Two Reynoldsburg police officers have resigned following internal investigations into the alleged misuse of the city’s Flock Safety automated license plate reader system.
Police Chief Curtis Baker stated that his office became aware within approximately the past 45 days of possible misuse of the Flock Safety ALPR system by two officers. The department located the suspected misuse through proactive internal audits aimed at identifying and stopping unauthorized use of the system. Baker ordered Internal Affairs investigations into each officer’s conduct once the unauthorized queries were detected. Both officers have since resigned. The department has not publicly identified them.
“Earning and maintaining the trust of the public is of utmost importance to me,” Baker said. “The use of any police database or computer system, to include Flock Safety, for non-law enforcement purposes is serious and will not be tolerated within the Reynoldsburg Division of Police.”
Mayor Joe Begeny confirmed the officers resigned over the misuse of Flock cameras. He said the city has very specific policies on how officers may use the cameras and that any officer who violates those policies is subject to punishment, up to and including criminal charges.
Public filings with the Ohio Police Officer Training Commission show that Alissa Birkhimer and Mark Nichols II resigned from the Reynoldsburg Police Department in July while under investigation. Birkhimer, who had served approximately 9½ years, resigned effective July 16. Nichols, who had served approximately 3½ years, resigned on July 13.
Department records detail one case involving a female officer. On July 2, a lieutenant conducted an audit of the city’s Flock system and notified the chief of a possible violation. The officer had searched the same license plate number 53 times between Jan. 2 and June 26. The searches were listed as “larceny/theft offenses” from January through April 20 and as “missing/endangered person/runaway” from June 10 through June 26. The officer received notice to appear for an administrative review into allegations of misconduct scheduled for July 17. She submitted a one-sentence resignation effective July 16, the day before the review. Records indicate she was accused of possibly violating department policies that strictly limit automated license plate reader use to official law enforcement business, as well as policies on truthfulness, abuse of position, and criminal conduct.
The Fraternal Order of Police Capital City Lodge No. 9 indicated it would not pursue arbitration on behalf of the officers. Lodge representatives described the reported misuse as a serious matter, stated that personnel actions have been taken, and emphasized the need for any review to be conducted fairly, objectively, and based on the facts. The lodge does not support the misuse of law enforcement technology or violations of department policy while also stressing due process and consistency.
Flock Safety cameras are AI-powered automated license plate readers that capture vehicle license plates along with details such as make, model, and color. Reynoldsburg began using the system around 2022 and operates dozens of the devices. The technology is intended to assist with locating stolen vehicles, tracking suspects in criminal investigations, and finding missing or endangered people. Department policy restricts use of the ALPR system and associated software to official law enforcement purposes. Personal use, harassment or intimidation, and other unauthorized purposes are prohibited. Vendor data is typically purged after a limited retention period.
It remains unclear whether either former officer faces criminal charges. No Ohio law specifically criminalizes misuse of the Flock system, though knowingly misusing the statewide Law Enforcement Automated Data System is a felony. The department’s internal policies treat non-law-enforcement use of databases, including Flock, as a serious violation subject to discipline.
The resignations occur amid ongoing local and national discussions about automated license plate readers, the need for accountability in their use, and the balance between public safety tools and privacy protections. Reynoldsburg officials have stated that personal or non-official use of the system violates policy and will not be tolerated.
