GOODYEAR — A police officer was placed on administrative leave after investigators found that he may have improperly used an automated license plate reader, according to an Aug. 11 statement released by the Goodyear Police Department.
The statement comes a day after an Apache Junction police officer resigned for misusing his department's Flock Automated License Plate Reader technology.
The Goodyear officer was placed on administrative leave on July 22 after investigators at the Goodyear Police Department audited their Flock system activity on July 21, according to the statement.
Example of a Flock camera.
During their audit, investigators found that there was a potential criminal violation, according to the department's statement.
Authorities did not name the officer.
The Glendale Police Department was overseeing the criminal investigation.
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Goodyear Police Department requested an outside law enforcement agency conduct the criminal investigation.
The department will continue its investigation into the potential misuse of its Flock system after the Glendale Police Department finishes its investigation.
Goodyear Police Department currently operates 33 Flock Automated License Plate Reader cameras.
There has been a nationwide outcry against automated license plate readers, especially those made by Flock. Critics have cited lack of transparency, privacy violations, and immigration authorities requesting local partners to conduct searches on its behalf.
Tempe stopped participating in Flock’s national data sharing program but is still using its license plate readers. Chandler ceased its contract with the company on Aug. 7 after its police chief said a Chandler police employee misused Flock automated license plate reader data.
“Our auditing process did exactly what it is intended to do. It identified activity that warranted further review, and we acted immediately,” Goodyear Police Chief Brian Issitt said in a written statement.
Goodyear Police Department released information about its automated license plate reader policies, auditing practices and the ongoing investigation in the interest of transparency, the statement said.
