BROWNSTOWN — A former Jackson County sheriff’s deputy faces criminal charges after prosecutors say he abused a high-tech police surveillance network to essentially stalk an individual for roughly seven months.
The Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office announced criminal charges on Monday against former deputy Skylar Thompson. Thompson has been charged with one count of official misconduct, a Level 6 felony, alongside a misdemeanor count of fraud.
According to investigators, Thompson conducted 2,055 unapproved searches of the exact same license plate using the county’s Flock Safety camera system between December 31, 2025, and August 2, 2026. To cover his tracks, Thompson allegedly entered “city planning/traffic analysis” as the justification for each query—despite never being assigned duties involving either department.
The Jackson County Sheriff’s Department uncovered the pattern during a routine internal audit. Upon realizing the extent of the unauthorized tracking, the department handed the case over to the Indiana State Police for an independent investigation.
The prosecutor’s office confirmed that Thompson is no longer employed by the sheriff’s office, though officials have not clarified whether he was terminated or allowed to resign.
“Law enforcement officers are entrusted with access to sensitive information and investigative tools, and that access must be used responsibly and only for legitimate law enforcement purposes,” the prosecutor’s office said in a release. “No person is above the law, including those entrusted with enforcing it.”
Growing Scrutiny Over Mass Surveillance
Flock Safety cameras—automated license plate readers (ALPRs) that capture images of passing vehicles, recording license plates, timestamps, and vehicle characteristics—have become widespread across American law enforcement agencies. Proponents credit the system with helping track stolen vehicles, finding missing persons, and helping solve major crimes rapidly.
However, a growing nationwide concern regarding privacy and potential government overreach. The Institute for Justice, a non-profit public interest legal group, has compiled more than 100 documented incidents across the United States where police officers abused automated license plate systems to illegally track citizens, ex-partners, or personal acquaintances.
Civil liberties groups argue that without strict external oversight, internal search-entry fields—like the mandatory reason prompt Thompson allegedly faked thousands of times—rely heavily on an honor system that can be easily exploited.
Amid rising public pushback, several local municipalities—including some in Indiana—have begun opting out or not renewing contracts with Flock Safety, weighing civil rights and potential liability against the benefits of mass automated surveillance.
