PHOENIX – Amid growing awareness of and opposition to, the Goodyear Police Department is investigating a police officer for possible misuse of Flock Safety’s automated license plate reader technology.
The Goodyear Police Department, which operates 33 Flock Safety automated license plate readers, released the following report regarding the incident:
During a July 21 internal affairs audit of activity within the Flock system, investigators found activity involving an officer that raised concerns about a potential misuse of the Flock system.
This week, several reports involving the alleged misuse of Flock Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) technology by law enforcement personnel at other Valley agencies have brought increased attention to how agencies monitor and audit its use. In the interest of transparency, the Goodyear Police Department is releasing information about its ALPR use policies and auditing practices, as well as an ongoing investigation involving the potential misuse of ALPR technology by a Goodyear police officer.
Flock introduced enhanced automated auditing capabilities that provide law enforcement agencies with greater visibility into individual user activity and make it easier to identify unusual activity or potential anomalies. These enhanced capabilities provide an additional layer of oversight to the auditing process already established by the Goodyear Police Department.
As part of the Goodyear Police Department’s normal Internal Affairs audit process, investigators began an audit of Flock system activity on July 21, 2026. On July 22, investigators identified activity involving an officer that raised concerns about a potential violation of department policy.
The officer was immediately placed on administrative leave, and access to department computer systems was restricted.
During the review, investigators identified information that raised the possibility of a criminal violation. To ensure an independent and impartial investigation, the Goodyear Police Department requested that an outside law enforcement agency conduct the criminal investigation. The Glendale Police Department is currently handling the investigation.
The Goodyear Police Department’s administrative investigation into the potential ALPR policy violation will resume following the conclusion of the Glendale Police Department’s investigation and a review of its findings.
Because the investigations remain pending, the department will not release additional information regarding the officer or the specific activity under investigation at this time.
The Goodyear Police Department currently operates 33 Flock ALPR cameras. The department’s use of ALPR technology is governed by Goodyear Police Department Policy 2.55, which establishes requirements for authorized use, access and auditing.
“The public trusts us with powerful law enforcement tools, and that trust requires both strong policies and meaningful oversight,” said Goodyear Police Chief Brian Issitt. “Our auditing process did exactly what it is intended to do. It identified activity that warranted further review, and we acted immediately. When information indicated there could be a criminal component, we requested an independent investigation. Accountability applies to every member of this department.”
ALPR technology remains a valuable public safety and investigative resource for the Goodyear Police Department. It assists officers and investigators with authorized law enforcement purposes, including locating stolen vehicles and identifying vehicles associated with criminal investigations.
The potential actions of one individual among approximately 200 authorized users do not diminish the legitimate public safety value of this technology or the responsible manner in which it is used by Goodyear Police Department employees every day.
The Goodyear Police Department remains committed to transparency, appropriate oversight and accountability. Additional information will be released when appropriate and when doing so will not compromise the independent criminal or administrative investigations.
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