Another central Ohio law enforcement officer is under review for allegedly misusing Flock Safety license plate reader cameras.
Franklin County Sheriff Dallas Baldwin released a statement on Sept. 10 announcing that an initial review of his office's data found that searches conducted by one deputy, whom he did not identify, have raised concerns. He did not specify what kind of concerns the searches raised.
"After hearing about instances of the technology being misused by other law enforcement agencies, I felt it was important to conduct a review to ensure that this technology is solely being used as an investigative tool in my office," Baldwin said.
The Franklin County Sheriff's Office has a contract for a limited number of mobile Flock cameras,
but has access to stationary Flock camera data through other local communities that share with them.
The Franklin County Sheriff's announcement comes a week after Columbus announced it was pausing the use of Flock cameras after The Dispatch flagged an officer's suspicious search history. Mayor Andrew Ginther said there was evidence that Columbus police Officer Melvin Tellis searched the same license plate number hundreds of times for personal reasons.
A day ago, on Sept. 9, Reynoldsburg Mayor Joe Begeny announced the suburban city would end its use of Flock cameras. Two police officers in Reynoldsburg resigned in July amid investigations into their misuse of the city’s Flock network for personal use. Begeny said during the livestream that he cannot comment on the ongoing investigation.
The Dispatch's ongoing investigation into law enforcement's use of Flock Safety ALPR cameras in central Ohio has found that many agencies have had the cameras for years without auditing them for potential misuse.
"We are also working to develop and implement an internal auditing process to ensure appropriate use moving forward," Baldwin said in the prepared release.
"I want to be clear: I take the public’s concerns regarding their privacy interests seriously. I recognize that law enforcement must strive to maintain the public’s trust," Baldwin said. "These types of cameras have proven to be valuable investigative tools in many cases, but that technology must be used for legitimate investigative purposes."
Dispatch reporter Anna Lynn Winfrey contributed reporting.
Government and politics reporter Jordan Laird can be reached at jlaird@dispatch.com. Follow her on X, Instagram and Bluesky at @LairdWrites.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Franklin County deputy latest to face scrutiny over possible Flock camera misuse
