Three Cherokee County Deputies Arrested for Misusing License Plate Reader Database
Three Cherokee County Sheriff's Office deputies were arrested and fired after being accused of unlawfully accessing the county's automated license plate reader database for non-law-enforcement purposes. A self-initiated audit of the system reportedly uncovered the misuse, leading to charges including violation of oath of office.
What happened
Three Cherokee County Sheriff's Office deputies—Sergeant Mike Creeden, Lieutenant Chris Bryant, and Deputy Cynthia Jodesty—were arrested and fired after being accused of unlawfully accessing the county's automated license plate reader (ALPR) database.
According to Jodesty's arrest affidavit, she allegedly used the database multiple times over about a month to locate a vehicle 'without a legal or investigative' purpose. An audit of the ALPR database reportedly revealed Jodesty looked up license plate information of another sheriff's office employee in a search that was not part of a law enforcement investigation.
Reported impact
The misuse of the ALPR system raised concerns about unauthorized access to sensitive law enforcement data and the need for accountability in handling surveillance tools.
Index analysis
The Cherokee County Sheriff's Office said a 'self-initiated' audit of its ALPR database led to the internal investigation and arrests. Flock Safety, the Atlanta-based company that provides the ALPR system, stated it builds audit logs and other safeguards intended to flag potentially improper searches and help local governing bodies enforce policy.
Governance controls
Sheriff Frank Reynolds stated that the agency remains committed to ensuring it continues to operate with transparency, professionalism, and the highest ethical standards, and emphasized that employees must use tools entrusted to them only for legitimate law enforcement purposes.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.