Documented Incident
Columbus police investigating second officer over alleged Flock camera misuse
First reported: September 25, 2026 · 3 sources
The Columbus Division of Police said it is investigating a 32-year veteran officer for alleged misuse of the department's Flock automated license plate reader system, and has relieved the officer of duty during the inquiry. NBC4 reported it is not naming the officer because the nature of the alleged misuse is unclear and no criminal charges have been filed. It is the second known Columbus misuse investigation, following the case of officer Melvin Tellis, who allegedly ran a single license plate hundreds of times over a 12-month span between 2023 and 2024.
Repeated internal investigations in one region raise questions about how ALPR search logs are audited and what consequences exist when officers query the system without a documented law enforcement purpose.
Key facts
- Columbus police say the unnamed 32-year veteran has been relieved of duty pending investigation; no charges have been filed.
- A prior Columbus case involves officer Melvin Tellis, alleged to have searched one plate hundreds of times between 2023 and 2024.
- Two Reynoldsburg officers resigned this summer after an internal Flock misuse investigation, and that city has since discontinued Flock cameras.
- Columbus updated its Flock policy earlier this month, according to the report.
- Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson has called for Flock camera misuse to be criminalized like misuse of other law enforcement databases; no such law is reported as enacted.
Sources
This summary was written from the published reporting below and links to it; BlockFlockNow does not reproduce article text.
- Columbus police investigate another officer over alleged Flock camera misuse (NBC4 WCMH-TV, September 25, 2026)
- Columbus police investigate another officer over alleged Flock camera misuse (NBC4 WCMH-TV, September 25, 2026)
- Another Columbus officer under investigation for Flock misuse (The Columbus Dispatch, September 25, 2026)
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About this record
BlockFlockNow documents reported incidents involving Flock Safety cameras and automated license plate readers: council votes, contract decisions, misuse by authorized users, lawsuits, audits, and community response. Every record is reviewed by a person before publication. New to the topic? Start with What is Flock?, find meetings near you, or learn how to request your town's camera records.
Updated September 28, 2026. Corrections: blockflock@bytebunny.io. See all documented incidents or search the full article archive.