Ex-Emerson, Ga. officer charged with misusing Flock license plate reader system, GBI says

Event: September 14, 2026 · First reported: September 14, 2026 · 3 sources

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation announced on Sept. 14, 2026 that it had charged former Emerson Police Officer Anthony Trapani, 32, of Rockmart with two counts of misuse of a license plate reader system and violation of oath of office. The GBI alleges Trapani used the Flock Safety system for purposes unrelated to law enforcement while employed by the Acworth Police Department, and that the alleged misuse continued after he moved to the Emerson Police Department in 2025. The GBI said it opened the investigation at the request of Emerson police. Trapani turned himself in Monday and was booked into the Bartow County Jail; the charges are allegations that have not been resolved in court.

Why this matters

Georgia is one of the states where misusing an automated license plate reader system is a chargeable offense, and this case adds to a series of Georgia investigations into officers accused of running searches for non-law-enforcement reasons. It also illustrates how alleged misuse can follow an officer across departments, raising questions about audit practices and information-sharing between agencies sharing the same camera network.

Key facts

The GBI charged Anthony Trapani, 32, with two counts of misuse of a license plate reader system and violation of oath of office.
The alleged misuse is said to have begun while he worked for the Acworth Police Department and continued after he transferred to Emerson PD in 2025.
The Emerson Police Department requested the GBI investigation.
Trapani turned himself in on Monday and was booked into the Bartow County Jail.
The report notes other Georgia cases, including fired or charged officers in Gwinnett County, Hall County and Braselton; no conviction has been reported in this case.

Sources

This summary was written from the published reporting below and links to it; BlockFlockNow does not reproduce article text.

Former Emerson police officer arrested for allegedly misusing Flock camera system, GBI says (Atlanta News First, September 14, 2026)
Former Acworth Officer Charged With Flock Camera Misuse (cobbcountycourier.com, September 15, 2026)
Former Acworth Police officer arrested for Flock camera misuse (Marietta Daily Journal, September 14, 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 September 20, 2026. Corrections: blockflock@bytebunny.io. See all documented incidents or search the full article archive.