ALBANY, Ga. — Five former police officers have been arrested and charged following a Georgia Bureau of Investigation investigation into the alleged misuse of license plate reader data.
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According to the GBI, the investigation began on June 25 after the Albany Police Department requested the agency investigate several officers following an internal audit of the Flock Safety license plate reader camera system.
The audit revealed that the officers had previously accessed the Flock system on multiple occasions and used retained license plate data for non-law enforcement purposes, authorities said.
The following former officers were arrested:
- Tytianna Davis, 27, of Albany, charged with five counts of misuse of license plate data and one count of violation of oath of office
- Jade Jackson, 32, of Albany, charged with two counts of misuse of license plate data and one count of violation of oath of office
- Nicholas Richardson, 30, of Albany, charged with 11 counts of misuse of license plate data and one count of violation of oath of office
- Brittney Smith, 23, of Albany, charged with one count of misuse of license plate data and one count of violation of oath of office
- Issac Whitus, 24, of Albany, charged with two counts of misuse of license plate data and one count of violation of oath of office
On Monday, Davis, Jackson, Richardson, Smith, and Whitus were arrested and booked into the Dougherty County Jail, according to the GBI.
They are no longer employed by the Albany Police Department.
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The Albany Police Department says it remains committed to maintaining the highest standards of public service. The department said maintaining the public’s trust remains a top priority,
“The department will continue to strengthen oversight, reinforce employee training and evaluate policies governing the use of law enforcement technology to help ensure these systems are used lawfully, ethically and solely for legitimate public safety purposes,” the department said.
The investigation remains active and ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to contact the GBI Regional Investigative Office in Sylvester at 229-777-2080.
Once the investigation is complete, the case file will be submitted to the Dougherty Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office for review and possible prosecution.
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