Texas sergeant accused of stalking coworker with Flock cameras avoids prosecution

A former Texas police officer accused of using automated licence-plate reader technology to monitor a female colleague has surrendered his law-enforcement licence to avoid criminal charges. Michael Palitz, who previously served as a sergeant with the Pasadena Police Department in the Greater Houston area, reached an agreement with local prosecutors after an internal investigation into the alleged misuse of police surveillance systems. According to an investigation by the Houston Chronicle, along with reports from FOX 26 Houston and KPRC 2, Palitz left his position after automated security systems used by the police department detected unusual activity.System flags unusual searchesThe surveillance technology involved was supplied by Flock Safety, a company that operates networks of licence-plate reading cameras designed to record vehicle movements on public roads. Police departments across the US use the cameras to help find stolen vehicles, locate missing people and collect evidence in criminal investigations.