New Bedford suspends use of Flock cameras, officer accused of using system to track ex-girlfriend
A New Bedford, Massachusetts, police officer is accused of using the department's Flock camera system to track the whereabouts of her ex-girlfriend.
Officer Emily Pacheco left court Thursday after a protective order hearing without commenting on the allegations. A protective order against Officer Pacheco was extended for six months.
Pacheco's former girlfriend testified that the New Bedford Police Department contacted her as part of an internal affairs investigation after her license plate was tracked by Flock cameras a "concerning" number of times. She said police asked whether she felt like she was being followed.
Pacheco denies using the Flock system to track her ex-girlfriend's location.
During Thursday's hearing, Pacheco acknowledged that she used the Flock system as a New Bedford police officer.
"Did you use the Flock system in your capacity as a New Bedford police officer?" she was asked.
"Yes," Pacheco responded.
When asked how often she used the system, she replied, "daily."
Flock cameras use automated license plate recognition technology to capture vehicle information. The system can provide law enforcement with location data with a delay of as little as 2 minutes.
The New Bedford Police Department has since suspended its use of Flock technology.
In a statement, the department said Flock "can be a valuable investigative tool," but acknowledged that the technology raises "legitimate questions about privacy, access, information sharing, and oversight."
The allegations against Pacheco are the latest instance in which law enforcement officers have faced scrutiny over the use of Flock's surveillance technology.
Flock has responded by rolling out additional safeguards, including reducing the length of time it retains camera data from one month to one week.
The New Bedford investigation and Pacheco's allegations have raised broader questions about how police departments use automated license plate reader technology and what safeguards are in place to prevent its misuse.
