County's ethics certification catches surveillance tech abuse

TL;DR: Chesterfield County police charged an intelligence investigator with misusing the county's Flock surveillance system, crediting a Georgetown Law ethics training program with helping uncover the abuse.

The story

Chesterfield County police arrested and charged an intelligence investigator with misusing the county's automated license plate reader system after employees reported suspicious activity in late August 2026. Rebekkah Robinson, a professional staff intelligence investigator (not a sworn officer), faced two counts of computer invasion of privacy and two counts of improper use of Flock's ALPR system under Virginia law.

An internal audit launched on August 27 after colleagues reported concerns about Robinson's work behavior uncovered unauthorized searches of the police department's databases and the Flock surveillance platform. Supervisors discovered the suspicious queries during routine audits.

County officials credited the ABLE (Active Bystandership for Law Enforcement) certification, received from Georgetown Law's Center for Innovation in Community Safety in 2024, with helping flag the misuse. The ABLE program, launched nationally in fall 2020, trains officers and staff to identify and intervene when peers misuse systems or engage in misconduct. Tahir Duckett, director of the Center for Innovation in Community Safety, described the program as designed to "reduce officer mistakes, prevent misconduct, and promote officer wellness."

The incident emerged as Flock Safety faced heightened scrutiny across Virginia and neighboring jurisdictions over privacy and data security concerns. At least 20 Virginia localities had ended or paused Flock contracts by fall 2026, including Henrico County. Chesterfield's $225,000 contract with Flock, covering 88 cameras, runs through 2029, though the county proposed funding for up to 141 readers in its budget.

Key players

• Rebekkah Robinson: Chesterfield County Police professional staff intelligence investigator, arrested for misuse of Flock system
• Chesterfield County Police Department: County law enforcement agency that discovered the misuse and holds Flock contract
• Georgetown Law Center for Innovation in Community Safety: Provider of ABLE (Active Bystandership for Law Enforcement) certification that helped detect the misuse

Why it matters: The incident demonstrates the risks of surveillance technology misuse by insiders and shows how internal safeguards and peer-accountability training can help detect abuse. It adds weight to growing calls in Virginia for stronger oversight and safeguards on license plate readers amid broadening concerns about data security and unauthorized access.

Places

• Chesterfield County

Related links

• ABLE Project at Georgetown Law Center for Innovation in Community Safety
• Chesterfield County Police Department

Read the original at WTVR CBS 6 Local →

Sources

• Chesterfield cites ABLE certification in catching surveillance tech abuse amid regional Flock exodus
• Chesterfield Police employee charged with misusing Flock data
• Chesterfield police employee charged with misuse of Flock cameras
• ABLE Project at Georgetown Law