Documented Incident
Richmond County deputy arrested and fired over alleged personal use of Flock license plate reader
Event: October 15, 2025 · First reported: October 15, 2026 · 1 source
The Richmond County Sheriff's Office announced it had completed a criminal investigation into Deputy Corey Whitfield over alleged unauthorized use of the agency's Flock license plate reader system. Investigators said they concluded Whitfield ran plate searches for personal reasons unconnected to any investigation, call for service, or other official purpose. He was charged with misuse of license plate readers and violation of oath of office, booked into the Charles B. Webster Detention Center, and terminated from the agency. The charges are allegations that have not been tested in court, and the sheriff's office said the investigation remains ongoing.
The case illustrates how ALPR audit records can surface non-law-enforcement searches by individual officers, and how agencies and prosecutors respond when they do. Georgia is among the states with a specific criminal statute addressing misuse of license plate reader data.
Key facts
- Deputy Corey Whitfield was arrested and charged with misuse of license plate readers and violation of oath of office.
- The Richmond County Sheriff's Office said its Criminal Investigation Division concluded the searches were personal and not tied to any official law enforcement purpose.
- Whitfield was booked into the Charles B. Webster Detention Center and fired from the agency.
- A sheriff's office statement dated Oct. 15 said Sheriff Eugene Brantley is committed to accountability and that the investigation is ongoing.
- No conviction has been reported; the allegations remain unproven.
Sources
This summary was written from the published reporting below and links to it; BlockFlockNow does not reproduce article text.
- RCSO Deputy arrested, fired for alleged misuse of Flock camera system (WJBF, October 15, 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 17, 2026. Corrections: blockflock@bytebunny.io. See all documented incidents or search the full article archive.