Documented Incident
Brunswick County Sheriff's Office rewrites ALPR policy after ex-deputy charged with misuse
Event: October 16, 2026 · First reported: October 19, 2026 · 4 sources
The Brunswick County Sheriff's Office updated its Flock license plate reader policy on Oct. 16, 2026, eleven days after former deputy Daniel Little was charged with six counts of misusing an automated license plate reader system. Indictments allege Little used a county-issued cellphone to look up multiple license plates without a legitimate law enforcement purpose; the charges are allegations that have not been resolved in court. The revised policy restricts system access by role, bars searches of friends, family and acquaintances, prohibits political searches and searches based on protected characteristics, and spells out training requirements that the prior Sept. 1 policy did not contain. Sheriff Brian Chism declined an interview through a spokesperson.
The case shows how ALPR oversight gaps can surface only after an alleged abuse, and offers other jurisdictions a concrete example of the access limits, audit protections and training rules that agencies adopt in response.
Key facts
- Policy revised Oct. 16, 2026, 11 days after former deputy Daniel Little was charged with six counts of ALPR misuse
- Searches now limited to investigators, supervisors and intel analysts; auditors cannot search, and administrators are limited to administrative functions
- New policy bars altering or deleting audit records; WECT previously reported 145 flagged records were archived and hidden from public records the day before the state investigation was revealed
- It is unclear whether anyone in the sheriff's office has been disciplined over the edited records
- County commissioner Pat Sykes has said she may move to cancel the county's Flock contract
Timeline
- October 19, 2026WECT INVESTIGATES: Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office overhauls Flock policy
- October 19, 2026WECT INVESTIGATES: Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office overhauls Flock policy
- October 20, 2026WECT INVESTIGATES : Brunswick County Sheriff Office overhauls Flock policy
Sources
This summary was written from the published reporting below and links to it; BlockFlockNow does not reproduce article text.
- WECT INVESTIGATES: Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office overhauls Flock policy (WECT | TV6, October 19, 2026)
- WECT INVESTIGATES: Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office overhauls Flock policy (WECT, October 19, 2026)
- WECT INVESTIGATES : Brunswick County Sheriff Office overhauls Flock policy (foxwilmington.com, October 20, 2026)
- WECT INVESTIGATES INSIDER: Uncovering Flock records, policy changes in Brunswick County (WECT, October 22, 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 22, 2026. Corrections: blockflock@bytebunny.io. See all documented incidents or search the full article archive.