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GREER, S.C. (BFMG) — Two Upstate South Carolina police officers have been fired after city officials say they misused Flock automatic license plate recognition cameras in violation of department policy.
The City of Greer announced Tuesday, July 14, that Cpl. Kareem Lynch and Officer Sebastian Echeverry turned in their badges at the end of June after an internal review found both officers violated rules governing the use of automatic plate recognition technology, including Flock Safety cameras.
Greer’s policy, in effect since January 2023, states that the Flock system is to be used for “public safety related missions of the agency” and warns that misuse of the technology may result in disciplinary action. City officials said the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy will determine the status of the officers’ law enforcement certifications. The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division is also investigating.
Greer City Administrator Andrew Merriman said the department launched an audit of its plate reader use after receiving allegations that two officers had violated city policy.
“After receiving allegations that two Greer police officers had violated the city’s policy on automatic license plate recognition technology, the Greer Police Department activated Flock Safety’s newly released AI audit assistance tool to review the entire department’s use of the platform,” Merriman said.
He said the audit results backed up the initial information.
“The audit corroborated the initial information, and as a result, the two officers were terminated,” Merriman said. “The City of Greer takes seriously the responsibility to protect the life, safety and privacy of our citizens, and we utilize the latest tools and technology to perform those duties.”
City officials have not released further details about how the policy was violated, citing the ongoing investigation.
The firings come amid a broader nationwide debate over automatic license plate readers and concerns about mass surveillance, privacy and civil rights. In multiple jurisdictions, officers have been accused of using Flock Safety cameras to stalk individuals or conduct unauthorized searches that were not tied to legitimate criminal investigations.
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