Documented Incident
Savannah Civil Service Board hears appeals from two ex-officers charged in Flock misuse case
Event: September 15, 2026 · First reported: September 16, 2026 · 2 sources
A Savannah Civil Service Board hearing was held on September 15, 2026, to consider employment appeals from former Savannah Police Department employees Matthew Rich and Donald Phillips, both charged in August by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation with misusing a license plate reader system. The hearing included opening statements, evidence and witness testimony from both the appellants and the City of Savannah, followed by closing arguments. The city's HR director told WTOC that no decision was reached Tuesday and that a ruling would come later. The GBI arrested four people connected to the department in the August case; the charges remain allegations that have not been adjudicated.
The case tests how a local government handles both criminal charges and employment discipline when officers are accused of misusing automated license plate reader data, an area where audit and accountability practices vary widely between agencies.
Key facts
- A Civil Service Board hearing ran from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on September 15, 2026, on appeals by Matthew Rich and Donald Phillips.
- The GBI arrested and charged four people connected to the Savannah Police Department in August over alleged misuse of a license plate reader system.
- Phillips, 23, and Rich, 39, were each charged with two counts of misuse of a license plate reader system and one count of violation of oath of office; the GBI said both were police officers at the time of the alleged offenses.
- Savannah's HR director said no decision was made at the hearing and that one would be issued later.
- The Civil Service Board, created by the Georgia General Assembly in 1949, hears appeals of disciplinary action, including claims that discipline was politically or religiously motivated.
Sources
This summary was written from the published reporting below and links to it; BlockFlockNow does not reproduce article text.
- Civil Service Board hearing addresses appeals from former Savannah PD employees charged in Flock misuse case (wtoc.com, September 16, 2026)
- Former Savannah officer fights to get job back after Flock misuse firing (WJCL, September 22, 2026)
More from Georgia
Everything we have documented in Georgia, or search every Georgia article in the archive.
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 23, 2026. Corrections: blockflock@bytebunny.io. See all documented incidents or search the full article archive.