Georgia business owner alleges police used plate cameras to retaliate against him
Georgia business owner Tyler Murkerson has sued Flock and the Coweta County Sheriff’s Office, alleging deputies used license plate cameras to track him without proper justification and retaliated against him after he sued over excessive force. The case raises questions about safeguards on automated licence plate reader searches and the oversight of police surveillance.
Murkerson says his vehicle was searched several times while his earlier lawsuit was pending, and deputies monitored him travelling to and from home. His lawyers say the search records gave only “info” and “37” as reasons; the complaint also cites other searches logged with entries such as “hehehe”. Flock announced in August 2026 that it would require case codes for law enforcement searches by year-end, while the sheriff’s office began an audit and three employees resigned before it was completed. Flock says it stands by its technology.
- A Georgia man alleges police used Flock cameras to track him without cause.
- His lawsuit follows an earlier excessive-force case that was recently settled.
- Flock plans to require case codes for law enforcement searches.
New here? Start with this
Automated licence plate readers photograph passing vehicles and record their number plates, locations and times. Police can search these records to look for vehicles linked to an investigation, but the searches can also reveal where someone has travelled.
Tyler Murkerson is a Georgia business owner who had earlier sued the Coweta County Sheriff’s Office over alleged excessive force. He says deputies searched camera records for his vehicle while that case was under way; he has also sued Flock, the company that supplies the cameras.
The case centres on what safeguards should govern police searches and how those searches are checked. Its outcome could affect how law enforcement agencies and technology companies account for the use of surveillance records.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Automated plate readers can help police investigate serious offences and locate suspects efficiently, and a search record that looks vague or flippant does not by itself establish that a search lacked a legitimate basis. The sheriff’s office has begun an audit, and Flock’s planned case-code requirement could improve accountability; those steps may help establish what happened and strengthen safeguards.
The case against
Repeated searches of a person who had sued the department, including monitoring movements to and from home, could represent retaliation and an unjustified intrusion if they lacked a documented law-enforcement purpose. Entries such as “info”, “37” or “hehehe” raise questions about whether existing checks were meaningful, while the resignations before the audit was completed may make independent scrutiny especially important.
Read the full article at the source →
Originally published by Ars Technica as “Georgia man sues Flock, sheriff’s office over alleged ALPR-fueled retaliation”.