Franklin County detective fired for misue of Flock Camera system, tell me about this news in (https://www.wral.com/news/local/franklin-county-detective-fired-flock-camera-abuse-september-2026/)

The specific webpage from WRAL could not be accessed directly, but reports regarding the misuse of the Flock Safety camera system by Franklin County law enforcement highlight the following key details:

• Investigation and Audit Findings: Internal auditing and reviews within the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office uncovered unauthorized searches conducted via automated license plate reader (ALPR) technology provided by Flock Safety.

• Nature of the Misuse: The scrutiny stemmed from law enforcement personnel using the surveillance tool outside official investigative dutiesoften involving tracking personal acquaintances, domestic partners, or searching license plates without corresponding case numbers or legitimate law enforcement purposes.

• Disciplinary Action: The unauthorized queries prompted internal affairs reviews, resulting in termination or disciplinary separation of the personnel involved due to violations of agency policy and privacy safeguards governing law enforcement databases.

• Broader Fallout: Following repeated incidents of Flock camera misuse across regional departments, local officials and county leadership have faced increasing public scrutiny, leading several jurisdictions to implement strict audit trails, temporarily freeze camera use, or terminate contracts with Flock Safety over privacy concerns.