety's, which links thousands of local agencies into a searchable national pool — and officers have repeatedly used them to track people they had a personal interest in. Recorded instances span a Milwaukee officer who ran his ex-partner and her new partner about 179 times, a Braselton, Georgia police chief who searched for his ex-girlfriend roughly 600 times and was charged with stalking, a Habersham County, Georgia deputy fired and arrested over personal searches, a Mooresville, North Carolina officer who tracked her boyfriend's ex-wife 31 times, and a Kechi, Kansas lieutenant convicted of stalking and computer crime in 2023 for tracking his estranged wife through a shared Wichita-area network. The earliest instance currently in the archive is a Frazer Township, Pennsylvania officer who used his department's reader alongside a hidden GPS tracker to stalk his estranged wife in 2021, as part of a campaign that also included threats and an armed standoff. The pattern's clearest illustration is the Milwaukee internal-affairs detective who was assigned to investigate Flock misuse and used the same system to track two people himself.
What unites these is not the vendor but the control gap. Every one of these searches was logged, and every one was recoverable afterward — which is how they were eventually documented. None was prevented. The systems require a reason code the officer types themselves, and in each case the stated reason went unchecked until a complaint, an audit, or a criminal referral prompted someone to look back through the logs. Several of these cases ended in criminal charges, a firing, or a surrendered peace-officer license; the accountability arrived only after the surveillance had already happened, sometimes hundreds of times. This is a running episode and should absorb new instances as they are recorded.
2026 Events (55)
New Bedford, Mass. Sgt. James Marinelli used Flock cameras to track a woman he was dating, department finds
New Bedford, Massachusetts police announced on September 3, 2026 that an internal-affairs investigation, opened August 5, 2026, found Sgt. James Marinelli misused the department's Flock automated license-plate-reader system to track a woman he was dating and her ex-partner, entering pretextual justifications such as trespass, hit-and-run, disorderly conduct, and welfare-check codes to run the searches. Police Chief Jason Thody recommended Marinelli's termination; Marinelli invoked his Fifth Amendment right and declined to give a statement during the investigation. The finding was disclosed alongside a separate, unrelated internal-affairs finding against another New Bedford officer, Emily Pacheco, recorded as its own entry.
Revere, Mass. police officer misused Flock cameras and state database to track ex-girlfriend, suspended without pay
On September 2, 2026, Revere, Massachusetts police confirmed that Officer Michael Tiso had used the department's Flock license-plate-reader cameras and a state database on multiple occasions to track the location of his ex-girlfriend, Marissa Todisco, and her family, following a complaint the department received in December 2025. An internal affairs investigation substantiated the misuse, and Tiso served a three-day unpaid suspension from August 24 to August 26, 2026 before returning to duty; the findings were reported to the Massachusetts Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Commission.
Georgia Department of Corrections special agent misused Flock license-plate cameras for non-law-enforcement purposes; arrested and charged
A Georgia Department of Corrections special agent in charge, Robert "Bobby" Michael Keim, 45, was arrested and charged September 1, 2026 with misuse of a license plate reader system after the Georgia Bureau of Investigation found he had used the agency's Flock Safety license-plate-reader network for non-law-enforcement purposes. GDC had asked the GBI to investigate Keim's access to the system on August 18, 2026; investigators did not disclose what searches he allegedly ran. Keim, of Eatonton, was booked into the Putnam County Jail, and the case remains under investigation ahead of referral to the Ocmulgee Judicial Circuit District Attorney's Office.
Colleton County, S.C. sheriff's lieutenant fired over 62 unauthorized Flock camera searches, including his spouse's vehicle
Colleton County Sheriff's Office Lt. Kevin Smalls was fired on August 31, 2026, after an internal audit found he conducted 62 unauthorized searches of the department's Flock license-plate-reader system over a six-month period, including searches of vehicles registered to his spouse and other acquaintances. Sheriff Guerry Hill Jr. requested a South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) investigation into potential criminal conduct. Smalls is the second Colleton County lieutenant fired for Flock misuse in August 2026, after Lt. Ruben Carter's termination on August 20 over more than 2,700 unauthorized searches.
Richmond County, Ga. sheriff's deputy misused Flock database for personal reasons, fired, charged
On August 31, 2026, the Richmond County (Augusta, Georgia) Sheriff's Office arrested and fired Deputy Jose Ferrer after a criminal investigation found he had misused the agency's Flock license-plate-reader system to search plates for reasons unrelated to any official law-enforcement purpose. He was charged with misuse of license plate readers and violation of oath of office and booked into the Charles B. Webster Detention Center. The arrest is the sixth in an ongoing RCSO audit of Flock misuse since June 2026.
Richmond County, Ga. sheriff's investigator misused Flock database for personal reasons, fired, charged
On August 31, 2026, the Richmond County (Augusta, Georgia) Sheriff's Office arrested and fired Investigator Sean Morrow after a criminal investigation found he had misused the agency's Flock license-plate-reader system to search plates for reasons unrelated to any official law-enforcement purpose. He was charged with misuse of license plate readers and violation of oath of office and booked into the Charles B. Webster Detention Center. The arrest is the sixth in an ongoing RCSO audit of Flock misuse since June 2026.
Former Hahira, Ga. police officer arrested for misusing Flock license-plate database
Former Hahira, Georgia police officer Daniel Lindsay was arrested on August 31, 2026 and booked into the Lowndes County Jail on six counts of misuse of license plate data and six counts of violation of oath by a public officer, after a Hahira Police Department audit of its Flock Safety camera system identified non-work-related searches. He was released the same day; the department said the matter is being handled through investigative and legal processes and has not disclosed further detail about the specific searches.
Former Amarillo, Texas officer charged with 78 counts for using Flock database to track romantic rival
Former Amarillo, Texas police officer Christian Slade Eder, 29, was charged on August 31, 2026 with 78 counts of tampering with a government record after an audit found he searched a license-plate database 76 times and a law-enforcement records database twice to track a man who had previously dated a fellow officer Eder had expressed romantic interest in, entering false reasons for the searches each time. The Amarillo Police Department had fired Eder on July 17, 2026 following an internal investigation but did not publicly disclose the firing for 33 days. Eder turned himself in on September 1, was released on a $4,500 bond, and pleaded not guilty at arraignment the next day.
Jackson County, Ind. deputy misused Flock cameras to track girlfriend's location 2,055 times, charged with felony
On August 31, 2026, the Jackson County (Indiana) Prosecutor's Office charged former sheriff's deputy Skylar Thompson, 31, with official misconduct and fraud after a routine department audit found he had searched his then-girlfriend's license plate 2,055 times using the county's Flock camera system between December 31, 2025 and August 2, 2026, while employed as a deputy. Thompson falsely logged the searches as "city planning/traffic analysis," a duty he was never assigned, and resigned the day he was confronted before admitting the conduct to his then-girlfriend directly. A warrant was issued and he was taken into custody.
Athens-Clarke County police fired analyst for tracking ex-wife with Flock cameras
On August 29, 2026, Athens-Clarke County Police Department fired Criminal Intelligence Analyst Supervisor Nick Barker after an investigation found he improperly used the department's Flock automated license-plate-reader system to search his ex-wife's license plate numerous times over several months in 2025. The complaint that triggered the investigation came from Barker's ex-wife, and ACCPD referred the matter to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation for an independent criminal investigation alongside its own internal review.
Former Covington, Ga. officer arrested for Flock camera misuse, oath-of-office violation
On August 27, 2026, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation arrested former Covington Police Department officer Michael Canty, 29, on charges of misuse of a license plate reader system and violation of oath of office. The Covington Police Department had asked the GBI on August 6, 2026 to investigate allegations that Canty misused his Flock Safety system access; the GBI said its preliminary investigation found Canty accessed the Flock system for non-law-enforcement purposes.
Hall County, Georgia sheriff's investigators misused Flock license-plate cameras for personal searches; two fired after audit
The Hall County, Georgia Sheriff's Office confirmed on August 25, 2026 that it had fired two investigators, Justin Brown and Michael Atkins, after an internal audit of its Flock automated license-plate-reader system found both had used it for personal reasons unrelated to law enforcement. Termination records show Brown accessed the system approximately 250 times between January 2 and July 30, 2026 and was terminated August 19; Atkins was found to have accessed it on at least four occasions and was terminated August 24, with Brown's case referred to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation for a criminal investigation.
Second Habersham County deputy misused Flock license-plate database for personal, non-law-enforcement searches; fired and arrested
Habersham County Sheriff's Office Deputy Jonathan Thomas was terminated and arrested on August 24, 2026, after an internal audit found he had accessed the department's Flock automated license-plate-reader system for a personal, non-law-enforcement purpose connected to a personal relationship. Thomas was booked into the Habersham County Detention Center on one felony count of violation of oath of office and two misdemeanor counts of misuse of license plate data, making him the second Habersham deputy in less than a month found to have misused the system after Deputy Christian Brewer's July 31 arrest. Sheriff Robin Krockum announced a strengthened two-person approval policy for Flock searches in response.
Highland Heights, Ohio police dispatcher misused Flock license-plate cameras in 20,292 unauthorized searches, resigned
A part-time Highland Heights, Ohio police dispatcher resigned on August 20, 2026, after Police Chief Dennis Matejcic found she had repeatedly misused the department's Flock automated license-plate-reader system for searches unconnected to any Highland Heights case. Records obtained by the public-records tracker HaveIBeenFlocked showed the dispatcher's account carried out 20,292 Flock searches between October 24, 2024 and November 22, 2025, including more than 5,000 searches on a single license plate, and the chief said she continued the unauthorized searches in the 30 days before he discovered them. Highland Heights had never audited its Flock system, in use since 2021, before this incident, and the department has since made monthly audits mandatory for every employee with Flock access.
Colleton County, S.C. lieutenant made 2,700+ unauthorized Flock license-plate searches on 14 people over a year, fired
Colleton County, South Carolina Sheriff's Office Lieutenant Ruben Carter was fired on August 20, 2026 after an internal audit found he had made more than 2,700 unauthorized searches of the department's Flock license-plate-reader system over roughly a year, targeting 14 people -- including himself, fellow deputies, friends, and former associates. Sheriff Guerry "Buddy" Hill Jr. asked the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division to investigate possible criminal conduct and overhauled the department's Flock access policy in response.
Lufkin, Texas officer misused Flock license-plate database to track 11 people over a year, indicted on 100 felony counts
Lufkin, Texas police officer Zachary Anthony Klein was arrested by Texas Rangers on August 20, 2026, following an internal audit and an outside investigation into his use of the department's Flock automated license-plate-reader system. He was indicted the next day on 100 felony counts of misuse of official information, accused of tracking the vehicles of 11 people -- most connected to an ex-girlfriend -- for nongovernmental purposes between June 2024 and December 2025. The Lufkin Police Department suspended its use of Flock cameras department-wide as a result.
Cherokee County, Ga. Deputy Jerry Shellhouse fired, arrested on felony charge for misusing Flock database; fourth employee charged
On August 19, 2026, the Cherokee County, Georgia Sheriff's Office fired and arrested Deputy Jerry Shellhouse, 57, of Waleska, after an internal audit found he had used the agency's Automated License Plate Reader (Flock) system for non-law-enforcement purposes between October 2023 and December 2025. He was charged with one felony count of violation of oath of office and one misdemeanor count of unlawfully retaining license-plate-reader data, and was held on a $3,812 bond. Shellhouse is the fourth Cherokee County Sheriff's Office employee arrested in 2026 in the same self-initiated audit, following Deputy Cynthia Jodesty, Lt. Chris Bryant, and Sgt. Mike Creeden.
Sarasota, Fla. officer misused Flock and DAVID databases 335 times to track ex-partner's vehicle; fired, arrested
On August 19, 2026, the Sarasota Police Department fired and arrested Officer Cory Waiters, 38, after an internal and criminal investigation found he had misused the department's Flock license-plate-reader network and Florida's DAVID driver database to repeatedly search his ex-partner's vehicle. A USA Today reporter's independent analysis of Flock audit logs first flagged the pattern -- 335 searches of the same plate over roughly two months, including 121 in a single day -- and the reporter's August 6 email to the department triggered the internal affairs and criminal investigations. Waiters was charged with felony offenses against computer users/systems, felony official misconduct, and misdemeanor violation of public records law.
Kenosha County deputy charged with felony misconduct for using Flock and Polaris databases to track a coworker
On August 19, 2026, the Kenosha County District Attorney's Office charged former Kenosha County Sheriff's Deputy Frank McGrath with two felony counts of misconduct in public office for using the FLOCK license-plate-reader network and the Polaris squad-tracking system to monitor a fellow deputy with whom he had a personal relationship. A county internal investigation had already substantiated the conduct, but McGrath was permitted to resign under a negotiated separation agreement in December 2025 without the matter being referred for criminal review; a prosecutor took it up only after Kenosha County Eye publisher Kevin Mathewson filed a John Doe petition in March 2026 asking a judge to compel the review.
Jefferson Parish, La. deputy fired after admitting 3,200+ unauthorized Flock searches on ex-fiancee
Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office deputy Nathan Rome was fired Aug. 18, 2026 after admitting, following a reporter inquiry and after waiving his rights to investigators, that he had used the agency's Flock license-plate-reader system to search his former fiancee's vehicle more than 3,200 times over several years for reasons unrelated to any official duty. Sheriff Joseph Lopinto confirmed the admission and the firing on the record.
Indianapolis police officer misused automated license-plate readers for personal reasons, suspended with termination recommended
On August 13, 2026, the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department announced that an officer, who has not been publicly identified, had been suspended with a recommendation for termination after using the department's automated license-plate-reader system for personal reasons. IMPD said it learned of the misuse on August 6, 2026, immediately placed the officer on administrative duty with no police powers, revoked the officer's access to the system, and collected the officer's department-issued equipment. Chief Tanya Terry recommended termination "based on facts gathered during the early stages of the administrative investigation," and both administrative and criminal investigations remain ongoing.
Chandler, Ariz. police officer misused Flock license-plate cameras to locate family member, resigned before investigation completed
A Chandler, Arizona police officer resigned on August 13, 2026, after admitting to department investigators that they used the city's Flock automated license-plate-reader system to locate an older family member with prior health concerns. Chandler Police said in a written statement that a routine scheduled audit flagged unusual account activity on August 6, the officer was questioned and admitted the misuse, was placed on administrative leave, and resigned before a formal investigation could be completed. The city had already announced on August 7 that it would end its use of all 40 Flock cameras following the internal investigation.
Haines City, Fla. officer arrested after 717 Flock camera searches of estranged wife's car
On August 11, 2026, Haines City, Florida police officer Christopher Goodson, 31, was arrested on one count of offenses against computer users and one count of official misconduct, both third-degree felonies. An arrest affidavit found Goodson entered his estranged wife's license plate into the department's Flock Safety camera database 717 times between September 1, 2024 and June 30, 2026, often logging false law-enforcement justifications for the searches. Goodson disclosed the searches to a supervisor only after learning a reporter had contacted his estranged wife about the pattern, and has indicated he intends to resign.
New Bedford, Mass. officer Emily Pacheco accused of using Flock cameras to track ex-girlfriend; judge found her a credible threat
New Bedford, Massachusetts police officer Emily Pacheco was served an abuse-prevention order on August 10, 2026, after her ex-girlfriend's sworn affidavit alleged Pacheco used the department's Flock automated license-plate-reader system to track her, called her repeatedly from disguised numbers, and showed up unannounced at her home. Department data show Pacheco's Flock searches jumped from 18 in April, when the relationship ended, to 259 in May and 220 in June, and a judge found Pacheco poses a credible threat to the ex-girlfriend's physical safety, ordering her to surrender all firearms and suspending her license to carry -- an order extended for six months on August 13 after Pacheco testified the searches were part of a legitimate drug investigation. New Bedford police opened an internal-affairs investigation and Chief Jason Thody temporarily suspended the department's use of Flock pending a review of all past use, after The New Bedford Light asked the department about the allegations.
Mauldin, S.C. officer fired for using Flock cameras 166 times to track ex-partner, falsified search logs
Separation papers Mauldin, South Carolina police officials filed with the S.C. Criminal Justice Academy — first publicly reported August 10, 2026 after records requests, since neither Hammond nor the department disclosed it voluntarily — showed that Mauldin Police Department officer Ellie Hammond was terminated August 3, 2026 after using the department's Flock automated license-plate-reader system 166 times between March and July 2026 to track a former significant other's vehicle. Hammond disguised the searches by logging them as warrant checks, traffic infractions, and welfare checks rather than their real purpose.
Six Savannah Police Department employees misused Flock license-plate camera system for personal searches; all fired
The Savannah Police Department terminated four sworn officers and two civilian employees on or about August 7, 2026, after an internal investigation found they used the department's Flock Safety license-plate-reader system to run searches on personal acquaintances and family members unrelated to law enforcement purposes. One of the six also gave an outside law-enforcement agency unauthorized access to the system. SPD opened the investigation July 27, 2026, and referred all six cases to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation for an ongoing independent criminal review; the employees' names have not been released pending that investigation and an appeals process.
Former Polk County, Georgia officer arrested for misusing Cedartown PD's Flock license-plate system via task-force access
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation arrested former Polk County Police Department Officer Tracey Royston, 51, of Cedartown, Georgia, on August 7, 2026, on four misdemeanor counts of misuse of a license plate reader system. Royston, while detached to the GBI-managed Northwest Georgia Drug Task Force, used the access that assignment gave her to the Cedartown Police Department's Flock Safety system to search it multiple times between 2024 and 2025 for non-law-enforcement purposes, after Cedartown police asked the GBI to investigate on July 31, 2026.
Mooresville, NC officer misused Flock license-plate cameras 31 times to track boyfriend's ex-wife
Mooresville, North Carolina police officer Elizabeth Snowman was arrested and charged on August 5, 2026, after Police Chief Ron Campurciani said she accessed the department's Flock automated license-plate-reader system 31 times -- including twice while off duty -- to track her boyfriend's ex-wife. Snowman logged most of the searches as motor vehicle infractions and was released on a $5,000 bond; the department is reviewing roughly 10 additional cases of potential Flock misuse, three of which the chief said already look problematic. The arrest came a week after a Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officer was placed on unpaid leave over similar Flock-system misuse allegations.
Habersham County deputy misused Flock license-plate database for personal, non-law-enforcement searches; fired and arrested
A Habersham County Sheriff's Office deputy, Christian Brewer, was fired and arrested on July 31, 2026, after a random internal audit found he had used the department's Flock automated license-plate-reader system for personal, non-law-enforcement purposes, running searches connected to an individual he had a personal relationship with. Brewer was booked into the Habersham County Detention Center on one felony count of violation of oath of office and two misdemeanor counts of misuse of license plate data, with the case referred to the district attorney's office for prosecution. The arrest brought Georgia's documented total to at least 20 people arrested or charged for similar Flock/ALPR misuse across at least ten law-enforcement agencies statewide.
Ogeechee Circuit DA investigator Andrae Wright used retained Flock, TLO database access to stalk his wife, arrested
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation arrested Andrae Wright, 44, on July 27, 2026 in Statesboro, Georgia, and charged him with misuse of a license plate reader system, stalking, computer invasion of privacy, and violation of oath of office. At the time of the offense, Wright was chief investigator for the Ogeechee Circuit District Attorney's Office; he had retained access to the Effingham County Sheriff's Office's Flock Safety system from a prior job there and used it, along with the TLO law-enforcement records database, more than 180 times between June 15 and July 5, 2026 to locate his wife. He was booked into the Bulloch County Jail, having left the DA's office on July 9, 2026, the day the investigation began.
Sumter County, Florida detective misused police databases and Flock cameras to track husband's ex-wife, was fired and arrested
Sumter County, Florida Sheriff's Office Detective Brandy Almany was arrested and fired on July 23, 2026, after an internal audit found she had used restricted law-enforcement databases -- including the Flock license-plate-reader network, Florida's DAVID driver database, and the Comprehensive Case Information System -- to track her husband's ex-wife for personal reasons. Investigators said Almany created fake electronic records citing unrelated case numbers to make the searches appear to be legitimate investigations, and she was charged with official misconduct and multiple counts of offenses against computer users. Sheriff Patrick Breeden suspended all Flock camera use departmentwide and ordered a full audit of database access following the arrest.
Conyers, Ga. crime-center supervisor misused Flock cameras to track domestic partner; arrested and charged
On July 22, 2026, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation arrested and charged Paige Forte, a supervisor in the Conyers Police Department's Real-Time Crime Center, with misuse of a license-plate-reader system after an internal department audit found she had accessed the Flock Safety database more than 30 times between April and July 2026 to track her domestic partner's vehicle. Conyers police requested the GBI investigation after the audit flagged her search activity; she was booked into the Rockdale County Jail and placed on administrative leave.
Richmond County sheriff's lieutenant, investigator, and deputy misused Flock database for 100+ personal searches; fired, charged
On July 20, 2026, the Richmond County (Augusta, Georgia) Sheriff's Office fired and arrested Lt. John McKenzie, Investigator Curtis Hoskins, and Deputy Joshua Johnson after a criminal investigation found each had made more than 100 unauthorized personal-purpose searches of the agency's Flock license-plate-reader system. All three turned themselves in at the Charles B. Webster Detention Center the same morning and were charged with misuse of license plate readers and violation of oath of office. The arrests stemmed from the same Flock audit that led to former Deputy Jaquarius Yarbrough's firing on June 25, 2026.
DeKalb County sergeant misused Flock license-plate system for unauthorized, non-job-related purpose; fired and arrested
The DeKalb County (Georgia) Sheriff's Office fired and arrested Sgt. Kabiru Salawu on July 17, 2026, after an internal investigation found he had made unauthorized, non-job-related use of the department's Flock Safety license-plate-reader system. Salawu, who had worked for the agency since August 24, 2009, was booked into the DeKalb County Jail without bond on a felony count of violation of oath of office and a misdemeanor count of misuse of license plate data.
Documents show Fort Bend County sheriff's lieutenant misused Flock cameras 189 times, suspended two days
ABC13 reported on July 17, 2026, that documents it obtained show a Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office lieutenant used the department's Flock license-plate-reader network to search one license plate 41 times and another 148 times from January 2022 through December 2025, admitting the searches were unrelated to official law-enforcement work. An internal affairs investigation, opened after a resident accused the lieutenant of "stalking" them, found the lieutenant violated the department's general orders and imposed a two-day suspension; ABC13 is not naming the lieutenant because no criminal charges have been filed.
Stow, Mass. officer used Flock cameras and state databases to track ex-partner who fled abusive relationship
On July 17, 2026, the Stow Police Department filed a criminal complaint against Officer Jason Rogers after a four-week internal-affairs investigation found he used the Flock camera system and the state's CJIS and CORI databases multiple times in 2024 and 2025 to locate a woman who had ended their relationship years earlier. The woman said the relationship had been abusive and that she had changed her identity, phone number, and social-media habits after leaving; she has since obtained a restraining order against Rogers that she said will remain in place for at least a year. Rogers was placed on paid administrative leave and then, on July 31, 2026, unpaid leave pending a Select Board hearing on his employment status.
Reynoldsburg, Ohio officer searched same plate 53 times without case numbers, resigned before misconduct interview
On July 16, 2026, Reynoldsburg, Ohio police officer Alissa Birkhimer resigned one day before she was scheduled to be interviewed by Internal Affairs investigators about her use of the department's Flock Safety license-plate-reader system. A department audit found she had searched the same Ohio license plate 53 times between January and June 2026, mostly without the case number her searches were supposed to be tied to, and that a case number she eventually cited in June belonged to an unrelated missing-person investigation with no established connection to the plate. Unlike a fellow officer caught in a parallel audit, Reynoldsburg police released no internal-affairs finding on whether Birkhimer's searches violated policy before she left.
Greer, S.C. police corporal repeatedly searched Flock cameras to track a fellow officer, falsified justifications
Greer, South Carolina Police Department Corporal Kareem Lynch repeatedly used the department's Flock Safety license-plate-reader system to search for the license plate of a fellow officer with whom he had a prior relationship, between December 2025 and January 2026, logging the queries under false justifications such as "welfare checks" or "city planning." The city of Greer disclosed on July 14, 2026 that Lynch had been terminated on June 26, 2026 after a Flock AI audit corroborated the allegations.
Greer, S.C. police officer searched Flock cameras to track his ex-girlfriend and other citizens, falsified justifications
Greer, South Carolina Police Department Officer Sebastian Echeverry used the department's Flock Safety license-plate-reader system to search the plates of several citizens, including his ex-girlfriend, between December 13, 2025 and May 25, 2026, entering "Alcohol Offense Non-DUI" as his justification even though that was not the true reason for the searches. The city of Greer disclosed on July 14, 2026 that Echeverry had been terminated on June 29, 2026 after a Flock AI audit corroborated the allegations.
Reynoldsburg, Ohio officer Mark Nichols made 46 unauthorized Flock searches on ex-partner's plate, resigned before IA interview
Reynoldsburg, Ohio police officer Mark Nichols resigned on July 13, 2026, the day before he was scheduled to be interviewed in an internal-affairs investigation that found he made 47 unauthorized searches of the department's Flock Safety license-plate-reader system between September 2025 and June 2026. Investigators determined 46 of those searches targeted a vehicle belonging to his former domestic partner, with Nichols logging the reason as "23," the department's code for an errand, rather than a case number; Deputy Chief Mike Binder sustained the finding that Nichols had violated department policy. Because Nichols resigned before his interview he faced no discipline, and the department held off referring the case for criminal prosecution because of a medical diagnosis, though officials said that could change if his health improved.
Milwaukee detective assigned to investigate Flock camera misuse misused the same system to track two people, prosecutors alleged
Milwaukee Police Department Internal Affairs Detective Tehrangi Chapman, who had been assigned to investigate officer Josue Ayala for misusing the department's Flock automated license-plate-reader system, was himself charged on July 9, 2026, with felony misconduct in public office and misdemeanor misuse of a GPS device. Prosecutors allege Chapman ran unauthorized Flock searches on two individuals roughly 17 to 20 times between January 2024 and January 2025, logging the searches as "training" or "test," and secretly installed a physical GPS tracker on one victim's car without a warrant or consent. Chapman, a 22-year MPD veteran who was suspended with pay in March 2026, admitted in charging documents to using the database and tracker for personal reasons.
Greene County, Ga. deputy misused Flock database to track a license plate for three months, fired and charged
On July 7, 2026, the Greene County (Georgia) Sheriff's Office arrested and fired Deputy Quin'sha Goss after an internal audit found she had used the agency's Flock automated-license-plate-reader system to track at least one license plate for approximately three months for reasons unrelated to any official law-enforcement purpose. Goss was charged with violation of oath of office and prohibited retention of automated-license-plate-reader data. The Sheriff's Office said the investigation remained active.
GBI: Internal audit found five Albany, Georgia officers misused Flock license-plate data
On July 6, 2026, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation announced the arrest of five former Albany, Georgia police officers — Tytianna Davis, Jade Jackson, Nicholas Richardson, Brittney Smith, and Issac Whitus — on charges of misuse of license plate data and violation of oath of office. An Albany Police Department internal audit of its Flock automated license-plate-reader system, which prompted the department's June 25, 2026 request for a GBI investigation, found the officers had repeatedly accessed the system and used retained plate data for non-law-enforcement purposes; all five were terminated and booked into the Dougherty County Jail.
Richmond County, Ga. deputy searched ex-affair partner's plate via Flock 1,639 times, fired
Richmond County, Georgia Sheriff's Office Deputy Jaquarius Yarbrough was arrested and fired on or about June 25, 2026, after a criminal investigation found he had improperly accessed the department's Flock license-plate-reader system to track a woman with whom he was having an affair. Investigators said Yarbrough searched the woman's license plate 1,639 times over several months and that he admitted continuing to monitor her movements after the relationship ended; he was charged with unlawful retention or use of license-plate-reader data and violation of oath of office.
Milledgeville, Ga. police major misused Flock license-plate cameras for personal purposes; fired and charged
Milledgeville, Georgia Police Department Major Brandon Sellers misused his access to the department's Flock Safety automated license-plate-reader system for non-work-related purposes on June 20, 2026, according to the arrest and booking record. The misuse surfaced after Chief Dray Swicord ordered an internal inquiry on August 10, 2026; Sellers was terminated, turned himself in on felony violation-of-oath and misdemeanor license-plate-data-misuse charges on August 11, and was released on a $10,000 cash bond, with the case referred for prosecution.
Holiday Hills, Illinois police chief charged with felony misconduct for using Flock, LEADS data to track six people he knew
On June 18, 2026, McHenry County, Illinois prosecutors charged William C. Copp, 54, chief of the Holiday Hills Police Department and a part-time Prairie Grove police officer, with two counts of official misconduct after an investigation found he misused Prairie Grove's Flock license-plate-reader system and the Illinois LEADS database to track six people he was personally connected to. Copp resigned as Holiday Hills chief the day of his arrest; a McHenry County judge had denied an emergency stalking no-contact order against him in February 2026, months before the charges were filed.
Cherokee County, Ga. deputy arrested, fired for entering coworker's plate into Flock database
On June 12, 2026, the Cherokee County, Georgia Sheriff's Office arrested and fired Deputy Cynthia Jodesty after an internal audit of its Flock automated license-plate-reader (ALPR) database found she had entered a fellow sheriff's office employee's license plate into the system while performing no legitimate law-enforcement function. Jodesty, 30, was booked into the Cherokee County Adult Detention Center on a felony count of violation of oath of office and a misdemeanor count of unlawfully retaining ALPR data, and released on a $3,812 bond. Her arrest was the first in an expanding Cherokee County Sheriff's Office audit that went on to catch three more deputies for similar Flock misuse over the following two months.
Former Coffee County, Ga. deputy Chris Ashley Rozar indicted on 8 counts for Flock, GCIC database misuse and stalking
On May 5, 2026, a Coffee County, Georgia grand jury indicted former sheriff's deputy Chris Ashley Rozar, 49, on eight counts -- four counts of violation of oath by a public officer, two of computer invasion of privacy, one of prohibited use of captured license-plate data, and one of stalking -- after a two-year GBI investigation found he misused the sheriff's office's Flock camera and tag-reader system and the state GCIC database for personal reasons, including to track a woman, between April 10 and May 1, 2024. Rozar was booked and released on bond the same day; he had been terminated from the sheriff's office when the investigation began.
Shively, Ky. police officer misused Flock camera network over 2,000 times to track ex-girlfriend's vehicles; charged with official misconduct
Shively (Kentucky) Police Officer Asad Zahir ran more than 2,048 searches on the department's Flock Safety license-plate-reader network between January 1 and May 2, 2026, tracking two vehicles registered to the mother of his child across Kentucky and Indiana. During that period Zahir also harassed the woman and made threatening comments, prompting her to obtain a protective order against him in Indiana; investigators found 241 of the searches occurred while that order was in effect. A Flock Safety AI-powered audit tool flagged the pattern in August 2026, leading to Zahir's arrest and criminal charges.
Apache Junction, Ariz. officer misused Flock license-plate cameras to track his wife, resigned before termination
Apache Junction, Arizona police officer Joshua McDaniel misused the department's Flock automated license-plate-reader system on April 19, 2026, to try to locate his wife, Police Chief Michael Pooley said. McDaniel asked Apache Junction dispatchers to run his wife's plate and separately used the ALPR network to track her car to Casa Grande, a misuse he disclosed to Casa Grande police during an unrelated welfare-check call, prompting Casa Grande to alert Apache Junction. McDaniel resigned shortly after Apache Junction's internal investigation concluded in late July 2026; Pooley said he would have been fired had he not resigned.
Costa Mesa, Calif. officer Robert Josett pleaded guilty to misusing police databases to track mistress, wife, and rivals
On April 14, 2026, former Costa Mesa, California police officer Robert Jay Josett, 35, pleaded guilty to misdemeanor unauthorized computer access and fraud, annoying and repeated phone calls, and contempt of court, after using the state CLETS database and the Costa Mesa Police Department's Flock license-plate-reader system between June 2023 and June 2024 to track his mistress, her romantic partners, and his own wife. He was sentenced to three years informal probation and a 52-week domestic-violence program, wore a court-ordered GPS monitor for nine months, and his POST certification review remains pending.
Katy, Texas police officer Sergio Rodriguez indicted, fired for using Flock cameras to stalk ex-wife 2,386 times
Katy Police Department officer Sergio Rodriguez was indicted April 6, 2026, in Fort Bend County on felony charges of stalking and misuse of official information, and fired from the department April 20 after an internal-affairs investigation found he used the Flock automated license-plate-reader system 2,386 times over roughly 11 months to track his ex-wife, Kayland Johnson, and placed a GPS tracking device on her vehicle. Court records show the indicted conduct occurred between November 2024 and April 2025; Johnson reported the tracking to Katy police in October 2025, and Rodriguez admitted during the department's investigation that it was a "dumb decision" with "no excuse." Fort Bend County prosecutors said it was the first case their office has charged for Flock misuse.
Former Bonner Springs, Kansas detective Kyle Rector charged with using Flock cameras, police databases to stalk estranged wife
On March 18, 2026, Wyandotte County, Kansas prosecutors filed 18 criminal charges against former Bonner Springs Police Department detective Kyle Rector, 39, after a Kansas Bureau of Investigation inquiry found he used Flock Safety license-plate readers, a department crime- center database, and his patrol vehicle to track his estranged wife and two men she was allegedly involved with. The surveillance began after the couple separated in November 2025 and continued after Rector's wife obtained a protection order in January 2026, which investigators say he violated with additional database searches; Bonner Springs police had already fired him on Jan. 26, 2026.
Monroe County, Florida sheriff's deputy misused police databases and license-plate cameras to track and pull over woman he met on TV set
On February 19, 2026, Monroe County Sheriff's Office Deputy Lamar Eliseo Roman pulled over a woman on U.S. 1 in the Florida Keys using a license-plate-reader hotlist alert, the culmination of two weeks in which he repeatedly searched sheriff's-office and state databases for her personal information. Roman had met the woman on February 3, 2026 while working security on the set of Apple TV+'s "Bad Monkey," and investigators say his in-car camera showed him driving into oncoming traffic during the pursuit that preceded the stop. He was fired and arrested on a felony database-misuse charge on March 10, 2026.
Echols County, Georgia sheriff's office secretary arrested, charged with stalking after misusing Flock database to track two people she knew
Anna Altobello, 33, a secretary at the Echols County, Georgia Sheriff's Office, was arrested Monday, January 5, 2026 and booked into the Lowndes County Jail after a Georgia Bureau of Investigation probe found she had repeatedly searched the department's Flock Safety license-plate-reader system for two people she knew personally, outside any law-enforcement purpose. Sheriff Randy Courson had requested the GBI investigation on December 18, 2025, after receiving information about the misuse. Altobello was charged with eight counts of misuse of license plate data, stalking, stalking-family violence, and violation of oath of office, with additional charges expected as the investigation continues.
2025 Events (6)
Braselton, Ga. police chief misused Flock camera network roughly 600 times to stalk ex-girlfriend; charged with stalking
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation charged then-Braselton Police Chief Michael Steffman on November 19, 2025, with stalking, harassing communications, violation of oath of office, and multiple counts of misusing automated license-plate-reader data, hours after he announced his resignation. The GBI found Steffman had used the Flock camera network to run roughly 600 unauthorized searches on his ex-girlfriend's and her daughter's license plates between July 2024 and August 2025, tracking her movements and texting her about them. Steffman was found dead at his home in April 2026, before the case reached trial.
Niceville, Florida officer used Flock camera network to stalk fellow officer, harass spouse
On October 10, 2025, the Niceville Police Department in Florida arrested Officer Coty Wayne Hall after an internal audit covering January through October 2025 found he had made nearly 200 unauthorized searches of the department's Flock Safety license-plate-reader network and other restricted law-enforcement databases, using the results to track and harass a fellow officer and that officer's spouse. Hall was charged with violating Florida Statute 815.06(2)(a), covering unauthorized computer access, and the City of Niceville fired him after the allegations became public.
Menasha, Wisconsin officer Cristian Morales used department's Flock system to track ex-girlfriend's car
On October 9, 2025, Menasha, Wisconsin police officer Cristian Morales, 31, ran five Flock Safety license-plate-reader searches for his ex-girlfriend's vehicles while off duty and using his personal phone, logging the reason as a "welfare" check with no case number attached, after the two had broken up the previous month. Morales was arrested and charged with felony misconduct in office on January 7, 2026, after his ex-girlfriend reported her suspicions to Appleton police; he was placed on administrative leave, resigned from the department later that month, and was ultimately convicted and sentenced to six months in jail and three years of probation.
Sandy Springs, Ga. reserve sergeant terminated for misusing Flock cameras to benefit private company
Sandy Springs, Georgia terminated reserve Sgt. Francis Esposito, effective August 20, 2025, after an internal affairs investigation found he used his department Flock Safety license-plate-reader login to run searches connected to Signal 8, a startup he separately worked for, and failed to cooperate with investigators. The department's termination letter cited abuse of position and authority; Signal 8 denies receiving any Flock data from Esposito, and the case has been referred to Georgia's Peace Officer Standards and Training Council.
Milwaukee police officer misused Flock license-plate database to track ex-partner and new partner about 179 times
Milwaukee Police Officer Josue Ayala used the department's Flock automated license-plate-reader system to track the locations of an ex-partner and that ex-partner's new partner roughly 179 times between March 26 and May 26, 2025, logging each search under a false "investigation" justification. The misuse surfaced after one victim searched her own plate on haveibeenflocked.com; a department audit and a criminal complaint filed February 24, 2026 confirmed the unauthorized searches and Ayala was charged with misdemeanor attempted misconduct in public office. Ayala resigned from MPD in March 2026 and pleaded guilty in June 2026.
Oak Ridge, Tenn. police officer misused Flock cameras and law enforcement databases for personal use, fired
Oak Ridge, Tennessee Police Department officer Zachary Gauthier was fired on April 24, 2025, after an internal investigation found he had used his mobile data terminal and the department's Accurint, State Link System, and Flock Safety license-plate-reader access for personal, non-law-enforcement purposes in March and early April 2025. An Anderson County grand jury later indicted Gauthier on 23 counts of official misconduct, and he pleaded guilty to all 23 counts and was sentenced to a term including 48 hours of incarceration and supervised probation.
2024 Events (1)
Shelby County, Tenn. deputy misused plate-tracking database to track ex-wife 100+ times; charged with stalking, harassment
On August 8, 2024, the Shelby County Sheriff's Office relieved deputy Thadius Gordon, 38, of duty with pay and he was charged with stalking and harassment after an audit found his ex-wife's license plate had been searched roughly 20 times over a four-day span and more than 100 times in total through a law-enforcement plate-tracking database. Chief Deputy Anthony Buckner confirmed the database access and said the office was reviewing its policies; Gordon's attorney disputed the stalking characterization, saying Gordon's contact concerned her safety rather than surveillance.
2022 Events (1)
Former Kechi, Kan. police Lt. Victor Heiar arrested for using Flock cameras to stalk estranged wife
On October 26, 2022, Wichita police arrested then-Kechi, Kansas Police Department Lieutenant Victor Heiar, 32, after discovering he had used his access to the Wichita Police Department's Flock license-plate reader system to track his estranged wife's location without any law-enforcement purpose. Heiar pleaded guilty to computer crime and stalking, both misdemeanors, and was sentenced in April 2023 to a 24-month term probated to 18 months.
2021 Events (1)
Former Frazer Township, Pa. officer Michael McSherry pleaded guilty to stalking estranged wife he tracked with department's license-plate reader
Former Frazer Township, Pennsylvania police officer Michael McSherry was arrested September 28, 2021 and later pleaded guilty to stalking and official oppression for a months-long campaign against his estranged wife, Alexandria Griffith, that included logging into his department's license-plate-reader system at least 85 times between August 28 and September 15, 2021 to track her vehicle and her mother's, a hidden GPS tracker discovered under her car, a nanny camera, and repeated threats. On September 10, 2021, responding officers found McSherry holding a loaded handgun during a domestic incident in which he had thrown the couple's four-year-old son to the ground and threatened self-harm before a brief standoff ended in his arrest; a second arrest on September 28, after search warrants turned up additional phones and tracking devices, brought the stalking and computer-misuse charges. A Westmoreland County judge sentenced McSherry to 11.5 to 23 months in jail plus five years of probation, with several felony counts -- including child pornography and terroristic threats -- dismissed as part of the plea agreement.