Ex-Richland County deputy facing charges after misusing Flock cameras
The short version: A former Richland County deputy allegedly abused Flock ALPR access to stalk his ex, proving these systems are only as trustworthy as the people who can log in.
Our Take
News 19 WLTX reports that Russell Kenton, a former Richland County sheriff's deputy, was fired and now faces charges after allegedly using Flock license plate readers to track his ex-partner's movements. This is exactly the nightmare scenario privacy advocates have been warning about since these cameras started popping up on every corner: a massive surveillance network built for 'public safety' that quietly becomes a tool for personal obsession, intimidation, or worse.
Flock and local police departments love to tout audit logs and 'misuse policies' as proof the system is accountable. But audit trails only catch bad actors after the damage is done — after someone's already been followed, found, or frightened. The uncomfortable truth is that any officer, dispatcher, or contractor with login credentials can type in a plate and pull a detailed travel history on anyone, including an ex, a neighbor, or a journalist. One bad apple with a badge and a password is all it takes.
Cases like this aren't rare exceptions — they're a predictable outcome of deploying thousands of always-on cameras with minimal independent oversight. If you want to see how dense this surveillance net has gotten in your own town, check our camera map, and if you're ready to push back on unchecked ALPR deployments, our take-action guide has concrete steps for getting involved locally.
This is DeFlock The USA’s original commentary. The video above is the work of News 19 WLTX, published on YouTube — full credit to the creator.