NEW BEDFORD, Mass. — A police officer is on administrative leave for allegedly using the Flock camera system to follow an ex-girlfriend.
An internal affairs investigation is underway in New Bedford. Officer Emily Pacheco is accused of using the Flock camera system for personal reasons.
Flock cameras are known for being able to detect license plates, identify the make and model of a vehicle, and give near real-time alerts.
In an affidavit, the victim states how she feels unsafe and that Officer Pacheco would show up to where she was within minutes, sometimes, on duty and in uniform.
She says the two had an off-and-on again relationship that had since ended.
During a hearing to extend an existing restraining order against Pacheco, the victim told the judge that she was brought in for an interview with the New Bedford Police Department. In that interview, she says the police told her that her license plate search came up a number of times within the Flock system.
Pacheco denies using the system for personal use. Her attorney explained to the judge she was searching for the plate as part of a criminal investigation involving someone close to the victim.
The judge ultimately extended the restraining order, stating he did believe the victim was a victim of abuse.
Pacheco remains on administrative leave while the internal affairs investigation into the misuse of Flock cams continues.
Police Chief Jason Thody released a statement to Boston 25, writing in part, “”Flock can be a valuable investigative tool, but we also recognize that technologies like this raise legitimate questions about privacy, access, information sharing, and oversight. We need to make sure that if we continue using this technology, we do so responsibly and in a way that serves the public. This and other emerging technologies can have positive impacts on safety, but must be implemented with caution and due diligence."
New Bedford’s police union also acknowledged the internal affairs investigation and says while they are not taking the allegations lightly, they want to remind the public that these are still allegations at this point in time.
Elijah Desousa, a New Bedford resident and privacy advocate, says the technology is an invasion of privacy.
“This tool is so powerful that this officer couldn’t resist the temptation of said tool and this is why this tool should not be in the hands of law enforcement,” he said.
The growing public concern for safety across the country, due to similar situations involving law enforcement, has led Flock to issue an immediate security update that cuts data retention to 7 days and makes misuse detection mandatory for all customers.
“We want to continue to push privacy forward, too, and so for us these changes, as I said, are the next chapter,” Garrett Langley, FLOCK CEO & Founder, explained.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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