Documented Incident
Kokomo officer charged after internal audit found 18 Flock searches of spouse's vehicle
Event: February 19, 2025 · First reported: October 7, 2026 · 14 sources
The Howard County Prosecutor's Office charged Kokomo police officer Jeffrey Bornes Jr., 40, with one Level 6 felony count of official misconduct and two misdemeanor fraud counts. Prosecutors allege he used his department-issued Flock automated license plate reader account 18 times to search a vehicle registered to his then-spouse, logging "welfare check" as the stated reason each time. The Kokomo Police Department said it discovered the searches between Feb. 19 and Feb. 28 during an internal audit covering more than 9,000 LPR queries and referred the case to prosecutors. The charges are allegations that have not been tested in court; Bornes was booked Wednesday on a $12,000 bond and is on administrative leave.
The case shows that routine auditing of ALPR query logs can surface personal misuse that would otherwise go undetected, and it raises the question of whether other agencies conduct comparable reviews of their own search records.
Key facts
- Charges: one Level 6 felony for official misconduct and two misdemeanor fraud counts; no initial hearing had been set as of publication
- Prosecutors allege 18 searches of a vehicle registered to Bornes' then-current spouse, each logged as a "welfare check"
- The department says it found the searches in an internal audit of over 9,000 LPR entries covering Feb. 19 to Feb. 28
- Chief Douglas Stout said the LPR policy is being updated to require recurring audits consistent with CALEA standards
- Fox 59 notes other recent Indiana cases, including five IMPD officers charged last month and a Hancock County deputy charged Sept. 24
Timeline
- October 7, 2026Kokomo police officer charged with misuse of Flock cameras for allegedly tracking ex-spouse
- October 7, 2026Investigators: Kokomo officer charged for 18 searches of private vehicle in Flock system
- October 8, 2026Kokomo Officer Charged After Using Police Database to Track His Spouse 18 Times
- October 10, 2026Kokomo Police officer faces felony for misuse of flock camera footage
- October 16, 2026Pretrial date set for KPD officer accused of misusing flock camera footage
Sources
This summary was written from the published reporting below and links to it; BlockFlockNow does not reproduce article text.
- Kokomo police officer charged with misuse of Flock cameras for allegedly tracking ex-spouse (Fox 59, October 7, 2026)
- Investigators: Kokomo officer charged for 18 searches of private vehicle in Flock system (Wish-tv, October 7, 2026)
- Kokomo police officer charged after alleged misuse of Flock license plate reader system (WTHR, October 7, 2026)
- Kokomo police officer charged for tracking ex-wife's license plate (IndyStar, October 8, 2026)
- Kokomo Officer Charged in License Plate Reader Misuse Case (Hoodline, October 8, 2026)
- Kokomo Officer Charged After Using Police Database to Track His Spouse 18 Times (Hoodline, October 8, 2026)
- Kokomo Police Officer Charged for Misuse of AI License Plate Reader (OECD AI Policy Observatory, October 7, 2026)
- Kokomo Police officer faces felony for misuse of flock camera footage (Reporter.net, October 10, 2026)
- Kokomo police officer charged with misuse of Flock cameras for allegedly tracking ex-spouse (WANE 15, October 8, 2026)
- Pretrial date set for KPD officer accused of misusing flock camera footage (Washtimesherald, October 16, 2026)
- Pretrial date set for KPD officer accused of misusing flock camera footage (tribstar.com, October 16, 2026)
- Pretrial date set for KPD officer accused of misusing flock camera footage (Pharostribune, October 16, 2026)
- Pretrial date set for KPD officer accused of misusing flock camera footage (Greensburgdailynews, October 16, 2026)
- Pretrial date set for KPD officer accused of misusing flock camera footage (Kokomo Tribune, October 16, 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 19, 2026. Corrections: blockflock@bytebunny.io. See all documented incidents or search the full article archive.