Documented Incident
Former Covington, Georgia officer charged with misusing Flock license plate reader system
Event: August 26, 2026 · First reported: August 28, 2026 · 3 sources
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation announced that Michael Canty, 29, a former Covington Police Department officer, was arrested Aug. 26, 2026 and charged with misuse of a license plate reader system and violation of oath of office. The Covington Police Department requested the GBI investigation on Aug. 6 after allegations arose involving the department's Flock Safety system. The GBI said preliminary information indicates Canty accessed the system for a purpose unrelated to law enforcement, but did not describe what data was accessed. The charges are allegations; the case has not been resolved.
Access logs and audit findings are the primary mechanism for detecting personal use of ALPR databases, and criminal charges against an officer show both that misuse can occur and that it may go undetected until an internal referral. How the case is handled offers other jurisdictions a reference point for auditing and enforcement of ALPR access rules.
Key facts
- Michael Canty, 29, of Covington, was arrested Aug. 26, 2026 and booked into the Newton County Jail.
- Charges: misuse of a license plate reader system and violation of oath of office.
- Covington PD asked the GBI to investigate on Aug. 6; Canty is no longer with the department.
- The GBI said the investigation remains active and did not disclose what information was accessed.
- The case is to be referred to the Alcovy Judicial Circuit District Attorney's Office for prosecution.
Sources
This summary was written from the published reporting below and links to it; BlockFlockNow does not reproduce article text.
- Former Georgia officer arrested over alleged Flock system misuse (The Augusta Chronicle, August 28, 2026)
- Former Georgia officer arrested over alleged Flock system misuse (Yahoo, August 28, 2026)
- Former Covington police officer arrested for alleged Flock camera misuse (Atlanta News First, August 27, 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 August 30, 2026. Corrections: blockflock@bytebunny.io. See all documented incidents or search the full article archive.