Massachusetts police officer who used Flock cameras to track his ex-lover after she left their abusive relationship resigns before the town could fire him

A Massachusetts police officer resigned before the town could fire him after an internal investigation found that he allegedly used Flock Safety cameras and police databases to obtain information about a former partner without a legitimate law enforcement reason.

Jason Rogers, an officer with the Stow Police Department, resigned on August 26, the same day he was scheduled to face a termination hearing. Stow officials cancelled the hearing after receiving his resignation, according to Boston 25 News.

Woman says she left an abusive relationship

The case began on June 18, when the woman filed a complaint with the Stow Police Department. In an interview with Boston 25 News, she said she had been in an abusive relationship with Rogers about five years earlier.

She told the news outlet that she changed her identity, phone number and social media habits after leaving the relationship. She later discovered that Rogers had allegedly used the Flock system to obtain information about her.

Boston 25 News reported that the woman learned about the alleged searches through records showing activity involving her vehicle. The report also said she had tried to make herself harder to find after leaving the relationship.

Investigation finds unauthorised searches

Stow police placed Rogers on paid administrative leave roughly three hours after receiving the complaint and removed his access to department systems, according to the department's account of the case.

The department's internal affairs investigation then examined Rogers' use of law enforcement databases and the Flock system.

According to findings released by the Stow Police Department, investigators determined that Rogers had accessed Criminal Offender Record Information, or CORI, through the Criminal Justice Information Services system at least five times. The department also found that he had run vehicle information through Flock Safety and CJIS on multiple dates without a legitimate law enforcement purpose.

The investigation sustained allegations including conduct unbecoming an officer, improper use of his official position, failure to comply with written orders, use of false or unsubstantiated search reasons and violations of department policies covering law enforcement databases.

How Flock cameras work

Flock Safety makes automated licence plate reader systems used by police departments to investigate crimes and locate vehicles.

The cameras can capture a vehicle's licence plate along with information such as its make, model, colour and the time and location at which the vehicle was recorded. Authorised users can then search the collected data during investigations.

That capability is at the centre of the Stow case because investigators found that Rogers allegedly used the system for searches that had no legitimate law enforcement purpose.

The concern goes beyond one officer because the technology can give police access to information showing where a particular vehicle has appeared. When an officer uses that access for a personal matter, the same system designed to assist investigations can become a tool for monitoring someone outside official police work.

Stow removes its last Flock camera

The case also led Stow to end its relationship with Flock Safety.

In a statement, the Stow Police Department said it had terminated its relationship with Flock Safety and removed its final automated licence plate reader camera in early August as a result of the investigation.

The department had already removed two other Flock cameras earlier in 2026 after evaluating their effectiveness, according to the department's statement. The Rogers investigation therefore preceded the removal of the final camera and the decision to end the Flock relationship.

Stow Police Chief Michael Sallese said in the department's statement that officers receive access to sensitive information so they can perform their official duties and protect the public. He described using that access for a personal purpose as a serious breach of public trust and said the department was pursuing both employment and criminal accountability.

The department also said it would present an updated policy covering automated licence plate readers to the town's Select Board.

Officer resigns before termination hearing

Rogers initially faced an employment-status hearing after the internal investigation. Stow had placed him on unpaid administrative leave on July 31 and scheduled the hearing for August 26.

Rogers resigned before the hearing could take place, according to Boston 25 News and other local reports. His resignation ended the town's employment proceedings, but it did not end the other cases connected to the investigation.

The Stow Police Department said it had filed a criminal complaint over Rogers' alleged unauthorised use of the CJIS system. The department also forwarded its internal affairs findings to the Massachusetts Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission, which can review an officer's certification.

Flock faces scrutiny beyond Stow

The Stow case comes as other Massachusetts communities face questions over how police use automated licence plate readers.

NBC Boston reported that New Bedford police had paused their use of Flock cameras after another officer faced allegations that he used the system to track a former partner.

Flock Safety has defended the use of audit logs to monitor searches made through its system. Company founder and CEO Garrett Langley said in a public statement that the company was working to strengthen safeguards that could identify unusual activity.

The Stow case has consequently raised a broader question about police surveillance technology: while automated licence plate readers can help officers investigate crimes, the systems also give authorised users access to information that can reveal where vehicles have travelled. The alleged misuse in Rogers' case shows why departments need strict rules, monitoring and accountability around that access.