Athens-Clarke County Police Chief Jerry Salters has issued temporary orders to officers regarding the use of data generated by the Flock license plate cameras.
Under the new guidelines, only officers with the rank of lieutenant and above will have access to the Flock data. Also, only a captain in communications, one of three deputy chiefs, or the chief himself must approve any query performed by a lieutenant.
More: Athens crime analyst fired after police probe Flock camera use
Those accessing Flock information can do so for investigations of felony crimes, missing or endangered persons, and "other unique or critical circumstances" that are considered on a case-by-case basis.
Police Lt. Katie Jenkins said Wednesday that these orders are temporary while the use of Flock cameras is evaluated.
The action follows the firing on Aug. 27 of the department's Real Time Crime Center crime analyst, who is accused of improperly using the system to track his ex-wife. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is still investigating the conduct of former crime analyst Nick Barker, according to the GBI. Barker was not a sworn officer.
The crime center went into operation a year ago, and data from cameras throughout the city are used to investigate crimes as they are reported.
The Flock license plate readers have become controversial in recent months as law enforcement officers across the state have been arrested following investigations into the improper use of the camera system for non-law enforcement purposes.
The GBI announced Wednesday that an officer with the Clayton County Sheriff's Office was arrested on a charge of misusing the Flock system. On Tuesday, the GBI reported the arrest of a Georgia Department of Corrections agent in Eatonton for the same reason.
USA Today reported recently that about 30 law enforcement agencies across the country have deactivated their cameras.
This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: Athens police restrict Flock access after analyst's firing