A former police officer in Florida was arrested after an internal investigation found he allegedly misused Flock Safety cameras hundreds of times.
The former Sarasota officer allegedly searched for a license plate over 300 times while using the license plate reader cameras.
Corey Waiters is accused of two felonies and a misdemeanor for his alleged misuse of the cameras.
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YET ANOTHER dirty cop (2nd one in this department this month…) has been caught violating the civil rights of all American citizens by illegally accessing Flock cameras & their AI powered database to criminally stalk women.
Now former Sarasota, FL police officer, Cory Waiters… pic.twitter.com/OHLghTjmMK
— Mrgunsngear (@Mrgunsngear) August 20, 2026
FOX 13 Tampa Bay shared further:
An investigation started earlier this month after a USA Today reporter discovered Waiters searched for the same license tag 355 times. On one day alone, Waiters searched the tag 121 times.
ADVERTISEMENTDuring a first court appearance, Waiters’ attorney emphasized his deep ties to the area.
A judge set Waiters’ bond at $5,500.
Police have not disclosed who Waiters was tracking or why he repeatedly searched the license plate.
Sarasota Police Chief Rex Troche said in a statement, “We take allegations of misconduct seriously. When an agency member’s actions fall short of the standards and professionalism we expect, we will address it appropriately and without hesitation.”
Chief Troche has not addressed whether the department will add additional safeguards to prevent future system misuse.
According to the Bradenton Herald, each search was listed as involving a “suspicious vehicle,” even though police “determined the vehicle was not under any criminal investigation.”
A Sarasota police officer was fired and arrested after his department learned from USA Today that he was misusing Flock and DAVID databases, according to a release. https://t.co/uByApWFMXw pic.twitter.com/9pouE8xQFN
— WFLA NEWS (@WFLA) August 19, 2026
More from the Bradenton Herald:
Police also audited Waiters use of DAVID, Florida’s Driver and Vehicle Information Database, and found eight searches for the same license plate between June and September 2025, according to the arrest report.
The Sarasota case comes as Flock Safety, which operates a vast network of automated license plate readers, faces growing scrutiny over privacy and the potential for police officers to abuse the technology and track people for personal reasons, sparking a national debate over their use.
ADVERTISEMENTMore than 120,000 Flock cameras operate across the country, recording about 20 billion license plate scans each month, according to the company.
Police departments have praised the technology, crediting it with helping investigators find stolen vehicles, missing people, criminal suspects and more.
Manatee County Sheriff Rick Wells called Flock a “game changer,” telling county commissioners that his agency has used the cameras to arrest 137 felons over the past two years.
“We use it strictly for a crime-fighting tool, and if you violate and misuse any of our sensitive information programs, it’s a third-degree felony and you’re going to go to jail,” Wells said at a recent county commission meeting. “Law enforcement officer or not.”
Privacy advocates, however, have warned that the same technology allows police to operate a powerful surveillance network with little oversight, leaving it ripe for misuse.
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