NEW BEDFORD, MA — A New Bedford police officer is accused of using the department’s Flock license plate reader system to track the whereabouts of her ex-girlfriend.
The officer, Emily Pacheco, denied using the system to monitor her former partner. A protective order against her was extended for six months after a hearing on Thursday.
Former girlfriend says police asked about possible tracking
Pacheco’s former girlfriend testified that the police department contacted her during an internal affairs investigation after her license plate was flagged by Flock cameras a “concerning” number of times.
She said officers asked whether she believed she was being followed. The testimony raised questions about how the system was being accessed and whether it was used for personal reasons.
Pacheco says she used Flock daily as an officer
During the hearing, Pacheco acknowledged that she used the Flock system in her role as a New Bedford police officer. When asked how often, she said she used it “daily.”
Flock cameras use automated license plate recognition to capture vehicle information. The system can provide law enforcement with location data with a delay of as little as two minutes.
Police suspend Flock use and cite privacy concerns
The New Bedford Police Department has suspended its use of Flock technology while the matter is reviewed. In a statement, the department said the system can be a valuable investigative tool.
It also said the technology raises legitimate questions about privacy, access, information sharing, and oversight. Flock has added safeguards, including cutting data retention from one month to one week.
Broader scrutiny grows around automated plate readers
The allegations against Pacheco add to increasing scrutiny of how police departments use automated license plate reader systems. The New Bedford case has become part of that wider debate.
Questions now center on what controls are in place to prevent misuse, especially when officers have direct access to surveillance tools that can reveal vehicle locations quickly.
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