Cheektowaga Police Employees Accused Of Misusing Flock Camera

For years, cities and towns around Western New York have been using automated license plate cameras, like the ones made by Flock, to keep track of their citizens, and for just as long as the cameras have existed, people all around the Empire State have complained about the potential for thier misuse. Even after countless examples of that misuse around the nation have popped up, officials in places like Cheektowaga have touted thier benefits.

Now it seems accusations of misuse are happening right here at home, and now some in Erie County's second-largest town are saying, "I told you so."

According to multiple news outlets, including WKBW-TV and WGRZ-TV, three employees at the Cheektowaga Police Department are accused of spying on someone using the cameras and have been suspended.

READ MORE: Amherst Joins Others And Adds License Plate Cameras

Two police dispatchers and a police officer have been suspended after months of misuse of the surveillance network.

The Cheektowaga Police Department is taking this matter seriously and recognizes the importance of public trust. We have taken steps to tighten policies and procedures to help prevent future incidents.
-Brian Coons, Chief of Cheektowaga Police Department

Over several months, the three were using the camera to illegally keep track of another town employee's car.

While officials of the town maintain that this was an isolated incident, many people on social media are pointing out the irony of this happening, given that people have said the possibility of violations of privacy and misuse is high. With hundreds of these cameras tracking hundreds of thousands of people every single day, the potential for abuses by police is wide and needs to be stopped.

If local governments did an audit of their camera networks, one might wonder exactly how many times the cameras have been used for illegal purposes.