SARASOTA, Fla. — The arrest of a Sarasota police officer accused of misusing law enforcement databases is raising new questions about how the department monitors access to Flock cameras and what safeguards are in place to prevent abuse.
Sarasota police say they learned on August 6 that Officer Cory Waiters had allegedly misused law enforcement databases, including Flock. The department launched an internal investigation that led to a criminal investigation.
Waiters was placed on paid administrative leave August 7. He was arrested and terminated August 19.
Police also conducted an agency-wide audit of the use of the databases. The department said the audit was completed August 14 and showed “agency-wide compliance.”
But Sarasota Police has not said:
- Whether audits of officers’ use of these systems will occur regularly going forward.
- How often SPD was auditing officers’ use of these databases before the Waiters investigation.
- What safeguards are currently in place to prevent officers from using those systems for improper or personal purposes.
- Whether SPD is making any changes to its policies, training, or oversight as a result of the case.
Thursday, Tampa Bay 28 asked the department those four questions. It did not provide specific answers.
Flock is a network of license-plate-reading cameras that allows law enforcement to look up where a vehicle has been. The company says its technology helps police investigate crimes, find missing people, and recover stolen vehicles.
Yevgeny Khodorkovsky, who is calling for greater transparency around the technology, said the public deserves to know more about how the system is being used.
“It’s very disheartening and concerning that there’s not really any transparency or accountability from the city about these cameras,” he said.
Khodorkovsky said he believes Flock should not be deployed at all, but if it is used, he wants stronger oversight, including judicial oversight.
"I think there should be stronger safeguards to protect both the community and the officers doing their jobs," he said.
The issue is also drawing attention from Congressman Greg Steube, who represents Sarasota. After Waiters’ arrest, Steube wrote on X: “THIS is the problem with Flock cameras!!” He said giving the government the ability to track people means someone will abuse it and called to “BLOCK THE FLOCK.”
Flock has defended its technology and pointed to the arrests of law enforcement officers whose alleged misuse was detected through its audit tools.
Last week, Flock announced additional safeguards. By the end of the year, the company says all law enforcement customers will be required to use tools that flag unusual searches. It will cut off access when activity appears suspicious. Flock will also require officers to document their searches with case codes.
Alexandra Coe, chair of the Sarasota Republican Liberty Caucus, said the Waiters case is an example of how the technology can be abused from inside a police department.
Coe said her group “strongly opposes” Flock cameras and considers them unconstitutional mass surveillance and a violation of the Fourth Amendment.
Coe said she hopes the arrest serves as a “red flag” for local leaders.
“I hope that their leadership does step up,” she said. “Government never has a right to surveil people.”
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