A cascade of criminal charges and terminations has exposed a systemic problem with license plate reader technology misuse across Georgia and Alabama, with law enforcement officers using Flock cameras and automated license plate reader (ALPR) systems to conduct unauthorized personal searches rather than legitimate law enforcement operations.
At least 20 Georgia officials have been arrested for misusing the Flock surveillance database, according to Reason Magazine, representing one of the more troubling accountability crises to emerge from a single surveillance technology platform.
Individual cases illustrate the scope of the problem. A Georgia police chief was charged with using license plate readers to stalk and harass people, according to WABE. A Cherokee sheriff's deputy was accused of misusing the license plate reader database, according to AJC.com. A Greene County deputy was arrested after an audit revealed she used Flock cameras for personal reasons, according to CBS News.
In DeKalb County, a deputy was arrested and fired following an investigation into misuse of the license plate camera system, according to 11Alive.com. A Habersham County deputy was arrested and fired following a Flock license plate reader audit for unauthorized use of cameras and license plate data, according to CBS News.
Three Richmond County deputies have been charged for misusing Flock cameras, according to The Augusta Chronicle. Five Georgia cops used Flock cameras for personal searches, according to the GBI.
Six Savannah Police employees are under investigation for alleged misuse of the license plate reader system, according to WTOC.
Two Alabama officers were fired following an investigation by the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) into Flock camera misuse, according to WVAS. The ALEA investigation in Alabama has prompted renewed questions about Flock cameras and documented cases of officer misconduct, according to WBMA.
The scope of misconduct revealed through audit programs suggests that concerns about officer access to these systems may extend beyond documented cases. The pattern indicates that without robust oversight mechanisms, ALPR databases have become vulnerable to unauthorized personal use by sworn officers.