The Brief Several Georgia law enforcement officers face charges for allegedly misusing the Flock camera license plate tracking database for personal reasons. Recent firings and arrests spanned across Greene County, Albany and Cherokee County following internal department audits. Civil liberties groups warn of massive privacy violations while the technology company defends its nationwide crime-solving record



At least ten police officers across Georgia have been arrested and charged with misusing the Flock camera database for personal reasons, adding to growing privacy concerns about the technology.

The cameras, usually mounted to a black pole, record license plates and other data of whoever passes them.

Georgia police database tracking

What we know:

A series of recent arrests has exposed the misuse of Flock license-plate-reading cameras by police officers throughout the state.

In Greene County, Deputy Quin'sha Goss was fired on Tuesday and charged with misusing the system.

The recent arrests include five police officers in Albany, who were also charged earlier this week.

That's alongside a lieutenant, a sergeant and a deputy in Cherokee County charged last month with violating their oath.

System audits flag searches

What they're saying:

Flock Co-founder Paige Todd stated that many recent arrests resulted from departments utilizing a new audit assistance tool that automatically flags unusual searches.

 In this case where misuse happened, the technology itself was not creating the misuse. It was it was human beings,  Todd told FOX 5's Rob DiRienzo.

Todd argued that the public safety benefits of the technology heavily outweigh individual instances of human misconduct.

Todd explained,  best way to prevent misuse is now, every member of law enforcement out there knows that this audit exists, 

Todd added that the system has successfully helped track down thousands of individuals across the country.

 We, I believe, solve about a million crimes with our technology,  she said.  10,000 missing people have gone home because of it. This feels like pretty small in comparison. 

Privac

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