CMPD officer arrested for misusing Flock camera system, agency says
A Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police officer was arrested after improperly accessing a Flock camera system, CMPD said in a Wednesday statement.
Read more New restaurants with scratch-made food, sweets + more opening in Charlotte
The N.C. State Bureau of Investigation arrested Officer Seth Elliott on a misdemeanor charge of illegally accessing a government computer, according to court records and authorities.
Elliott has been placed on unpaid administrative leave, according to CMPD. He was released from jail under a $15,000 unsecured bond and is next due in court Aug. 27, according to his release order.
The SBI informed CMPD that Elliott improperly accessed the Flock system and CJLEADS, an offender database used by local and state law enforcement, on June 16.
Elliott ran an unauthorized query of a North Carolina license plate registration, according to an SBI press release.
CMPD uses license-plate reading surveillance cameras but doesn’t own or operate any Flock cameras, but has an agreement with Flock to access devices at other agencies, according to CMPD.
Read more 5 nonstop flights out of CLT for a last-minute summer getaway
“Misusing law enforcement technology or accessing confidential information for non-law enforcement purposes is a betrayal of the public’s trust and a violation of everything this profession stands for,” CMPD Chief Estella Patterson said in the statement. “We will not tolerate that kind of misconduct, and anyone who violates that trust will be held fully accountable.
Elliot was hired on Feb. 26, 2024, and was assigned to the University City Division, according to CMPD.
Elliot’s arrest follows a series of improper usage of Flock camera systems by police officers.
Two police officers in Greer, South Carolina, were fired on June 26 after violating the city’s Flock camera policy.
The Greenville County Sheriff’s Department fired two officers this summer for misusing the agency’s Flock cameras, the Post and Courier reported Wednesday.
Read more A day for Panthers QBs: Bryce Young, backups put on an aerial showcase in pads
