Highlights
- An Apache Junction officer resigned before termination after misusing an Automated License Plate Reader to locate a family member.
- The officer falsely told two AJPD dispatchers the plate lookup was for a welfare check; dispatchers flagged concerns to a supervisor.
- Chandler, Pinal County, Flagstaff, and Sedona have all recently ended or suspended Flock Safety contracts amid separate scrutiny.
- Chief Michael Pooley held a press briefing Monday at 1 p.m. to address the incident and ALPR accountability measures.
An Apache Junction police officer resigned before termination after an internal investigation confirmed he used an Automated License Plate Reader to locate a family member, the Apache Junction Police Department disclosed Monday, as reported by ABC15 and AZFamily.
According to a department statement, the officer contacted two AJPD dispatchers and asked them to run a family member's license plate, falsely representing the request as a welfare check. The dispatchers complied but recognized concerns about the circumstances and notified a supervisor, escalating the matter through the department's chain of command.
Around the same time, the officer contacted a separate law-enforcement agency and asked them to conduct a welfare check on the same individual. During that conversation, he disclosed he had already used license plate reader technology to locate the family member. AJPD launched an internal investigation and placed the officer on administrative leave; the department says that investigation has since been completed.
"AJPD takes the responsibility associated with access to law-enforcement databases and technology extremely seriously," the department wrote in its statement. "Department employees are entrusted with systems containing sensitive information, and that access must only be used for legitimate and authorized law-enforcement purposes."
The officer's name was not included in the department's public statement.
Why is this case drawing wider attention?
The Apache Junction incident is one of several recent cases in which officers have been accused of misusing Flock Safety license plate reader systems for purposes unrelated to authorized law-enforcement investigations. Chandler abruptly discontinued use of the cameras last Friday after an anomaly was identified during a recent audit, leading to an investigation involving a department employee. Pinal County decided not to renew its Flock contract last week, and both Flagstaff and Sedona ended contracts with the company last year.
Chief Michael Pooley addressed the incident at a media briefing Monday at 1 p.m. at department headquarters, where he was expected to outline ALPR safeguards and accountability measures going forward.
Sources
Every factual claim in this article traces to one of the sources below. See how we work for the editorial process.
- ABC15 Arizona retrieved 10/08/2026 18:45
- AZ Family (3TV/CBS5) retrieved 10/08/2026 18:45
Authored by The Scottsdale Signal. Drafted by AI from primary-source material under our beat-specific editorial guides; reviewed by humans before publish under our five-gate process. Sources retrieved at 10/08/2026 18:45. Every claim traces to a source.
