A Savannah police officer gave her Flock login to her ICE agent husband
Quick Look
- Former Savannah police officer Amber Harpe was fired in August after sharing her Flock license plate reader login credentials with her husband, Tyler Harpe, an ICE agent.
- He conducted 983 searches on 97 license plates, mostly tied to Hispanic drivers, violating department policy.
- Harpe was not arrested despite four others being detained in the same internal investigation.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
The Savannah Police Department uses Flock Safety license plate reader technology for law enforcement purposes. Department policy prohibits sharing access to the system with external entities, including ICE, to maintain data security and prevent misuse.
Now, former Savannah police officer Amber Harpe was fired in August following a department investigation that found she had shared her Flock login information with her husband, Tyler Harpe, an ICE agent. SPD does not share its Flock data with ICE and said sharing access to the system violated the department’s security protocols.
While he had unauthorized access to the system, Tyler Harpe conducted 983 searches related to 97 license plates, which were overwhelmingly registered to Hispanic drivers, according to Savannah’s local ABC affiliate, WJCL. The Harpes defended their actions, saying they didn’t use access for personal reasons and that the searches were strictly for “law-enforcement purposes.”
Interim Major Max Nowinsky originally recommended a light eight-hour suspension for Harpe. However, Major Michelle Halford and Assistant Police Chief Robert Gavin disagreed, and they removed her from the force. Harpe was fired, along with five other SPD employees, after an internal investigation uncovered Flock misuse. Four of them were later arrested; however, Harpe was not one of them.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
The Savannah Police Department will review and likely strengthen its data access policies and audit controls for Flock and similar surveillance systems.
Likely · Within weeks
Civil rights organizations may call for an independent investigation into whether the Flock system was used to disproportionately target Hispanic drivers.
Possible · Within months
Open Questions
- What specific law-enforcement purpose did Tyler Harpe claim for the 983 Flock searches?
- Why was Amber Harpe not arrested while four other employees involved in the Flock misuse investigation were detained?
- What disciplinary actions were taken against the five other SPD employees fired alongside Harpe?
