A Shively police officer was arrested and charged after authorities discovered he used the Flock Safety automated license plate reader camera system to track his ex-girlfriend over 2,000 times, according to police and court records. Asad Zahir, a 40-year-old officer with the Shively Police Department, was taken into custody on August 25 following an internal flag generated by a new artificial intelligence-powered auditing tool implemented by the camera manufacturer.
Investigation and Charges
Investigators determined that Zahir conducted 2,048 searches on the Flock Safety system between January 1 and May 2, targeting two vehicle registration numbers belonging to the mother of his child in Kentucky and Indiana, according to court documents. During that timeframe, police records show Zahir harassed the victim and made threatening comments, which led her to file and secure a temporary order of protection against him.
Court records indicate that Zahir executed 241 of those searches between April 17 and May 6, directly while the protection order was active. Officials stated during a news conference that Zahir logged false justifications for the queries, labeling them as drug or narcotics investigations, even though the targeted woman was not connected to any such activity. Zahir was charged with five counts of official misconduct in the fifth degree and five counts of unlawful access to a computer in the fourth degree.
Institutional Response and Protocol Review
Shively Police Chief Andre Bottoms addressed reporters on Wednesday, calling the arrest a difficult moment for the small agency. “Charging this officer was not pleasant. It was a gut punch for me personally,” Bottoms said, noting that he had come to know each member of the department. “Accountability cannot depend on who you are and what position you hold or what badge you’re wearing.”
Zahir, who has been an officer since 2022 and was assigned to the patrol division, has been suspended without pay pending the outcome of the criminal case and an internal review. He was released on his own recognizance following his arrest and is scheduled for an arraignment in Jefferson County District Court.
In response to the breach, Bottoms announced that the department has launched a full review of its procedures and directives governing the use and oversight of Flock technology. The evaluation will examine user access levels, search requirements, supervisory oversight, auditing practices, and the frequency of compliance reviews to determine if additional safeguards are necessary.
Technology Oversight and Broader Scrutiny
The arrest highlights growing national scrutiny over the deployment of automated license plate reader networks by law enforcement agencies. While police departments frequently credit Flock Safety cameras with solving crimes, locating stolen vehicles, and finding missing persons, critics and civil liberties organizations have repeatedly raised concerns regarding privacy overreach and data misuse.
Recent investigative findings published by The Washington Post revealed 50 instances where police officers across various jurisdictions were accused of improperly accessing license plate reader databases, frequently to track ex-partners or romantic interests. In response to security concerns and potential for abuse, Flock Safety introduced an AI-powered audit assistance tool designed to flag abnormal query patterns by officers.
That exact auditing tool flagged Zahir’s activity on a Monday, leading to his arrest by Tuesday. While some municipalities, such as Tempe, Arizona, have recently canceled their contracts with the surveillance vendor, local officials in Shively maintained that the technology remains effective when properly managed. “The Flock camera works. When it’s used properly it works,” Bottoms said. “It’s a very effective tool and we don’t want to be judged on the poor decisions made by one officer.”
Zahir’s arraignment is set for August 28 at 9 a.m. in Jefferson County District Court.
