3 more local deputies arrested, fired over misusing license plate readers

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - Three more Richmond County Sheriff’s Office employees have been arrested and fired after they allegedly misused license plate readers.

According to the sheriff’s office, Lieutenant John McKenzie, Investigator Curtis Hoskins and Deputy Joshua Johnson knowingly accessed the Flock Camera System to search license plate numbers for reasons unrelated to any official law enforcement purpose.

Investigators determined the searches were conducted for personal reasons and were not connected to any criminal investigation, call for service, intelligence gathering or other legitimate law enforcement activity, according to officials.

As a result, McKenzie, Hoskins and Johnson were arrested and charged with:

• Misuse of license plate readers
• Violation of oath of office

All three turned themselves into the Charles B. Webster Detention Center, according to the sheriff’s office.

The investigation determined that all three deputies’ actions violated multiple Richmond County Sheriff’s Office policies, including the unauthorized access and misuse of law enforcement databases and information systems, conduct unbecoming a member of the sheriff’s office and the ethical obligations associated with the oath of office.

All three deputies have been terminated from the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office.

Their arrests come less than a month after Richmond County Deputy Jaquarius Yarbrough was arrested and and fired after he is accused of misusing license plate readers.

Across the state

The Richmond County Sheriff’s Office isn’t the only law enforcement agency to recently arrest and fire deputies over the misuse of license plate readers.

Last week, the Fayetteville Police Department announced three police officers were fired for their misuse of the Flock camera system.

In June, a Greene County deputy was arrested and fired— and later that month, three Cherokee County deputies were as well.

An investigation previously found that Flock cameras were being used for more than just investigating crimes. Information about when a car was seen at a specific location remains in the database for 30 days and is shared with hundreds of external agencies. Some cameras are also designed to follow people as they walk.

The system has prompted nationwide protests, with activists concerned about the possible invasion of privacy. Earlier this month in Barrow County, the sheriff’s office said it was looking for vandals who damaged several Flock cameras, cutting down camera poles and severing solar power equipment.