Shively, Ky. officer charged with 2,048+ Flock searches targeting mother of his child

Event: August 26, 2026 · First reported: August 27, 2026 · 1 source

Shively Police Officer Asad Zahir, 40, faces five counts of first-degree official misconduct and five counts of fourth-degree unlawful access to a computer after investigators alleged he searched the Flock Safety license plate database more than 2,048 times between Jan. 1 and May 2 to track two vehicles registered to the mother of his child. According to an arrest citation filed by his own department, the searches tracked her movements in Kentucky and Indiana while he allegedly harassed and threatened her, leading her to obtain a temporary protective order in Indiana. Zahir was released on personal recognizance and was scheduled for arraignment in Jefferson District Court. Shively Police Chief Andre Bottoms said the technology's value does not excuse misuse and called for strict oversight and accountability.

Why this matters

The case adds to a growing set of documented allegations that officers have used ALPR databases to monitor current or former partners, raising questions about whether audit logs and internal review are sufficient safeguards. It also illustrates how much of what is publicly known about ALPR misuse has surfaced through records requests rather than routine agency disclosure.

Key facts

Charges are allegations; Zahir has not been convicted and was released on personal recognizance pending arraignment.
EFF's Eva Galperin said such misuse is a recurring pattern predating Flock, citing New Bedford, Mass. Officer Emily Pacheco, placed on leave after a restraining order request alleged Flock tracking of an ex-girlfriend, and Milwaukee, where fired detective Tehrangi Chapman pleaded not guilty to charges involving 20 Flock-assisted tracks and a GPS tracker.
Milwaukee officer Josue Ayala pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor after tracking an ex-partner and her new partner more than 170 times and was sentenced to probation; Chapman had been among the internal affairs detectives assigned to investigate Ayala.
New Bedford's police chief said misuse investigations led him to suspend the department's use of Flock.
Flock has acknowledged national misuse by customers and says it cut its recommended default retention from 30 days to seven and will require Audit Assistance and case codes for all law enforcement customers by year's end; the company did not respond to WAVE's request for comment on the Shively case by publication.

Sources

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

Shively officer’s Flock camera case reflects pattern of officers misusing surveillance tech to track women, expert says (WAVE News, August 27, 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 August 30, 2026. Corrections: blockflock@bytebunny.io. See all documented incidents or search the full article archive.