NORCROSS, Ga. — Two Norcross police officers are no longer employed by the department after separate allegations involving the misuse of Flock Safety automated license plate reader technology, according to a department statement reported Friday, November 13.
The department said it fired one officer in June following the alleged misuse. A second officer resigned weeks later while that officer was under investigation. Norcross police said an auditing feature in the Flock system helped identify the questionable activity.
State investigators reviewing the cases
According to Norcross police, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation has examined the officers’ conduct, and findings from the department’s internal investigations were also shared with the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council.
Police did not identify the former officers or disclose the specific searches or circumstances behind the allegations. The department said the matters remained under investigation and could be subject to prosecution, so additional details were not being released.
Those limitations matter: the public statement establishes that employment action occurred and investigations were opened, but it does not establish that either former officer has been convicted of a crime.
Why license plate reader access matters
Automated license plate readers capture information about vehicles on public roadways and can help law enforcement investigate crimes. The systems can also raise questions about who is allowed to search vehicle-location records, why they do so and how improper searches are detected.
The Norcross case adds to the ongoing debate over oversight, privacy and accountability when departments use automated surveillance systems. For now, key questions about the specific allegations remain unanswered.
Source: Atlanta News First’s report citing the Norcross Police Department.
Featured image: Representative file photo of a Flock camera in Ohio, not a Norcross device; ClockPhilosophy / Wikimedia Commons (CC0).
