Another Habersham County deputy fired over FLOCK misuse

HABERSHAM COUNTY, Ga. - A second Habersham County Sheriff's Office deputy was fired and arrested following an internal audit into unauthorized access to license plate data. 

What we know:

An internal audit revealed former Deputy Jonathan Thomas used the Flock camera system to access retained license plate data for personal reasons. 

Investigators found the incident involved someone who had a personal relationship with Thomas at the time.

Officials booked Thomas into the Habersham County Detention Center on charges of felony violation of oath of office and misdemeanor misuse of license plate data. 

Thomas started his employment with the sheriff's office Dec. 2, 2024.

What they're saying:

Sheriff Robin Krockum said the agency discovered the second deputy during an ongoing audit into the Flock system.

"We will continue to audit our system and hold those accountable who have abused this system," Krockum said. "Our current policy has been strengthened to include a two-person approval process beforeany license plate data can be entered into the system. If a deputy wants to search for a specific license plate, they must first have supervisor approval, who will document and approve the reason and enter in the search. They must have a documented case number, as well as contacting our dispatch center via radio to log the search. This will lower the number of approved users from 39 to only 23 supervisors who have access to enter and search for a specific license plate. We will continue to be transparent to the public in the way we conduct ourselves and hold those responsible who violate their trust."

What's next:

The investigation remains active and ongoing, according to the sheriff's office. Once investigators complete the case file, officials will give it to the District Attorney's Office for review and prosecution. 

What we don't know:

Authorities have not confirmed the specific date the unauthorized access occurred. Officials have also not revealed the identity of the person tied to the personal relationship.