Athens-Clarke County police fire employee over alleged Flock camera misuse
ATHENS, Ga. - An Athens-Clarke County Police Department employee was fired following allegations that he misused the department's license plate reader system to track his ex-wife, officials announced Friday.
What we know:
The department received a complaint on Thursday from the ex-wife of an employee at the department, prompting an immediate internal investigation.
Investigators found that Nick Barker, a criminal intelligence analyst supervisor at the department, allegedly improperly searched his ex-wife's vehicle tag numerous times over several months in 2025 using the department's Flock system.
Police said its department's policy strictly forbids using the license plate reader system for personal or non-official law enforcement purposes.
Based on the initial findings, the chief of police took immediate action to terminate Barker.
The department requested the Georgia Bureau of Investigation to launch an independent criminal investigation, while the department's Office of Professional Standards conducts a concurrent administrative review.
What they're saying:
Police Chief Jerry Saulters stated he is disappointed by the former employee's actions.
"Trust is the foundation of our relationship with the community we serve, and there is no greater responsibility than protecting that trust. I am deeply disappointed by the former employee’s actions and their impact on the confidence our community places in this department," Saulters said.
He added that he is committed to a complete examination of how the department uses the Flock technology.
"Conduct that compromises that trust has no place within the Athens-Clarke County Police Department, and we will continue to hold our employees to the highest standards of integrity and accountability. To that end, I am committed to moving forward with a complete examination of ACCPD’s ALPR (Automated License Plate Readers) technology and how we use these systems."
What we don't know:
Authorities have not announced any formal criminal charges against Barker.
It remains unclear if additional measures or policy changes will be implemented regarding the system access controls.
The Source: Information in this story was provided by a press release issued by the Athens-Clarke County Police Department.