Documented Incident
Mansfield 911 dispatcher resigns in April after internal probe found two improper Flock searches
First reported: September 26, 2026 · 2 sources
Mansfield, Ohio 911 dispatcher Shane Behrendsen resigned in April, effective immediately, shortly before a scheduled pre-disciplinary conference. An internal investigation found he had improperly accessed the city's Flock Safety license-plate reader network on two occasions, according to public records obtained by the Mansfield News Journal. What he searched for and why were not detailed in the records the newspaper reviewed.
The case illustrates how ALPR misuse findings can end in resignation rather than discipline or charges, and highlights that Ohio's felony statute for law-enforcement database misuse covers state systems like LEADS and OHLEG but not, on its own, a private vendor platform such as Flock.
Key facts
- Mansfield Police began piloting Flock cameras in 2022 with seven units funded by a $22,000 grant, later expanding citywide.
- Safety Service Director Keith Porch told City Council in May 2025 that a $141,000 Ohio Violent Crime Reduction Grant fully funded all 24 of the city's Flock cameras for a third year.
- Ohio Revised Code 2913.04 makes unauthorized access to LEADS or OHLEG a fifth-degree felony; misuse of a private Flock platform falls outside that statute absent another offense.
- Richland County Sheriff's Office approved Flock readers at five county intersections in September 2022 under grants administered through Mansfield Police.
- Other Ohio responses cited include a Highland Heights dispatcher's resignation after a review found roughly 20,000 unauthorized searches, Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther's temporary pause of that city's network, and Hamilton County Sheriff Charmaine McGuffey's suspension of 75 cameras.
Sources
This summary was written from the published reporting below and links to it; BlockFlockNow does not reproduce article text.
- Mansfield 911 Dispatcher Quits After Misusing Flock License-Plate Cameras Twice (hoodline.com, September 26, 2026)
- Mansfield 911 dispatcher resigned after abusing access to Flock (Mansfield News Journal, September 25, 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 28, 2026. Corrections: blockflock@bytebunny.io. See all documented incidents or search the full article archive.