Ga. deputies arrested, accused of misusing license plate readers

ATLANTA, Ga. - Three Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office deputies have been fired and arrested, accused of unlawfully accessing the county’s license plate reader database, according to arrest affidavits.

The deputies are accused of misusing data from an automated license plate reader (ALPR) system that can help track vehicles by scanning and logging license plates.

Two of the deputies — Sgt. Mike Creeden and Lt. Chris Bryant — were booked on the charges, while Deputy Cynthia Jodesty was arrested about a week earlier, records show.

According to Jodesty’s arrest affidavit, she allegedly used the database multiple times over about a month to locate a vehicle “without a legal or investigative” purpose.

The sheriff’s office said a “self-initiated” audit of its ALPR database led to the internal investigation and the arrests.

The surveillance network scans every car that passes, and critics say its oversight lags behind the technology’s power.

All three also face charges of violating their oath of office, according to the documents.

“Our community expects and demands the highest level of professionalism, integrity, and accountability from the Cherokee Sheriff’s Office,” said Cherokee County Sheriff Frank Reynolds. “Maintaining the public’s trust requires that our employees uphold the law, safeguard sensitive information, and use the tools entrusted to us only for legitimate law enforcement purposes.

Flock Safety says its cameras don’t track people. But the company’s own training videos show police using the system to track suspects “from location to location to location.” And some of its cameras are designed to follow people as they walk.

“I remain committed to ensuring that our agency continues to operate with transparency, professionalism, and the highest ethical standards,” Reynolds said.

Flock Safety, an Atlanta-based surveillance technology company that provides ALPR systems used by many agencies nationwide, has said it builds audit logs and other safeguards intended to flag potentially improper searches and help local governing bodies enforce policy.