A Sharonville police lieutenant faces a felony charge for allegedly using Flock license plate reader cameras 29 times to track someone he knew personally.

The indictment of Lt. Walter Cordes, announced Tuesday, Oct. 13, by Hamilton County Prosecutor Connie Pillich, has now prompted a state legislator to call for a statewide pause on the surveillance technology. Madeira renewed its own Flock contract in January.

Cordes is charged with unauthorized use of a computer or telecommunication property, a fifth-degree felony carrying up to 12 months in prison. He allegedly used the Flock system between Dec. 19, 2024, and April 20, 2026. The searches tracked a person's whereabouts "for personal reasons unrelated to law enforcement," according to WCPO, which first reported the indictment.

The misuse came to light in June during a department audit, WLWT reported. Flock had rolled out a new feature to flag suspicious searches, and Cordes self-reported his conduct after it was flagged, according to Sharonville Police Chief Jim Nesbit. Cordes later admitted to conducting the searches during an interview with investigators, prosecutors said.

Pillich told WCPO that Cordes is the first law enforcement official charged with misusing the technology since she took office.

"He betrayed our trust and the trust of our community, and that cannot be tolerated," Nesbit said, according to WCPO. Cordes is on unpaid administrative leave while the department conducts an internal investigation alongside the criminal case.

Brownlee calls for statewide pause

State Rep. Karen Brownlee, a Symmes Township Democrat, issued a statement Thursday, Oct. 15, calling for an indefinite pause on all Automatic License Plate Readers (ALPRs) in Ohio.

Brownlee urged her colleagues to pass comprehensive legislation during the upcoming lame duck session. She called on lawmakers to require transparency from technology companies, limit personal data collection and build automatic safety tools into the products.

Ohio currently has no statewide rules governing how long police may keep license plate reader data, what officers must establish before searching it, or how use must be audited, according to a cleveland.com review published in September. Operating rules differ from department to department.

At least one bipartisan bill, House Bill 1009, would punish individual officers who misuse the system. Other proposals involving shorter data retention periods, limits on sharing and warrant requirements have not advanced, according to WCPO's reporting on the broader debate.

Madeira renewed its Flock contract in January

The indictment adds urgency to a debate already playing out locally. Madeira City Council approved a two-year Flock contract renewal on a 5-2 vote on Jan. 26, despite concerns from council members Logan Junger and Jodi Whitted, who voted against it, according to council minutes.

Junger cited a December 2025 breach of Flock camera footage and said the city was vulnerable without stronger liability protections from the company. Flock's liability under the contract is capped at roughly $50,000 to $60,000, according to then-City Manager Norton-Smith.

By Aug. 24, three Madeira residents spoke against the cameras during a council meeting's public comment period. Cassidy Frew of Cherokee Drive told council she had concerns about Flock's data-sharing policies and the lack of a warrant requirement. Lori Hudson of Shawnee Run Road said the cameras need to be reconsidered despite their use in solving crimes. Craig Ramsdell of Kencrest Circle said he considers the data collection unconstitutional.

At the same meeting, Madeira's Law and Safety Committee reported that the city does not share its Flock data with the national database. Chief Schaefer cited Silver Alert and car theft cases solved using the system. Council member Ramzi Takieddine said he would continue monitoring the national and local conversations.

Hamilton County Sheriff Charmaine McGuffey terminated all 75 of the county's Flock cameras after suspending them in September, citing resident concerns about data sharing and outside access.

Sharonville Police said the department is requiring additional training for every officer on the use of law enforcement databases and technology. Cordes' arraignment date has not been announced.