Flock Misuse Around Cape Fear Continues: Allegations Lead to Separate Local Investigations

A former Wrightsville Beach police officer faces a misdemeanor charge over alleged misuse of a license plate reader system. In Brunswick County, an unnamed sheriff’s deputy resigned while the State Bureau of Investigation reviews a separate concern involving Flock Safety technology.

The cases are separate. They involve different agencies, different allegations and different stages of review.

Still, both show how local agencies respond when internal audits flag possible misuse of systems that collect license plates and vehicle details for law-enforcement investigations.

Wrightsville Beach Case Has Led to a Charge

Former Wrightsville Beach officer Tonya Baker was arrested Sept. 9 after a New Hanover County grand jury indicted her on one misdemeanor count of misusing an automated license plate reader system.

According to Port City Daily, Baker is accused of accessing information associated with two North Carolina vehicle registrations without a legitimate law-enforcement purpose between Feb. 10 and May 12, while she worked for the Wrightsville Beach Police Department.

The town said the officer at the center of its internal review was no longer employed. The police chief and New Hanover County district attorney sought an SBI investigation after an audit found a discrepancy in access to the department’s Flock system.

Baker’s case is pending. Her first court appearance is scheduled for Oct. 12.

WECT reported that Wrightsville Beach began using Flock license plate readers in March. Its Flock policy says the system records license plates and vehicle characteristics to support investigations.

Brunswick County Review Remains Open

In Brunswick County, a sheriff’s office employee resigned after a review of Flock activity raised concerns about that person’s use of the system.

In a Port City Daily Sept. 1 report, Sheriff Brian Chism said the office had referred the matter to the SBI in early August. Authorities have not identified the deputy or disclosed what information was accessed.

The SBI is expected to send its findings to the Brunswick County district attorney, who will decide whether to pursue criminal charges. That review remained open.

The sheriff’s office says its ALPR policy limits searches to legitimate law-enforcement purposes. Users have individual password-protected accounts, search activity is recorded, and the sheriff or a designee must audit the system at least every 30 days.