As concerns over law enforcement’s use of Flock Safety cameras intensify, there has been an increasing number of reports about police officers misusing the surveillance system for personal purposes.
Officers all across the country have exploited the company's automated license plate reader cameras to track romantic partners or acquaintances in recent months. Despite claims that the cameras help police find and apprehend criminals, this new trend has raised even more complaints and criticisms about law enforcement agencies using the cameras with little to no oversight.
CBS News reported that Habersham County, Georgia, Sheriff’s Office Deputy Christian Brewer was fired and arrested on July 31, 2026, after an internal audit showed he accessed the Flock system and used retained license plate data for non-law enforcement purposes.
The searches involved an individual with whom he had a personal relationship at the time, and officials described it as an isolated incident. Brewer, who joined the agency in May 2024, faces one felony count of violation of oath of office and two misdemeanor counts of misuse of license plate data. The investigation remains ongoing and will go to the district attorney’s office.
Active trackers of Flock camera issues:
— Michael Rowe 🏴 (@MikeRowe_Legacy) August 2, 2026
• HaveIBeenFlocked — https://t.co/JSeczigs0e⁰Public search tool for Flock audit logs. Check your own plate to see if/when it was queried; many officer stalking/misuse cases were discovered here.
• DeFlock — https://t.co/cTRyXtssfg…
Sheriff Robin Krockum said, “The people of Habersham County trust us with authority and access to sensitive information. This trust is earned every day and can be lost in a single decision. Any misuse of our authority or the tools provided to your deputies is a betrayal of that trust.” He added, “Although this was an isolated incident, I will not tolerate misconduct. We will hold our own accountable because the public we serve deserves no less.”
In North Carolina, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Officer Seth Elliott was arrested on July 29, 2026, and charged with a misdemeanor of illegally accessing a government computer, according to The Charlotte Observer. The officer allegedly improperly accessed the Flock system and the state’s CJLEADS database to run an unauthorized query on a North Carolina license plate for non-law enforcement purposes.
CMPD does not own Flock cameras but has access through agreements with other agencies. Elliott, hired in February 2024 and assigned to the University City Division, was placed on unpaid administrative leave. His next court date is set for Aug. 27. CMPD Chief Estella Patterson said, “Misusing law enforcement technology or accessing confidential information for non-law enforcement purposes is a betrayal of the public’s trust and a violation of everything this profession stands for.”
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation on July 6 announced the arrests of five former Albany Police Department officers. They are facing multiple counts of misuse of license plate data and violation of oath of office. An internal audit of the Flock system led the department to request a GBI investigation on June 25.
The audit revealed the officers had accessed the system on multiple occasions and used license plate data for non-law enforcement purposes. The officers are Tytianna Davis, 27; Jade Jackson, 32; Nicholas Richardson, 30; Brittney Smith, 23; and Issac Whitus, 24. All were terminated and booked into the Dougherty County Jail.
Albany Police Chief Michael Persley said, “The bottom line is when we find people who have misused resources, we’re going to hold them accountable.” He added, “These resources help fight crime, but we will not tolerate when they are misused.”
🚨 A Kansas police chief used Flock license plate readers to track his ex-gf 164 times & her new boyfriend 64 more times over 4 months.
— Jason Bassler (@JasonBassler1) August 1, 2026
Flock:
"This is proof our systems work."
According to @Flock_Safety every abuse scandal is a success story. You're just overreacting. 🤷♂️ pic.twitter.com/GPZ98hCr3v
In South Carolina, three Richmond County Sheriff’s Office officials, Lt. John McKenzie, Investigator Curtis Hoskins and Deputy Joshua Johnson, were arrested and terminated around July 20, 2026, according to WJBF.
A criminal investigation found that the officers knowingly accessed the system to search license plate numbers for personal reasons unrelated to any official law enforcement purpose, such as criminal investigations or calls for service.
They each face charges of misuse of license plate readers and violation of oath of office. All three turned themselves in at the Richmond County Jail and were booked. The case followed an earlier similar arrest in the same agency involving another deputy who tracked a woman with whom he had been involved.
DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Kabiru Salawu was fired and arrested on July 17, 2026, after an internal investigation found unauthorized use of the agency’s Flock Safety technology, according to Fox 5 Atlanta.
Salawu, employed since August 2009, faces a felony charge of violation of oath of office and a misdemeanor charge of misusing license plate data. Details on the specific searches were limited, but they involved non-job-related purposes.
These examples represent only a smattering of cases in which officers use the cameras to violate people’s rights—and the issue will likely become even worse if more cities lean into the technology. The fact that these officers might face some accountability is promising, but it raises another question: How many officers are engaging in the same conduct without being caught?
This, among a host of other reasons, is why residents have been vocal in their criticism of the surveillance cameras. It has pushed several major cities, including Los Angeles, Framingham, Massachusetts, and Kaukana, Wisconsin, to cancel their contracts with Flock Safety.
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