2nd Columbus police officer under investigation for alleged misuse of Flock cameras

Our Take

Credit to WBNS 10TV for staying on this story, because a second Columbus Division of Police officer now facing scrutiny for alleged Flock misuse isn't a coincidence — it's a pattern. Departments keep telling the public these camera networks are tightly audited and used only for 'legitimate investigative purposes.' Two internal misuse cases in the same agency suggest the audit trails and oversight are a lot leakier than the sales pitch.

This is the core problem with ALPR systems: they're built first and governed later. Once a department buys into Flock's network, every officer with a login has access to a rolling log of where people drive, when, and how often. Policies on paper don't stop a bad actor from running plates for personal reasons — stalking an ex, checking up on a neighbor, feeding info to someone outside the department. We've seen versions of this story in city after city, and it rarely surfaces unless a reporter or a whistleblower forces it into the open.

Columbus residents deserve real answers: how many queries were run, over what time period, and who's actually reviewing the logs instead of rubber-stamping them. If you want to see how dense Flock's footprint already is in your area, check our camera map, and if your city council hasn't addressed misuse safeguards, our take-action page has steps for pushing them to do it before a third case makes headlines.