Georgia Police Officer Resigns Following Investigation Into Flock Surveillance System Misuse

Internal police records from Alpharetta, Georgia, show that a former patrol officer repeatedly used Flock Safety's automated license plate recognition technology to track his former romantic partner and a fellow officer, illustrating growing concerns around law enforcement misuse of private surveillance databases. The detailed investigation was first reported by Wired following a public records request.

Former patrolman Dustin Bozzo executed 56 searches for his ex-girlfriend's vehicle using Flock’s platform between March and May, according to an internal inquiry led by Alpharetta Police Sergeant Jabbar Braithwaite. The ex-partner is a civilian employee of the Alpharetta Police Department who previously served as an officer. After noticing another officer’s vehicle frequently parked near hers, Bozzo conducted an additional 29 searches targeting that second officer’s vehicle during the same timeframe.

Lieutenant Jason Hiott of the Alpharetta Police Department confirmed that Bozzo was placed on administrative leave on July 20 and subsequently resigned on August 5. Hiott stated that the department’s Criminal Investigations Division is currently conducting a criminal investigation into Bozzo's conduct. Alpharetta Police Chief Trent Lindgren indicated that the probe is near completion and emphasized that the department acted promptly upon identifying the system misuse.

Audit logs reviewed during the internal investigation revealed that Bozzo routinely selected administrative justifications such as "Wanted Person" or "Traffic Infraction" when prompted by Flock's database before running queries. Bozzo told investigators that selecting those options was simply a "quick keystroke" and claimed he was monitoring his former partner's vehicle to verify her safety. When she borrowed a car from her uncle following a vehicle crash, Bozzo searched that license plate 18 times between April 5 and April 14.

The relationship between Bozzo and the former officer violated Alpharetta’s municipal ban on workplace dating. Department supervisors had previously separated the pair onto different shifts and issued written guidance after colleagues reported they were spending personal time together while on duty. Despite the workplace directives, internal records indicate the two continued their relationship, including meeting at a park during Bozzo's work hours.

Bozzo maintained to investigators that his searches were not driven by malice or jealousy, stating he found the presence of the other officer's vehicle near his ex-partner's location unusual. However, Sergeant Braithwaite concluded in his report that Bozzo’s repeated queries violated departmental rules regarding authorized database usage regardless of his stated intentions. Flock Safety did not respond to requests for comment regarding the incident.

The Alpharetta case reflects broader nationwide concerns regarding oversight and security controls for automated surveillance technologies deployed by law enforcement agencies. Across the United States, at least 45 documented instances have emerged where police personnel misused Flock systems to track current or former romantic partners, underscoring systemic privacy risks associated with license plate reader networks.