CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department officer has been arrested after being accused of using ALPR and other technology to help the subject of a drug investigation, WBTV reported.
An arrest affidavit obtained by WBTV shows that Seth Daniel Elliot, 25, was contacted by “drug target” in July. The document stated that the target asked Elliot to search for a license plate registration.
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The plate belonged to a vehicle being used by an undercover officer.
Elliot is accused of searching for the plate in a Flock Safety database, as well as in the Criminal Justice Law Enforcement Automated Data Services portal and providing the information to the drug target, WBTV reported.
CMPD stated it does not own or operate its own Flock system, but has a memorandum of understanding with neighboring communities that are contracted with Flock, according to a CMPD statement. The agreement allows CMPD officers to use the database.
Elliot is currently on unpaid administrative leave. He was charged with illegally accessing a government computer, a Class 1 misdemeanor, according to the statement.
“The public expects and deserves the highest level of integrity from every officer who wears the CMPD badge,” Chief Estella D. Patterson stated. “Misusing law enforcement technology or accessing confidential information for non-law enforcement purposes is a betrayal of the public’s trust and a violation of everything this profession stands for. We will not tolerate that kind of misconduct, and anyone who violates that trust will be held fully accountable.”
