Updated
Updated · The Washington Post · Sep 23
5 Indianapolis Officers Charged Over Flock Camera Misuse After 3,759 Suspicious Searches
Updated
Updated · The Washington Post · Sep 23

5 Indianapolis Officers Charged Over Flock Camera Misuse After 3,759 Suspicious Searches

3 articles · Updated · The Washington Post · Sep 23

Summary

  • Five Indianapolis police officers were charged with fraud and official misconduct after a city audit found they misused Flock license-plate-reader cameras; one resigned and four were suspended and recommended for termination.
  • 3,759 searches by officer Michael Rogers over 10 months helped trigger the probe after Washington Post questions, and prosecutors said the follow-up audit uncovered broader abuse across the department’s 301-camera system.
  • Jonathan Schultz, an 18-year veteran, faces additional stalking charges after prosecutors said he used Flock to track his ex-wife and several women, including 178 searches tied to one woman he later approached repeatedly.
  • More than 1,000 searches of an ex-wife’s plate were attributed to officer Matthew Binford, while prosecutors said Abigail Cramer looked up people connected to her wife’s ex-wife, underscoring what they called real-world victims.
  • At least 100 police employees nationwide have been accused or charged over license-plate-reader misuse, fueling scrutiny of Flock as the company rolls out mandatory misuse-detection tools and lawmakers press for tighter oversight.

Insights

Will new software safeguards actually stop rogue officers, or just force them to find darker ways to track victims?
If a massive surveillance network went unaudited for years, how many other cities are hiding similar terrifying privacy breaches?