INDIANAPOLIS  (WOWO) — Five Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department officers are facing criminal charges after an investigation found they allegedly used automatic license plate reader technology to improperly track romantic partners, spouses and other people.

Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears announced the charges Wednesday.

The officers are accused of misusing Flock cameras, which use automatic license plate readers to record and track vehicles traveling on public roads.

The officers charged are:

• Michael Rogers: Three counts each of fraud and official misconduct. Prosecutors allege he conducted thousands of improper searches.
• Jonathan Schultz: Stalking, fraud and official misconduct charges totaling 26 counts. He is accused of conducting more than 1,000 improper searches.
• Cassandra Crawley: Eight counts each of fraud and official misconduct. Prosecutors allege hundreds of improper searches.
• Matthew Binford: Fraud and official misconduct. He is accused of conducting more than 1,000 improper searches.
• Abigail Cramer: Six counts each of fraud and official misconduct. Prosecutors allege hundreds of improper searches.

All five officers have either been suspended and recommended for termination or, in Cramer’s case, resigned.

Mears said most of the allegations involve officers using the technology to track romantic partners or spouses. Schultz is accused of using Flock cameras to track women he met in public and then using that information to arrange encounters with them.

Prosecutors allege Binford used a superior officer’s laptop to access the license plate reader system and track his ex-wife. Cramer is accused of searching at least six license plates, most of them connected to a woman identified as her wife’s ex-wife.

Mears said each fraud count represents a license plate number that was searched improperly, with an accompanying official misconduct charge.

IMPD changes Flock camera policy

IMPD said an internal audit uncovered what it described as irregular use of automatic license plate reader searches, prompting the investigation.

Police Chief Tanya Terry said the alleged actions went beyond violations of department policy and constituted criminal conduct, according to the department.

IMPD has since changed its policy governing access to Flock cameras. Officers are now required to sign a new policy, and searches must be connected to a specific case or incident number.

The department said the alleged misuse occurred before those policy changes.

Mears also acknowledged that license plate reader technology has helped investigators solve violent crimes. He said the cases raise questions about whether police use of the technology should have additional independent oversight.

The investigation remains ongoing. Mears said Wednesday that the five cases are only the beginning.