Documented Incident
Flock misuse probe of former CMPD officer uncovers texts NAACP says contain racial slurs
Event: July 1, 2026 · First reported: October 14, 2026 · 1 source
A North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation inquiry into former Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officer Seth Elliott's alleged misuse of the department's Flock automated license plate reader system led investigators to extract data from his phone, which was shared with CMPD. According to North Carolina NAACP President Rev. Corine Mack, CMPD then found text messages involving six officers that repeatedly used a racial slur. Mack said Chief Estella Patterson told her some officers had been fired and others recommended for termination; CMPD has not confirmed those disciplinary actions and issued a general statement on its standards. The SBI's criminal investigation into Elliott's alleged ALPR misuse remains open, and Elliott has resigned.
The messages surfaced only as a byproduct of an unrelated ALPR misuse investigation, raising questions in Charlotte about how else such conduct would be detected and whether affected criminal cases must be reviewed. It also illustrates how audits of surveillance system use can expose broader personnel and oversight issues within a department.
Key facts
- Investigation began in July after former CMPD Officer Seth Elliott was accused of misusing the department's Flock ALPR system while on duty; he has since resigned
- SBI confirmed it collected data from Elliott's phone and shared it with CMPD, which found the alleged material
- NC NAACP President Rev. Corine Mack says the texts involve six CMPD officers and include multiple uses of the N-word
- Mack says Chief Estella Patterson told her some officers were terminated and others recommended for termination; CMPD has not independently confirmed this
- The Mecklenburg County DA's office said it is aware of the allegations but cited state ethics rules in declining to comment on effects on pending or past cases; the FOP and ACLU declined to comment
Sources
This summary was written from the published reporting below and links to it; BlockFlockNow does not reproduce article text.
- Alleged racist texts uncovered in CMPD Flock investigation (Spectrum News, October 14, 2026)
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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 17, 2026. Corrections: blockflock@bytebunny.io. See all documented incidents or search the full article archive.