San Jose police fired an officer for using a personal phone to access Flock automated license plate reader data and sharing a vehicle location with a relative involved in a domestic violence case.

The department barred personal-device access and began considering or testing additional auditing controls, while questions remain about whether existing criminal laws adequately address misuse by authorized database users. The incident also highlights broader challenges to San Jose’s ALPR practices, including disputes over retrospective movement tracking and data retention.