A national investigation into the use of Flock license plate reader technology has resulted in significant fallout, with at least three police officers arrested and a fourth terminated from their position. The disciplinary actions follow inquiries by reporters into why these officers were repeatedly tracking specific vehicles.
In Florida, former Fort Pierce police officer Josepher Crutchfield faces four felony counts of accessing a computer network without authorization. Analysis of publicly released Flock audit logs revealed that Crutchfield tracked a woman’s vehicle 189 times over an eight-month period in 2025. Following contact from a reporter, the woman petitioned for a protection order against Crutchfield in St. Lucie County court, alleging stalking. He has not entered a plea.
Georgia law enforcement officials arrested Richmond County Sheriff’s deputy Jose Ferrer for misusing the license plate reader system and violating his oath of office. Records indicate Ferrer searched a single license plate at least 1,146 times between January 2023 and May 2025, providing justifications such as “SUSPICIOUS” and “BOB.” Lt. James Kelly of the agency's internal affairs department stated in an email that the agency was unaware of the frequent searches until a reporter contacted them in August. Kelly noted that the explanations provided did not establish a legitimate law enforcement purpose and warranted an investigation. Ferrer has not been charged in court as of press time.
In New York, Albany County Sheriff’s Office senior investigator Laurie Moore was charged with official misconduct and falsifying business records. Sheriff Craig Apple reported during a Sept. 9 press conference that Moore repeatedly searched four license plates from November 2024 to September 2025, including one plate more than 2,600 times. Investigations determined that the plate was registered to Moore’s former girlfriend. Moore, who is due to appear in court on Sept. 24, has not entered a plea. Caitlin Mattos, an attorney for the sheriff's office, stated that the reporter's questions served as a catalyst for a more detailed look at how the technology was being utilized.
The Columbus Division of Police in Ohio fired officer Melvin Tellis after a reporter for the Columbus Dispatch inquired about his search history. Tellis had tracked a single license plate at least 272 times between November 2023 and December 2024. Chief Elaine Bryant confirmed the searches were conducted for personal reasons and requested an investigation by the city’s Department of Public Safety. Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther announced that the city will pause its use of Flock cameras entirely and cover its 65 cameras with bags while a third-party audit is conducted to determine if the issue is more widespread.
The trend of pausing or abandoning the technology has spread to other jurisdictions, including the St. Charles County Police Department in Missouri and the Lufkin Police Department in Texas. In Lufkin, officer Zachary Klein was charged with at least 100 felonies related to his use of the system; he has not entered a plea. The St. Charles County officer was suspended following similar inquiries.
This widespread concern has prompted political action at various levels of government. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ administration moved to end the use of Flock cameras on state roads, citing privacy and misuse concerns. Texas Governor Greg Abbott issued an order halting state funding for the cameras. In Wisconsin, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley issued a directive calling for limits on camera use on county property, while Republican candidate Tom Tiffany proposed barring municipalities from using state funds for the technology until a task force reviews the issue. Additionally, U.S. Representatives Thomas Massie and Eric Burlison introduced the "Flock-Off Act" in July, which seeks to prohibit the use of federal funds for such camera systems by state and local governments and ban their use by federal agencies.
Backlash against Flock has also led several state and national politicians in recent weeks to propose limits on how local agencies can use it.
