Ex-JCC officer faces Flock misuse, privacy charges

Our Take

WAVY TV 10 reports that a former James City County police officer is now facing charges including computer invasion of privacy for improperly accessing Flock Safety's automated license plate reader network. This is exactly the scenario privacy advocates have been warning about since these camera networks started popping up on every corner: give someone a badge and a search bar, and eventually someone uses it for something it was never meant for.

Flock and local police departments love to tell the public that ALPR data is tightly controlled, audited, and only used for legitimate investigations. But audit logs only catch misuse after it happens, and they rely on someone actually reviewing them. A criminal charge like this one isn't proof the system works — it's proof that an officer got caught, this time. The broader problem is structural: once a database of everyone's movements exists, it becomes a tool for stalking, harassment, or personal grudges just as easily as it becomes a tool for solving crimes.

Credit to WAVY TV 10 for covering a story that departments would rather quietly bury. If you want to see how dense this surveillance net is in your own neighborhood, check out our camera map, and if you're ready to push back on this kind of unchecked access, our take-action page has concrete steps for getting involved locally.