Weather 
SAN JOSE, Calif. (KGO) — A San Jose police officer was fired after the department said he improperly used automated license plate reader information and shared it with a relative who was a suspect in a domestic violence case.
According to San Jose police, the officer used his personal phone to access the Flock camera system and then provided the location of a vehicle to his cousin.
The cousin subsequently used the information to track down his accuser, according to our partner the Bay Area News Group.
RESOURCES: Get help with violence, assault and abuse at home
In a statement, San Jose Police Chief Paul Joseph said: “When an officer violates the public’s trust this severely, my responsibility is clear: that person cannot remain in a position of police authority, and they cannot wear the San Jose badge. This technology is new; the standard is not.”
Following the incident, the department said officers are no longer permitted to access the system on their personal devices and have been reminded of the consequences of improperly using the data.
They also said they were testing new smart auditing tools to flag possible access without a lawful purpose.
Chief Joseph said the officer’s case was submitted to the State of California P.O.S.T. for a decertification investigation.
MORE: San Jose City Council approves plan to restrict Flock camera data, usage
This means he could lose his peace officer certification and be unable to work as a police officer in California.
Neither the officer nor the cousin has been criminally charged.
Steven Clark, a legal analyst and former prosecutor, said the case highlights what he described as a gap in current law.
“Because the officer technically had authorization to go into the database, even though he misused it, he did not commit a crime. But I think that’s where we need to play catch up,” Clark said.
According to Clark, because the officer had authorized access to the Flock system, existing criminal statutes that cover confidential criminal databases may not clearly apply here.
“What you’re likely to see as a result of this case is the legislature creating a crime for this conduct. It’s this officer’s behavior slipped through the cracks in the criminal justice system,” he said.
The incident comes as the use of Flock cameras remains under public scrutiny. A lawsuit filed in 2025 by the Electronic Frontier Foundation and ACLU against the city and police department alleges that the use of the cameras violates individuals’ rights.
MORE: Santa Clara County to stop using Flock Safety cameras in several cities after privacy concerns
Last month, a judge issued a tentative ruling favoring San Jose’s position, but the case remained unresolved pending further court proceedings “What you’re going to see is privacy rights groups take this incident and use it as exhibit A in why we have to be very careful with these flock cameras,” Clark said.
San Jose has nearly 500 Flock cameras throughout the city.
The incident has prompted questions from some residents about how secure the collected data is.
“It makes me feel less safe. I feel like they’re trying to just kind of mass monitor everyone,” said San Jose resident Lina De Marco.
Others said they believe the cameras have improved public safety.
“With technology like that, with a flock camera that runs 24 seven, you can’t do any more illegal like you used to,” said San Jose resident Binh Nguyen.
© 2026 KGO-TV. All Rights Reserved.
