Thursday, 6 August 2026, 16:38
A North Carolina police officer is accused of turning a surveillance tool into a personal tracking device. Elizabeth Anne Snowman, 36, was arrested Wednesday after an internal audit found she used Flock license plate readers to track her boyfriend's ex-wife. The Mooresville Police Department is now looking into at least 10 other officers.
According to Police Chief Ron Campurciani, Snowman accessed the Flock database 31 times, 29 while on duty. At least two of those searches happened while she was off-duty. The chief said Snowman listed most of the trackings as motor vehicle infractions.
Snowman was arrested Wednesday and charged with accessing computers. She was released on a $5,000 bond, according to Iredell County court records. She is due in court on Aug. 27. Snowman was hired in January 2025. The Mooresville Police Department has 124 officers.
Campurciani said at least 10 other officers in the department are under investigation related to Flock abuse allegations. Three of those cases "look like they could be problematic," he added.
The chief called the situation "frustrating and aggravating." He said the department had safeguards in place, but is now adding more. Going forward, officers must attach a case number to justify every Flock use.
This case is not isolated. In Charlotte, a CMPD officer was arrested July 29 for using Flock to search the license plate of a person buying drugs from his friend. In Greer, South Carolina, two officers were fired June 26 for violating Flock policy. Greenville County Sheriff's Department also fired two officers this summer.
Flock said in a statement: "Any misuse is unacceptable and responsible technology should help bring it to light." The company also noted that its audit trail helps expose improper searches.
While this incident happened in North Carolina, California law enforcement agencies also deploy license plate readers and face similar privacy questions. The same accountability concerns apply here. Agencies using ALPRs should review their audit logs and require documented reasons for every search.
Flock cameras are motion-activated devices that capture license plates, car types and dates. They do not record continuous video. The systems have expanded quickly across the U.S., drawing criticism from privacy advocates. Recent weeks have seen vandalism of Flock cameras in Texas and Utah, and activists have called for a National Week of Action Against ALPRs from Aug. 16 to 22.
The Mooresville case will move through the courts. The department's new case-number requirement could set a standard for other agencies. For now, the arrest serves as a warning that surveillance tools must be used only for official duties.
