A senior investigator with the Albany County Sheriff’s Office faces criminal charges after allegedly misusing Flock Safety cameras to conduct thousands of unauthorized searches over nearly two years. As USA Today reported, Laurie Moore, a 13-year veteran, was arrested on September 9th.
Moore, 47, is accused of performing more than 4,000 unauthorized searches involving five individuals. The majority of these searches, over 3,000, reportedly tracked her ex-partner's vehicle. She also ran four other license plates hundreds of times each, according to Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple.
What happened in Albany and what does it mean for drivers?
Sheriff Apple stated that the alleged misuse began in 2024. The sheriff's office initiated an investigation on September 4th after receiving an outside tip. Moore, a senior investigator in the agency's criminal investigation unit, was placed on administrative leave.
She faces misdemeanor charges for:
- Falsifying business records
- Official misconduct
Moore is scheduled to appear in court on September 24th. Sheriff Apple publicly apologized for the breach of trust, stating, "This is a gut punch."
For drivers, this incident highlights the potential for misuse of automated license plate reader (ALPR) systems. While law enforcement agencies often cite the benefits of ALPRs in solving crimes, incidents like this raise questions about accountability and oversight. Drivers can learn more about how ALPRs work and their privacy implications on our /learn page.
How do Flock Safety cameras track vehicles?
Flock Safety cameras are ALPRs that capture license plate information from passing vehicles. This data is then stored in a searchable database. Law enforcement agencies can access this database to search for specific vehicles based on plate numbers.
Sheriff Apple acknowledged the effectiveness of ALPR technology in solving serious cases, but emphasized the importance of proper usage. Albany County District Attorney Lee C. Kindlon echoed this, calling the system "invaluable" but stressing that it cannot be used improperly.
This incident in Albany is not isolated. Reports from across the country have detailed instances of ALPR misuse by law enforcement. Flock Safety, the company behind these cameras, recently updated its policies for law enforcement users following a series of such scandals.
Drivers concerned about the spread of these cameras can check our /map to see where ALPRs and other surveillance cameras are located. The outcome of Moore's court appearance on September 24th may provide further details on how such misuse will be addressed.