Police officers in Indiana and Arizona accused of misusing license plate readers

Two separate investigations in the United States have revealed the misuse of Flock automated license plate reader systems by law enforcement officers.

In Georgetown, Indiana, Officer Justin Craig has been arrested and charged with official misconduct and two counts of fraud. An investigation, reportedly triggered by a tip to the police chief, found that Craig allegedly performed hundreds of unauthorized searches. According to court documents, he searched his wife’s license plate over 80 times and an acquaintance’s plate nearly 250 times between January and July. Investigators stated that Craig mislabeled these searches as being related to narcotics, theft, or traffic infractions to justify the activity.

In Goodyear, Arizona, an internal audit led to the discovery that former officer Kristopher Jackson misused the department’s license plate reader database. Police Chief Brian Issitt stated that Jackson committed three policy violations: abuse of authority, violation of body-worn camera policy, and dishonesty. While the Glendale Police Department found insufficient evidence for criminal charges, Issitt noted that Jackson would have been terminated had he not resigned from the department on September 17, 2026.