FORT PIERCE, FL — A former Fort Pierce police officer is facing four felony counts after investigators said he used restricted law enforcement databases to look up his ex-girlfriend’s vehicle and personal information without a legitimate police reason. Fort Pierce Police say Josepher Crutchfield searched the same license plate in the department’s Flock system 382 times between October 2025 and July 2026.
Investigators said most of those searches happened while he was off duty. Police also said Crutchfield repeatedly entered different justification categories for the searches even though they found no valid law-enforcement purpose for the activity. He was arrested on September 8 after detectives determined there was probable cause for the charges.
How the Flock searches led investigators to Crutchfield
According to Fort Pierce Police, the case surfaced in August 2026 after the department was contacted by the media with concerns about possible misuse of its automated license plate reader system. Crutchfield was placed on administrative leave on August 7, and his access to law enforcement systems was revoked.
A criminal investigation began several days later. Police said Crutchfield resigned from the department on August 18 before investigators finished their review. By the time the case was announced, detectives had tied the repeated searches to a vehicle registered to his ex-girlfriend.
The department said the pattern of access raised enough concern to justify a broader look at whether restricted systems had been used for personal reasons rather than official police work. That review became the basis for the felony case filed against him.
Other restricted databases were also checked
Fort Pierce Police said the review did not stop with Flock. When investigators expanded their search, they said they found additional database use over several years involving other restricted law enforcement systems.
Those systems included FCIC, NCIC, DAVID and TLO. Police said Crutchfield used them to search names and other personal information without a legitimate law-enforcement purpose. Officers are required to acknowledge that they are accessing those records for proper police use.
The databases can include sensitive details such as addresses and dates of birth. Police did not say every search was tied to the same person, but they said the broader audit suggested misuse beyond the license plate inquiry that first drew attention.
Chief David Smith calls the case a black eye for the department
Police Chief David Smith, in a Facebook post and department press release, described the allegations as a serious embarrassment for the agency. He called the matter a “black eye” for Fort Pierce Police and said “no one is above the law.”
Smith did not say why Crutchfield may have carried out the searches, and he stopped short of saying the conduct amounted to stalking. Instead, he emphasized that the department’s review found no legitimate law-enforcement reason for the repeated access.
At the same time, Smith said the department had not identified any other violations in its broader audit when the changes were announced. The case has nonetheless put renewed attention on how officers use access to sensitive state and national databases.
Fort Pierce Police changes Flock access and retention rules
After the arrest, the department tightened its rules for the Flock system. Fort Pierce Police said only officers with the rank of lieutenant or higher may now use it, and searches must be approved by one of two deputy chiefs.
Each search now also requires a case number. The department said access will be limited to forcible felony investigations and missing or endangered person cases, ending the broader use of the system for general investigative surveillance or routine inquiries.
Police also shortened the retention period for Flock data from 30 days to seven days. In addition, the department added monthly audits through its Office of Professional Standards to monitor use of the database going forward.
Questions remain about oversight and custody status
Crutchfield was initially described by Chief Smith as being held at the St. Lucie County Jail on an $80,000 secured bond after his arrest. But the inmate database checked by reporters did not list him as a current inmate, so that record did not independently confirm his custody status or whether he had been released.
The case also prompted questions from observers about how hundreds of searches could go unnoticed for so long. Some commenters said supervisors should be scrutinized as well, arguing that better monitoring should have flagged the activity sooner.
Those concerns now appear to be part of the department’s response. Fort Pierce Police said the new monthly audits and approval requirements are meant to strengthen oversight and reduce the chance of similar misuse in the future.
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