Lufkin Police Officer Arrested On Charges Tied To Flock Camera Misuse

The use of Flock cameras has become a hot-button topic throughout Texas. Proponents and opponents have been very passionate in their views on safety vs privacy. The use of Flock cameras by the Lufkin Police Department has now been suspended due to the possible misuse of these cameras by police personnel.

Lufkin Police Officer Arrested For Alleged Flock Misuse

According to a media release from the City of Lufkin Police Department, a Lufkin Police officer has been arrested on two felony charges following the launch of an investigation into his potential misuse of the Flock Automated License Plate Reader technology. Zach Klein, an 11-year member of the department, was arrested by Texas Rangers and booked into the Angelina County Jail Thursday morning (Aug 20) on charges of abuse of official capacity and tampering with a government record. Both are state jail felonies. No bond has been set.

READ MORE: Check To See If Your License Has Been 'Flocked'

The department recently became aware of potential issues and immediately began an audit into the use of the technology. While Lufkin internal affairs officers have been conducting an internal investigation into the two officers, Lufkin Police Chief Travis Brazil requested the assistance of the Texas Rangers to perform an outside investigation into this matter. A second officer is on administrative leave pending further investigation into his use of the technology. Lufkin police department’s ongoing commitment to transparency with the community remains a top priority. This investigation is still active.

What Are Flock Cameras?

According to the Flock Safety website,  Flock license plate reading cameras are a connected public safety platform that helps authorized users find information relevant to an incident.