Police Reader Misuse Charges
Five Indianapolis Police Officers Charged With Misusing License-Plate Readers to Track Partners
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Key Points
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Prosecutors alleged Jonathan Schultz told one woman he was an FBI agent, then followed her to places including a gym and her daughter’s school; he allegedly appeared at the gym within an hour of her at least nine times.
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Prosecutors allege Matthew Binford used a superior officer’s laptop to access the Flock system and track his ex-wife.
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Abigail Cramer allegedly used Flock to obtain information about relatives of her wife’s ex-wife, who had previously been harassed by Cramer, according to reporting cited by Gizmodo.
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Schultz allegedly searched another woman’s license plate 178 times and, after a brief relationship with a different woman, allegedly tracked her when she went on dates with another man.
Five Indianapolis police officers face criminal charges for abusing the department's license-plate reader cameras to stalk romantic partners, spouses, and acquaintances without any law enforcement purpose. Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears unsealed charges on September 23, 2026, against four current officers and one former officer after an internal audit uncovered thousands of unauthorized searches. Officer Jonathan Schultz alone made over 1,000 improper queries and allegedly told one woman he was an FBI agent before following her to a gym and her daughter's school.
The charges mark a rare criminal prosecution of law enforcement misusing Flock Safety cameras, automated license-plate readers installed across Marion County to solve serious crimes. IMPD Police Chief Tanya Terry suspended four officers with recommendation for termination and said the misconduct "crossed into criminal conduct and shook the foundation of trust that our agency is built upon." A former officer, Abigail Cramer, resigned before charges were filed.
Schultz Allegedly Used System to Track Women for Personal Encounters
Jonathan Schultz, an 18-year IMPD veteran, faces 26 criminal counts including fraud, official misconduct, and stalking. Prosecutors allege he conducted over 1,000 unauthorized license-plate searches, including 300 queries on a gym manager's vehicle and 218 on an ex-girlfriend's Porsche. Valley News Live reported Schultz allegedly claimed to be an FBI agent to one woman, then tracked her location using the Flock system and appeared at her gym at least nine times within an hour of when she was there.
After a brief relationship with another woman, Schultz allegedly searched her license plate 178 times to monitor her dating activity with other men. Prosecutors described his behavior as deliberate stalking enabled by unrestricted access to the police surveillance database. Each unauthorized search constitutes a separate fraud charge under Marion County law.
Four Officers Made Thousands of Improper Queries on Ex-Partners
Beyond Schultz, four other officers allegedly abused the system for personal surveillance. Michael Rogers conducted thousands of improper searches and was suspended and recommended for termination. Cassandra Crawley ran hundreds of unauthorized queries, and Matthew Binford allegedly accessed a superior officer's laptop to track his ex-wife without authorization. Abigail Cramer queried license plates of her wife's ex-spouse's relatives, in one case targeting someone who had previously harassed Cramer.
All four face fraud and official misconduct charges. IMPD's internal audit examined over 700,000 total searches by the department and identified roughly 1,400 specific unauthorized queries tied to the five charged officers. The misuse represented a small fraction of overall Flock usage, but revealed a pattern of officers exploiting the technology to spy on personal relationships and romantic rivals.
Washington Post Investigation Triggered National Review of Police Surveillance Abuse
The charges follow a Washington Post investigation in August 2026 that detailed widespread misuse of Flock cameras by law enforcement agencies nationwide. Prosecutor Ryan Mears told reporters, "A lot of this was initiated by The Washington Post... This is definitely just the beginning." That article prompted IMPD to conduct internal audits. An officer self-reported suspicious activity in August, and prosecutors moved quickly to bring charges.
At least 100 law enforcement employees across dozens of police departments have been accused or charged with abusing automated license-plate reader technology. State officials have begun pushing back: Texas Governor Greg Abbott blocked police use of state funds for Flock cameras, and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced plans to revoke ALPR permits on state highways. The Indianapolis case signals prosecutors nationwide are willing to criminalize officer misuse.
Flock Plans Automated Detection to Prevent Future Misuse
Flock Safety, the vendor behind the camera system, acknowledged the allegations and announced plans to deploy automated tools flagging suspicious search patterns across all client police departments. A Flock Safety spokesperson said, "Misuse of any law enforcement tool is unacceptable, and we will continue investing in safeguards." The company framed the issue as an operational accountability problem that technology could solve, rather than a flaw in surveillance cameras themselves.
IMPD Police Chief Tanya Terry defended the legitimate use of Flock cameras for solving serious crimes while supporting stronger rules governing access. The department faces potential civil liability from victims and administrative termination proceedings for the four suspended officers. Advocates for privacy restrictions argue the Indianapolis case demonstrates why unchecked surveillance tools enable government abuse.
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