Six Savannah Police Department employees are now on administrative leave as officials investigate whether they misused the city’s Flock camera system. The case puts a powerful license-plate tracking tool—and the people allowed to search it—under a fresh spotlight.
The group includes four officers and two civilian employees, according to CBS Atlanta. The Savannah Police Department referred the cases to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation for an independent review, and the employees could face discipline up to and including termination.
Officials have not disclosed what searches allegedly raised concerns, whether the employees looked up specific people or vehicles, or whether any personal information was shared. Mayor Van Johnson also did not identify the employees, saying the investigation must establish what happened before the city takes further action.
Savannah Has Been Expanding Its Camera Network
The investigation comes as Savannah has been investing heavily in the technology. A December 2025 city agenda item said the department operated 74 contracted Flock cameras and sought 40 additional license-plate readers plus 10 pan-tilt-zoom cameras, which would bring the citywide total to 124, according to Savannah city records.
The system is designed to help officers locate stolen vehicles, identify cars connected to investigations and determine a vehicle’s direction of travel. That usefulness is also what makes unauthorized searches especially sensitive: a tool built to map vehicle movements can become a serious privacy problem when access is used for reasons unrelated to law enforcement.
Georgia Agencies Are Finding Similar Problems
Savannah’s investigation follows a wave of cases involving license-plate reader databases around Georgia. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that departments began auditing their systems after Flock introduced an audit-assistance feature designed to flag suspicious search patterns.
In Albany, an internal audit found that five officers had accessed the Flock system multiple times for non-law-enforcement purposes, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation said. All five were fired, arrested and charged with misuse of license-plate data and violating their oaths of office.
What Happens Next In Savannah
The GBI’s investigation will determine whether the Savannah allegations support criminal charges, while the police department and city handle potential administrative discipline. For now, the employees have not been publicly accused of a specific offense, and no Savannah charges have been announced.
Johnson framed the matter as a test of the department’s credibility, writing that public trust is “non-negotiable” and that the cameras are intended for community safety rather than personal or unauthorized use, CBS Atlanta reported.
