The New York Post reports that Laurie Moore, 47, a 13-year veteran of the Albany County Sheriff's Office, was arrested for allegedly using Flock cameras to track a former girlfriend's car about 3,000 times. The Post says Moore is also accused of running four more license plates hundreds of times each.
The Post credits Syracuse.com with reporting the case. Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple said Moore was arrested Wednesday after a tip from an outside source.
How did the case come to light?
Apple said the sheriff's office has tightened who can access its data. The Post quotes Apple describing a process that now runs through a supervisor, with audits by Internal Affairs reviewed every 30 days. Any escalation has to go to an undersheriff or chief.
The Post reports that Moore gained access to the Flock system at the end of 2024. Apple said at a news conference: "What happened here is a breach of that trust. And for that, I'm truly sorry."
What is Moore charged with?
- Charges: two misdemeanor counts, second-degree falsifying business records and official misconduct, according to the Times Union, which the Post cites
- Also accused: improperly accessing state Department of Vehicle records for unofficial purposes
- Job status: suspended after the arrest
- Next court date: September 24
The Post describes all of this as allegations. It does not say whether Moore has entered a plea.
How do Flock cameras work?
The Post says Flock Safety's camera system is installed on public roadways, neighborhood entrances, highways, parking lots and school campuses. It says the system uses AI to read license plates to track criminals, according to law enforcement. Critics have raised privacy concerns about its data collection and possible misuse by authorities.
What changes for drivers?
The Post does not describe any camera being turned off or removed in Albany County. It does not say how many Flock cameras the sheriff's office runs or where they are. The changes it reports concern who can search the data inside the sheriff's office, not the cameras on the street.
Cameras run by other agencies and businesses are not part of this case. The Post does not report a change to them. To see which cameras are mapped near you, check the camera map. For background on how these readers work, read how plate readers work.
The next date in the case is the court appearance on September 24.