Key facts
- A San Jose police officer was fired for misusing Flock license plate tracking data.
- The officer shared a woman's location with her alleged abuser, who was his cousin.
- The data was accessed without authorization on the officer's personal phone.
- The woman reported her abuser knew her location, leading to the discovery.
- The San Jose police department referred the case to the district attorney's office, but no criminal charges were filed.
- The officer was referred to the commission on peace officer standards and training.
A San Jose police officer has been fired after misusing the department's Flock license plate tracking system to share the location of a woman with her alleged abuser, who was the officer's cousin. San Jose Police Chief Paul Joseph stated he was "furious" that an officer would betray public trust in such a manner.
The officer accessed the Flock camera data last year without authorization on his personal phone, obtaining the location of a vehicle belonging to a woman allegedly abused by his cousin. He then sent this information to his cousin, the suspect in the domestic abuse case. The unauthorized access came to light when the woman informed the police that her alleged abuser knew her whereabouts.
The department immediately placed the officer on administrative leave and launched a criminal investigation. The case was referred to the Santa Clara County District Attorney's office, but the officer was not charged with a crime. Chief Joseph indicated that state lawmakers should pass legislation making it easier to prosecute such violations. The officer was also referred to the commission on peace officer standards and training, which can prevent him from working in law enforcement in California again.
License plate reading technology, like Flock, has faced widespread criticism and protests due to privacy concerns, potential for mass surveillance, false positives, and police misuse. The technology has also raised alarms among immigrant rights groups, as data is often shared with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The Institute for Justice reported that dozens of law enforcement officers have used similar technology to stalk women. California lawmakers have repeatedly declined to impose new regulations on license-plate readers, with Governor Gavin Newsom vetoing a bill that would have mandated data deletion after two months.