Flock camera misuse and abuse cases
Every ALPR system is only as accountable as the audit trail behind it, and the reporting collected here is largely about what audits found once someone looked. This page tracks 15 stories on officers or agencies misusing Flock systems.
Reported consequences have ranged from internal discipline and resignations to firings and criminal charges. Each item links to the outlet that reported it.
15
Stories tracked
August 28, 2026
Most recent story
July 30, 2026
Earliest tracked
Flock camera misuse and abuse cases: the coverage
Every item links to the outlet that reported it. FlockScanner does not write, verify or endorse these stories — see the content policy for how the feed works.
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Roanoke man charged with robbery after vehicle found using license plate reader technology
WSET · August 28, 2026
Roanoke man charged with robbery after vehicle found using license plate reader technology — reported by WSET.
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Supervisor with Athens-Clarke County Police fired for misusing Flock license plate reader
11Alive.com · August 28, 2026
Supervisor with Athens-Clarke County Police fired for misusing Flock license plate reader — reported by 11Alive.com.
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4 Savannah officers arrested over Flock Safety misuse. What does oversight look like in Georgia?
CBS News · August 23, 2026
4 Savannah officers arrested over Flock Safety misuse. What does oversight look like in Georgia? — reported by CBS News.
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S.C. lieutenant fired after Flock audit finds 2,700 unauthorized ALPR searches
Police1 · August 21, 2026
S.C. lieutenant fired after Flock audit finds 2,700 unauthorized ALPR searches — reported by Police1.
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Chandler police officer resigns, admits to misusing Flock cameras
azfamily.com · August 13, 2026
Chandler police officer resigns, admits to misusing Flock cameras — reported by azfamily.com.
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Ex-Polk County Police Officer arrested for misuse of license plate reader system
11Alive.com · August 8, 2026
Ex-Polk County Police Officer arrested for misuse of license plate reader system — reported by 11Alive.com.
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Coweta County Sheriff's employees resign amid audit of license plate reader use
11Alive.com · August 4, 2026
Coweta County Sheriff's employees resign amid audit of license plate reader use — reported by 11Alive.com.
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Miguel Perez, of Shirley, charged with stealing automated license plate readers from intersection
Newsday · August 4, 2026
Miguel Perez, of Shirley, charged with stealing automated license plate readers from intersection — reported by Newsday.
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Wanted man arrested in San Marcos after license plate camera alert
10News.com · August 4, 2026
Wanted man arrested in San Marcos after license plate camera alert — reported by 10News.com.
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Brentwood officer accused of using license plate reader to stalk ex-wife
KMOV · August 3, 2026
Brentwood officer accused of using license plate reader to stalk ex-wife — reported by KMOV.
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Police Used AI License Plate Cameras to Stalk Women Across the U.S., Investigation Finds
Latin Times · August 3, 2026
Police Used AI License Plate Cameras to Stalk Women Across the U.S., Investigation Finds — reported by Latin Times.
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Tennessee Congressional Candidate Arrested for Shooting Flock Safety Cameras
yahoo.com · August 2, 2026
Tennessee Congressional Candidate Arrested for Shooting Flock Safety Cameras — reported by yahoo.com.
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Independent congressional candidate charged with shooting ALPR systems in Tennessee
WBIR · August 1, 2026
Independent congressional candidate charged with shooting ALPR systems in Tennessee — reported by WBIR.
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Habersham County deputy fired, arrested after Flock license plate reader audit
WALB · July 31, 2026
Habersham County deputy fired, arrested after Flock license plate reader audit — reported by WALB.
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Pismo Beach man arrested for damaging Flock Safety cameras in Monterey County, deputies say
ABC30 News · July 30, 2026
Pismo Beach man arrested for damaging Flock Safety cameras in Monterey County, deputies say — reported by ABC30 News.
Common questions
Has Flock camera data been misused by police?
Yes — multiple reported cases. FlockScanner tracks 15 stories covering officers or agencies misusing ALPR systems, with reported outcomes including resignations in Coweta County (GA) and Reynoldsburg (OH), firings in Savannah (GA), and criminal charges against former officers in Polk County (GA) and Habersham County (GA). Flock Safety has responded by rolling out audit tooling and mandatory safeguards.
How would anyone know if a Flock camera was misused?
Through audit logs — every search of an ALPR database is supposed to be recorded with the searching officer, the timestamp and a stated reason. Most reported misuse cases surfaced precisely because someone reviewed those logs: an internal audit, a public-records request by a journalist or resident, or a citizen audit of a transparency portal. Where no one reviews the logs, misuse is effectively invisible.
What counts as misuse of an ALPR system?
Typically, searching the system for a reason unconnected to a legitimate investigation — looking up an ex-partner, a family member, a neighbour, a colleague, or a person of personal interest. Reported cases have also included running searches on behalf of someone outside the department and sharing results improperly. Because a search takes seconds and leaves no physical trace, the audit log is the only control.
Other news topics
- Cities that cancelled Flock cameras (62)
- Flock camera privacy concerns (59)
- Opposition to Flock cameras (59)
- Flock camera data sharing and breaches (42)
- Flock camera audits and oversight (41)
- ALPR and Flock camera legislation (17)
- Flock camera lawsuits (10)
- Flock camera vandalism reports (10)
Where the cameras are
FlockScanner also maps documented ALPR camera locations across the US — see the live map, camera locations by state, or cameras near you.