Documented Incident
Georgia college police chief fired after state review substantiates improper Flock searches
Event: September 30, 2026 · First reported: October 1, 2026 · 1 source
An administrative review by the University System of Georgia substantiated allegations that an Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College police employee improperly used a Flock automated license plate reader system. According to the college, ABAC owns no Flock cameras and operates no ALPR network of its own; the reviewers determined the employee obtained access through an outside local law enforcement agency. Chief Mike Tompkins, placed on paid administrative leave earlier in the week, was fired, and Acting Chief Douglas Chadwell was named interim chief effective Oct. 1. ABAC said it received the findings Sept. 30 and would not comment further on personnel matters.
The case illustrates how ALPR access can extend beyond the agencies that own the cameras, raising questions about how account sharing between departments is authorized and audited. It also shows that detecting misuse often depends on after-the-fact administrative review rather than built-in controls.
Key facts
- USG investigators concluded certain searches were not made for an authorized law enforcement purpose and did not comply with state requirements on use of law enforcement resources.
- ABAC says it does not own, operate, or maintain Flock cameras on campus and has no ALPR network of its own.
- Access to the Flock system was obtained through an outside local law enforcement agency, according to the review.
- Tompkins had been appointed chief effective Nov. 10, 2025 and sworn in Dec. 16, 2025 after more than 17 years with the department.
- The article does not identify which outside agency provided access, how many searches were involved, or whether any criminal charges are being considered.
Sources
This summary was written from the published reporting below and links to it; BlockFlockNow does not reproduce article text.
- ABAC names interim police chief after review finds unauthorized Flock camera searches (WALB, October 1, 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 October 7, 2026. Corrections: blockflock@bytebunny.io. See all documented incidents or search the full article archive.