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Former Georgia police officer faces criminal investigation for using Flock system to track ex-partner
Internal records show an Alpharetta patrolman searched license plate databases dozens of times to track a fellow officer and her friend.
The short version
- A former Alpharetta, Georgia patrol officer used the Flock automatic license plate reader system to track a fellow officer after their relationship ended.
- Internal department records show the officer ran dozens of unauthorized searches on his ex-partner's vehicle and another officer's car by entering false search justifications.
- The officer resigned following an internal investigation, and the department's Criminal Investigations Division has launched an ongoing criminal inquiry.
Key facts
- Former Alpharetta patrolman Dustin Bozzo searched the Flock automatic license plate reader system 56 times for his ex-partner's vehicle between March and May, according to internal investigation records.[Wired]
- Bozzo also searched 29 times for a second officer's vehicle after noticing it near his ex-partner's car, as well as 18 times for her uncle's vehicle while she was borrowing it.[Wired]
- Audit logs revealed that Bozzo routinely selected false justifications, such as "Wanted Person" or "Traffic Infraction," when prompted by the Flock system for a search reason.[Wired]
- Bozzo was placed on paid leave on July 20 and resigned on August 5 following an internal review led by Sergeant Jabbar Braithwaite.[Wired]
- Alpharetta Police Department leadership confirmed that its Criminal Investigations Division is conducting an ongoing criminal investigation into the matter.[Wired]
What remains uncertain
- The timeline for completing the criminal investigation into Bozzo remains unannounced, though Police Chief Trent Lindgren stated it will likely finish soon.[Wired]