Documented Incident
Georgia Police Chief Charged With Stalking After Allegedly Using Flock Data to Track Ex-Girlfriend
Event: January 1, 2024 · First reported: August 5, 2026 · 1 source
Marci Bakely, 50, of Jefferson, Georgia, told The Washington Post that her ex-boyfriend repeatedly texted her about her whereabouts — grocery trips, dentist visits, and dates — sometimes within minutes, despite working roughly 15 miles away. She said he later acknowledged accessing license plate reader data through his job as police chief in Braselton, Georgia. Michael Steffman was arrested in November and charged with stalking, harassment, and misuse of license plate reader data; he later died by suicide, according to reports cited in the commentary piece. The tracking site Have I Been Flocked reported he ran more than 600 searches on Bakely and her teenage daughter.
The case illustrates how ALPR networks concentrate detailed location histories in the hands of individual officers, and it raises questions about whether audit logs, access limits, and outside review are sufficient to catch misuse before a victim notices it herself.
Key facts
- Michael Steffman, then police chief in Braselton, Georgia, was arrested in November and charged with stalking, harassment, and license plate reader misuse; the charges were not resolved in court because he later died, per reports cited in the article.
- Have I Been Flocked reported more than 600 searches on Bakely and her teenage daughter.
- Bakely said she installed home cameras and had a mechanic inspect her car for trackers before learning the source of the tracking.
- The article cites an analysis finding at least 50 law enforcement officers accused of accessing Flock data for harassment purposes; the analysis is not named.
- Flock Safety says vehicle data is automatically deleted after 30 days, though customers may request longer retention where state and local law permits.
Sources
This summary was written from the published reporting below and links to it; BlockFlockNow does not reproduce article text.
- Flock Cameras Just Got Even Creepier (redstate.com, August 5, 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 August 11, 2026. Corrections: blockflock@bytebunny.io. See all documented incidents or search the full article archive.