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Police Used Surveillance Cameras to Track Exes and Strangers, Records Show
A surveillance system used by thousands of law enforcement agencies across the United States is facing renewed scrutiny after reports revealed that at least 18 police officers were caught using it to track former partners and personal acquaintances. Critics say the cases expose the risks of giving powerful surveillance tools to users with little oversight
Photo by Tasha Kostyuk
The cameras were installed to catch criminals.
But in dozens of cases, they were allegedly used for something far more personal.
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Investigators have uncovered at least 18 cases across the United States in which police officers allegedly misused Flock Safety's license plate reader system to monitor former romantic partners, love interests, family members, and other individuals unrelated to criminal investigations.
And many privacy advocates believe those are only the cases that were caught.
Flock Safety operates one of the largest automatic license plate reader networks in America.
Its cameras capture license plates, vehicle descriptions, locations, and timestamps, allowing law enforcement agencies to search where a vehicle has been seen and when. The company says the technology helps solve crimes, recover stolen vehicles, and locate missing persons.
But that's not the part drawing headlines.
The controversy centers on how some officers allegedly used the system once they had access.
One of the most striking cases involved Florida police officer Jarmarus Brown, who reportedly searched for his ex-girlfriend and her relatives more than 100 times using the system while on duty. Investigators later uncovered allegations of controlling behavior that extended beyond the surveillance searches.
And he wasn't alone.
Similar incidents have reportedly surfaced in Wisconsin, Missouri, Georgia, and Kansas, with some officers eventually being fired, arrested, or placed under investigation. In several cases, the alleged misuse continued for months before being discovered.
This is where things start to get uncomfortable.
The debate is no longer about whether the technology works.
Most people agree it does.
The question is what happens when a tool capable of tracking someone's movements across cities and states ends up in the hands of someone abusing that power.
There is one detail many people are overlooking.
According to reports, most of these cases were not uncovered through routine internal audits.
Many only came to light after complaints from victims, public records investigations, or outside scrutiny.
That has fueled concerns about how many cases may never be discovered.
Flock says abuse is rare compared to its roughly 140,000 monthly active users and points to auditing tools designed to detect misuse. The company also says agencies are responsible for enforcing policies and training requirements.
But critics argue the issue goes beyond individual bad actors.
They say any surveillance system capable of tracking millions of vehicles creates opportunities for abuse unless strong safeguards are in place.
If you've followed this so far, here's the part that actually matters.
The story isn't really about 18 officers.
It's about access.
Because every year, more surveillance cameras appear in American communities.
More data is collected.
More information is stored.
And every new capability creates a new question.
Who gets to use it?
The officers involved may face consequences.
But the larger debate is only getting started.
Because the real concern isn't that some people abused the system.
It's whether the system was built with enough protections to stop them in the first place.
Editor's Note
Most Americans support giving law enforcement effective tools to catch criminals.
The problem arises when those same tools can be used for personal reasons.
History has shown that surveillance technology is often judged by its intended purpose. It is usually judged much more harshly when people discover how easily it can be misused.
The Flock controversy serves as a reminder that accountability matters just as much as capability. A tool designed to improve public safety can quickly become something else if oversight fails to keep pace with technology.
