Three former police officers in Macon, Georgia, were arrested this week for allegedly using Flock cameras to track people illegally while in uniform.
The Bibb County Sheriff’s Office arrested the officers this week on multiple, varying charges, including violation of oath by a public officer, prohibition on law enforcement retaining license plate data, and stalking. Two of the officers resigned from their positions as patrol deputies during the investigation, and the third K-9 deputy resigned after his arrest.
“Flock technology can be a valuable tool in solving crimes and protecting our community, but no law enforcement tool should ever be used for personal purposes or in a manner that could infringe upon the privacy or constitutional rights of the citizens we serve,” Bibb County Sheriff David Davis said in a statement. “We have safeguards and auditing procedures in place for exactly this reason.”
The office began investigating the allegations with Flock and conducted an internal audit that revealed the activities of officers Joseph Callaway, Coznavian Stubbs, and Toni Lewis. In addition to the three shared charges, Callaway was also charged with making an unauthorized request or disclosure of criminal history record information.
The office alleges the former officers used the automated license plate readers for “personal, non-law enforcement purposes” to track “individuals with whom each deputy had a personal relationship at the time.”
“The public entrusts law enforcement with access to powerful technology and sensitive information, and with that trust comes an absolute responsibility to use those resources only for legitimate law enforcement purposes,” Davis said. “Once notified by Flock of possible irregularities, our internal audit identified this alleged misuse of the Flock system, and once it was discovered, we acted.”
Stubbs told the New York Times that his scenario was “blown way out” of proportion, arguing he used the cameras to track his own car, not track his girlfriend as the charges allege.
Flock cameras have raised surveillance concerns across the country, as communities worry that ALPRs violate residents’ privacy by collecting their data.
COMMUNITIES FEAR FLOCK CAMERAS’ SAFETY PROMISE IS TROJAN HORSE FOR MASS SURVEILLANCE
Police departments use ALPRs for various purposes, such as tracking and locating stolen cars, as the devices enable interdepartmental communication during search missions.
But local councils across at least 23 states have canceled their contracts with Flock in 2026, as privacy and data concerns spread among communities.