Documented Incident
Former Hall County investigator charged with misusing Flock license plate reader system
Event: September 30, 2026 · First reported: September 30, 2026 · 6 sources
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation arrested Justin Brown, 42, of Dahlonega, on Wednesday on two counts of misuse of a license plate reader system and two counts of violation of oath of office. The GBI said Brown, a former Hall County Sheriff's Office investigator, accessed the agency's Flock Safety system for non-law enforcement purposes. The investigation began Aug. 18 after an internal sheriff's office audit flagged potential employee misuse. The charges are allegations that have not been tested in court.
The case shows that routine internal auditing of ALPR search logs can surface alleged personal use, and raises questions for other agencies about how often such audits occur and who reviews them.
Key facts
- Justin Brown, 42, charged with two counts of misuse of a license plate reader system and two counts of violation of oath of office
- GBI opened its investigation Aug. 18 after a Hall County Sheriff's Office internal audit flagged possible misuse
- At least six other Hall County personnel were terminated or resigned in August and September after audits reportedly found unauthorized Flock searches for personal matters
- The GBI did not disclose whose vehicle Brown allegedly searched, and it is unclear whether he resigned or was fired
- Sheriff Gerald Couch was arrested for DUI in February and suspended by Gov. Brian Kemp; a grassroots group has pushed for a recall election
Timeline
- September 30, 2026Former Hall County investigator arrested for alleged Flock misuse
- October 1, 2026GBI Arrests Former Hall County Sheriff’s Office Investigator for Misuse of a License Plate Reader System
- September 30, 2026BREAKING: Former Hall sheriff’s investigator arrested on felony charges after alleged misuse of Flock cameras
- September 30, 2026Former Hall County investigator arrested for alleged Flock misuse
Sources
This summary was written from the published reporting below and links to it; BlockFlockNow does not reproduce article text.
- Former Hall County investigator arrested for alleged Flock misuse (Fox 5 Atlanta, September 30, 2026)
- GBI Arrests Former Hall County Sheriff’s Office Investigator for Misuse of a License Plate Reader System (Coosa Valley News, October 1, 2026)
- BREAKING: Former Hall sheriff’s investigator arrested on felony charges after alleged misuse of Flock cameras (Gainesville Times, September 30, 2026)
- Former Hall County investigator arrested for alleged Flock misuse (Yahoo, September 30, 2026)
- Former Hall County deputy arrested for allegedly misusing Flock camera system , GBI says (atlantanewsfirst.com, September 30, 2026)
- GBI Arrests Former Hall County Sheriff’s Office Investigator for Misuse of a License Plate Reader System (AllOnGeorgia, October 1, 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 5, 2026. Corrections: blockflock@bytebunny.io. See all documented incidents or search the full article archive.