Police authorities in New Bedford, Massachusetts, have temporarily shut down the city’s entire network of automated license plate reader cameras after allegations that an officer used the system to track the movements of her ex-girlfriend. The New Bedford Police Department suspended its Flock Safety camera system after internal investigators found a "concerning" number of searches linked to a single vehicle’s license plate, according to CBS News Boston. The woman involved told a court hearing that internal affairs officers contacted her after reviewing system access records and asked whether she believed she was being followed. Officer Emily Pacheco, who is at the centre of the investigation, has been placed on administrative leave while an internal affairs inquiry continues. A Massachusetts judge extended an abuse prevention order against Pacheco for six months, finding that she posed a credible threat to her former partner’s physical safety. Under the order, Pacheco had to surrender her personal and department-issued firearms, and her license to carry a firearm was immediately suspended.
Get breaking news anytime, anywhere. Download the TOI app now!
