A North Carolina police officer was arrested and charged after it was found that she used the city’s license plate reader cameras to track her boyfriend’s ex-wife. 

What we know:

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Mooresville Police Officer Elizabeth Snowman has been charged with Accessing Computers after investigators said she used the department’s Flock license plate reader (LPR) camera system for personal reasons.

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According to authorities, an internal audit of the department’s LPR system found Snowman accessed the database 31 times for personal purposes.

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Dig deeper:

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Investigators also allege that Snowman denied using the system for personal reasons when questioned during the investigation.

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In a news conference, Police Chief Ron Campurciani said on at least two different occasions Snowman accessed the cameras while she was off-duty. 

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Snowman was booked into the Iredell County Detention Center on a $5,000 bond. 

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License plate readers and Flock cameras 

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Big picture view:

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Several states around the country have installed automated license plate readers made by Flock Safety to capture and log vehicles as a crime prevention tool. 

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Privacy groups are critical of the technology, arguing that LPRs illegally track everyday movements of the public without a warrant. Also concerned about how that information is stored and shared. 

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Crime and Public SafetyNorth Carolina