Bodycam Footage Reveals Officer Abused License Plate Readers to Stalk Woman

Officer Misuses Surveillance Tools

Body camera footage released by 404 Media details how Florida officer Lamar Roman utilized police resources, including department of motor vehicles databases and automated license plate reader (ALPR) cameras, to research, stalk, and illegally stop a woman. Roman admitted to his actions, stating he saw a "shiny thing" and knew his actions were improper when he entered her information into the system.

Details of the Abuse

Roman met the woman on a TV show set and subsequently used his access to government databases to look her up. He then added her license plate to a police "hot list," which would alert him when she passed an ALPR camera. The footage shows him speeding, nearly causing a head-on collision, to track her down before pulling her over without legal justification.

Investigative Response and Victim Treatment

The body camera footage also captured the investigation into Roman. A detective told Roman, "you'll get past this bro," during his arrest and later advised the victim not to post about the incident on social media. The investigator also informed the victim that misuse of databases by deputies was a known issue, stating, "You see a hot chick, you don't look them up in a database. That's not what it's for."

Broader Implications of ALPR Abuse

This incident provides insight into how police abuse government surveillance tools like ALPRs. It also illustrates how such abuses are handled within law enforcement. This case adds to a growing number of documented instances where officers have misused ALPR systems, such as those from Flock, to stalk individuals. While Flock initially claimed only 15 incidents of abuse, reports from 404 Media, local media, and the Institute for Justice, along with a Washington Post investigation, indicate a much higher number, with Flock's CEO now acknowledging "a ton" of bad cops caught by their system.