Hall County Flock audit exposes more unauthorized searches
GAINESVILLE, Ga. - More trouble with the Hall County Sheriff’s Office as three deputies resigned over an internal audit.
That audit, which is just the latest in a series of issues the sheriff’s office has experienced over the past year, was over the use of the county’s Flock safety system.
Hall County sheriff audit
What we know:
Three deputies resigned from the Hall County Sheriff's Office while under internal investigation during an ongoing audit of the agency's Flock safety system, according to the sheriff's office.
Deputy Jason Orellana of the Uniform Patrol Division resigned last Wednesday. An internal investigation determined Orellana ran 10 unauthorized searches on the Flock system after a co-worker without access requested them. He had worked for the agency since April 2019.
Deputy Taylor McArthur of the Jail Division resigned last Thursday after receiving notice that she was under investigation for policy violations. Investigators said McArthur asked Orellana to check the Flock system for details about people she knew. She joined the sheriff's office in April 2023.
Deputy Austin Scott Flanagan resigned last Thursday while on paid administrative leave following an Aug. 25 arrest for making harassing phone calls. Investigators found Flanagan accessed the Flock system twice for personal reasons unrelated to his work duties. He had been with the agency since November 2022.
The Hall County Sheriff's Office continues to review the violations and will refer each case to the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council, according to the agency. The Internal Affairs Unit is continuing its agencywide audit.
Hall County Sheriff's Office troubles
Timeline:
- Dec. 2025: Hall County Sheriff Gerald Couch temporarily steps away from his duties, citing an unspecified health condition, before later returning to work.
- Feb. 26, 2026: Court records show Couch is evaluated at Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville and diagnosed with alcohol intoxication, with blood tests indicating a potentially fatal alcohol concentration level.
- Feb. 27, 2026: Couch is arrested by the Georgia State Patrol after a Hall County deputy spots his county-issued Chevrolet Tahoe weaving erratically on Green Hill Road. Couch is booked into his own jail on charges of DUI, failure to maintain a lane, and possession of an open container before posting bond.
- March 17, 2026: Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp officially suspends Couch from office following an investigation by a state-appointed committee.
- May 5, 2026: While on suspension, Couch is arrested again in neighboring Dawson County for allegedly violating the terms of his limited driving permit.
- May 6, 2026: The Georgia Department of Driver Services publicly denies any "systemic failure" in issuing Couch's limited driving permit following his second arrest.
- May 16, 2026: Gov. Kemp extends Couch’s suspension as a result of the Dawson County traffic arrest.
- June 8, 2026: During a pre-trial evidentiary hearing, defense attorneys challenge the validity of the roadside sobriety tests and vehicle search, while prosecutors introduce evidence showing Couch admitted to drinking before driving.
- June 17, 2026: Couch’s state-mandated suspension officially expires, allowing him to be reinstated pending trial.
- August 2026: The grassroots group Concerned Citizens of Hall County organizes a petition drive to gather thousands of signatures needed to force a recall election for Sheriff Couch.
Flock system review
What we don't know:
Officials have not confirmed whether additional deputies are under investigation or if further unauthorized searches occurred during the ongoing audit.
FOX 5 Atlanta contacted the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council for comment, but did not receive a response before publication.
Inquiries to the Hall County Elections Office seeking an update on the recall petition status were not immediately returned.
Flock camera misuse
Why you should care:
The arrests and terminations highlight a growing statewide controversy surrounding the misuse of Flock Safety license plate readers by Georgia law enforcement.
Intended as a crime-fighting tool to track stolen vehicles and fugitives, automated internal audits have instead exposed dozens of officers, deputies, and civilian staff improperly accessing retained camera data for personal reasons, ranging from tracking romantic partners to conducting unauthorized background checks.
The mounting wave of misconduct investigations by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) has fueled sharp pushback from civil liberties groups, prompted municipal contract reviews, and led to incidents of camera vandalism, even as technology officials maintain the software's audit safeguards are working as intended to hold rogue officers accountable.
Reports of Flock misuse in Georgia
Local perspective:
FOX 5 Atlanta has been closely following the reports of misuse of Flock technology by law enforcement agencies across Georgia. More than 40 people have been accused of misusing the technology in various municipalities across the Peach State.
Here is a quick look at some of those incidents:
Hall County Sheriff's Office
Investigator Justin Brown was fired after an internal audit revealed he conducted unauthorized license plate searches with no legitimate law enforcement purpose. His case was referred to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI).
Investigator Michael Atkins was terminated after an audit showed he accessed the Flock database on at least four separate occasions for personal matters.
Cherokee County Sheriff's Office
Former Deputy Jerry Shellhouse was terminated and arrested on a felony charge of violation of oath of office and a misdemeanor count of prohibition on law enforcement retaining license plate data after improperly using the system for non-law enforcement purposes between October 2023 and December 2025.
Three additional employees were arrested in separate earlier cases for misuse of the agency's Flock system.
DeKalb County Sheriff's Office
Sgt. Kabiru Salawu was fired and arrested on charges including felony violation of oath of office and misdemeanor misuse of license plate data following an internal probe into unauthorized use of the department's Flock technology.
Savannah Police Department
Four former employees—ex-officers Marquis Dillard, Donald Phillips, and Matthew Rich, alongside former civilian community service specialist Calandic Thomas—were fired and arrested by the GBI after an audit showed they accessed retained license plate data for non-law enforcement purposes.
Dallas Police Department (Georgia)
Former 911 Director Heidi Taylor was arrested by the GBI on two misdemeanor counts of misusing a license plate reader system after accessing the Flock network for unauthorized reasons between 2024 and 2025.
Habersham County Sheriff's Office
A deputy was fired and arrested following allegations that he used the Flock system to track someone with whom he had a personal relationship.
Albany Police Department
Five former Albany police officers were arrested after a GBI audit found they accessed retained license plate information for non-law enforcement purposes.
Coweta County Sheriff's Office
Three employees resigned during an internal review into potential Flock camera misuse.
What's next:
Sheriff Couch is scheduled to go to trial on his DUI charges at 8:30 a.m. on Sept. 21 in Hall County.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from the Hall County Sheriff's Office, which explained how three deputies resigned during an internal investigation, as well as court records and state agency reports. Previous FOX 5 Atlanta reporting was also used.