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Kentucky Officer Accused of Misusing Flock Cameras 2,000 Times
A Kentucky police officer was arrested after authorities said he used the Flock Safety license plate reader system more than 2,000 times to track his ex-girlfriend.
Shively Police Department Officer Asad Zahir’s activity was flagged by a new AI-powered auditing tool implemented by Flock Safety amid growing concerns about potential misuse of the technology.
The auditing tool is now required by Flock Safety and is designed to identify abnormal searches by law enforcement officers.
Authorities said investigators found Zahir conducted 2,048 Flock searches from January through May involving two vehicles registered to the woman in Kentucky and Indiana. The woman was identified as Zahir’s former girlfriend and the mother of his child.
During the same period, court records indicate Zahir harassed the woman and made threatening comments, leading her to obtain an order of protection.
Shively Police Chief Andre Bottoms said 241 of the searches occurred while the protective order was in effect, between April 17 and May 6.
Officials said Zahir listed the purpose of the searches as a drug or narcotics investigation, even though the woman was not the subject of such an investigation and authorities found no indication she was involved in drug-related violations.
The AI auditing system flagged Zahir’s activity Monday. By Tuesday, he was in custody and facing five counts of official misconduct in the fifth degree and five counts of unlawful access to a computer in the fourth degree, according to court records.
Zahir, who joined the department in 2022 and worked in the patrol division, has been suspended without pay pending the criminal investigation and an internal review.
He was released on his own recognizance Tuesday and is scheduled for arraignment Friday. It was not immediately known who would represent him.
Bottoms said the arrest was personally difficult but emphasized that police officers must be held accountable regardless of their position.
“Accountability cannot depend on who you are and what position you hold or what badge you’re wearing,” Bottoms said.
The department is conducting a broader review of its procedures governing Flock technology. That review will examine user access, search requirements, supervisory oversight and auditing practices and could result in additional safeguards.
Critics question privacy overreach
Flock’s nationwide network of automated license plate reader cameras captures images of passing vehicles, including license plates, vehicle color and other characteristics. Police agencies that contract with Flock can search the resulting database to aid criminal investigations.
The technology has drawn increased scrutiny over privacy concerns and allegations of abuse.
The Institute for Justice, a nonprofit public interest law firm that has filed lawsuits against Flock on Fourth Amendment grounds, has tracked at least 47 cases in which officers were disciplined for alleged misuse of the system to monitor romantic interests.
Christopher Ingraham, a reporter for the institute who maintains the database, said the actual number could be higher because some cases may never be reported or detected.
Flock technology has also been defended by law enforcement as a useful investigative tool. Bottoms said the system has helped police recover stolen vehicles, locate a missing child and assist in homicide investigations.
“This is what accountability looks like,” Bottoms said. “If you misuse your authority, violate department policy or break the law, you will be held accountable.”
By: NBC Palm Springs
August 30, 2026
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