Savannah Mayor Van Johnson said the Georgia Bureau of Investigation is looking into the potential misuse of the Flock Safety License Plate Reader system.
According to a statement released on Johnson’s Facebook page, four officers in the Savannah Police Department, as well as two civilian employees, are on administrative leave.
“These cases have been referred to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation for an independent criminal investigation, and disciplinary action up to and including termination is being pursued,” said Johnson.
He went on to say that the trust of the public is non-negotiable.
“These tools exist to keep our community safe, not for personal or unauthorized use,” said Johnson. “When concerns were identified, our Department acted swiftly,
transparently, and decisively. Accountability is not optional, it is essential to maintaining the confidence our residents place in our police department every day.”
Law enforcement agencies use Flock Safety technology to collect images of passing vehicles and identify details such as license plate numbers, vehicle make, model and color. The system is designed to support investigations involving crimes, stolen vehicles and missing persons.
Latrice Williams is a general assignment reporter covering Bryan and Effingham County. She can be reached at lwilliams6@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: GBI to investigate use of flock cameras by Savannah police officers
