Former Dallas police 911 director accused of Flock camera misuse
PAULDING COUNTY, Ga. - A former Dallas Police Department 911 director was arrested and accused of misusing the Flock license plate reader system, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI).
What we know:
The GBI stated that it arrested and charged Heidi Taylor, 52, on Wednesday with two misdemeanor counts of misuse of the license plate reader system.
Taylor is accused of accessing the system between 2024 and 2025 for non-law enforcement purposes.
Authorities said that she was serving as the Dallas Police Department 911 director during the time she accessed the system.
The Dallas Police Department requested the GBI to investigate the allegations on July 7.
She was booked into the Paulding County Jail on Wednesday
Dig deeper:
A recent string of law enforcement officers have been accused of misusing the automated database.
This month, three Coweta County sheriff's employees resigned amid a Flock camera review.
Last month, a former Habersham County deputy was fired and arrested after an internal audit revealed he misused the Flock camera system to track an individual with whom he had a personal relationship.
The Fayetteville Police Department terminated three of its officers after unauthorized searches in the system.
The recent arrests include five police officers in Albany, who were also charged, a deputy in Greene County who was also fired and charged, and a Cherokee County lieutenant and sargent charged for violating their oath in relation to Flock camera misuse.
Following the arrests, there has been nationwide public pushback and physical tampering targeting Flock safety cameras.
Henry and Barrow counties have seen cases of damaged Flock cameras. In Albany, two cameras were damaged by fire.
Just this week, the Atlanta Police Department has announced it will be conducting an audit to determine whether any employees improperly accessed or misused the Flock license plate reader system.
RELATED STORIES:
- 3 Coweta sheriff's employees resign amid Flock review
- Habersham County deputy fired, arrested for misuse of license plate data
- Two Flock Safety cameras damaged by fire near Albany
- Georgia cops' alleged misuse of Flock license plate tracking data fuels privacy concerns
- 3 Fayetteville officers fired for misusing license plate system
- Atlanta police auditing use of Flock license plate reader system
What we don't know:
The GBI did not release the specific reason behind Taylor's searches.
It's unclear how many times she improperly accessed the database between 2024 and 2025.
Authorities did not say how the Dallas Police Department initially uncovered the alleged misuse before handing the investigation over to the GBI.
It's unclear if Taylor has posted bond or remains in custody at the Paulding County Jail.
The investigation is active and ongoing.
What you can do:
Anyone with information is encouraged to call the GBI Tipline at 800-597-TIPS (8477) or online here.