SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) – Savannah Mayor Van Johnson and Police Chief Lenny Gunther responded Monday to the alleged misuse of the department’s Flock camera system, saying the department felt betrayed after six employees were placed on administrative leave following an internal audit. The Savannah Police Department said the employees — four officers and two civilians — are accused of running searches unrelated to law enforcement, including searches on personal acquaintances and family members. One officer is also accused of giving an outside agency unauthorized access to the system. The department’s system flagged 127 questionable searches, according to Gunther. Of those, 34 are the subject of the current investigation. The remaining searches were reviewed by the department and determined to be justified. Approximately 300 SPD members have access to the Flock camera system. The department said the misuse was detected through the system’s flagging mechanism. PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Savannah Police investigating 6 employees over alleged misuse of license plate reader system Johnson and Gunther both said the department feels betrayed by the employees’ actions. The city said it is working openly with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation to determine next steps, which could include termination or criminal charges. Officials noted that misuse of Flock cameras constitutes an invasion of privacy. “To be honest, I’m disappointed. I’m pissed off about it,” Johnson said. “Many of our residents…
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