A Columbus police officer searched Flock surveillance camera data for a pickup truck that was fleeing from Immigration and Customs Enforcement, according to investigative records released Sept. 15 in response to a Dispatch public records request.
The investigation found the officer was within policy because he believed ICE had a warrant. Columbus has banned using city resources for civil immigration enforcement since 2017 but makes exceptions, including where a warrant exists.
Whether local or national authorities have used Columbus' network of Flock automatic license plate readers for immigration enforcement came into question in an audit this summer that found more than 15,000 possibly immigration related searches.
The officer made multiple unsuccessful
searches in February 2025 for a silver pickup after he heard over his police radio a call for service from ICE about a male "taking off" and fleeing into Columbus police's jurisdiction, according to the report compiled by police.
The officer told investigators he listed "ICE" as the reason for the searches to reference who originally provided the information. The officer also said he had no intent of assisting in the detention of the person solely based on immigration status, but was instead addressing a wanted person violating traffic laws in a neighborhood.
The officer also said he found no relevant results from his searches and relayed no information on the radio or to ICE.
Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther announced Sept. 3 that the city would pause Flock searches and place bags over cameras after The Dispatch raised questions about an officer who searched for the same license plate hundreds of times. Police Chief Elaine Bryant said those searches were not related to law enforcement, and Ginther said the evidence of misuse was deeply troubling.
This is a breaking news story that will be updated.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Officer used Columbus Flock cameras to search for truck fleeing ICE
