2nd Georgia deputy arrested in less than a month after using Flock system to track someone he had a personal relationship with

A second deputy with the Habersham County Sheriff’s Office has been fired and arrested within weeks after an internal audit allegedly found he used the department’s automated license plate reader system to track someone with whom he had a personal relationship. Former deputy Jonathan Thomas, who joined the sheriff’s office in December 2024, was arrested during an ongoing review of how officers were using the agency’s Flock Safety surveillance system.

According to the Habersham County Sheriff’s Office, Thomas faces a felony charge of violation of oath of office and a misdemeanor charge of misusing license plate data. He was later booked into the Habersham County Detention Center. The case comes merely weeks after another Habersham County deputy, Christian Brewer, was arrested over similar allegations.

Second deputy arrested over Flock Safety searches

The latest case came to light after department leaders expanded an internal audit of the Flock Safety system following Brewer’s arrest in late July. Sheriff Robin Krockum said the review uncovered another alleged misuse of the database.


“As we continue to conduct our audit into the use of our Flock system, we have discovered a second deputy who accessed Flock outside of its intended law enforcement purpose,” Brewer, who had worked for the sheriff’s office since May 2024, was accused of using the license plate database to track someone he knew personally.

The sheriff’s office has said such conduct violates the trust placed in law enforcement officers.

“The people of Habersham County trust us with authority and access to sensitive information,” Krockum said. “This trust is earned every day and can be lost in a single decision. Any misuse of our authority or the tools provided to your deputies is a betrayal of that trust. Although this was an isolated incident, I will not tolerate misconduct. We will hold our own accountable because the public we serve deserves no less.”

Habersham County tightens access to license plate data

Following the two arrests, the Habersham County Sheriff’s Office introduced stricter rules governing access to license plate information. The number of employees allowed to conduct certain searches was reduced from 39 to 23 designated supervisory officers.

Deputies can no longer independently search the regional database. Searches must first be approved by a supervisor, who must document the reason and enter a valid, active criminal case number.

Deputies must also contact the county dispatch center by radio so that each search is recorded in the official log. Krockum said the department would continue monitoring the system.

“We will continue to audit our system and hold those accountable who have abused this system,” He added: “We will continue to be transparent to the public in the way we conduct ourselves and hold those responsible who violate their trust.”

What does Flock Safety track?

Flock Safety uses fixed cameras to photograph passing vehicles. The system can capture a vehicle’s license plate, make, model, color, time and location.

The technology does not directly provide vehicle ownership or personal driver records. However, location information can be stored for 30 days, allowing authorized users to review where a particular vehicle has traveled across participating areas.