Christopher Goodson, an officer with the Haines City Police Department, claimed he used the searches to monitor his children’s location while they were with their mother
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Credit: Haines City Police Department
NEED TO KNOW
- A police officer in Florida allegedly searched the Flock camera database 717 times to track his estranged wife’s vehicle
- Christopher Goodson, 31, claimed he used the searches to monitor his children’s location while they were with their mother
- He has been placed on paid administrative leave and plans to resign amid the ongoing investigation, according to authorities
A Florida cop is accused of tracking his estranged wife using Flock camera technology on over 700 occasions.
Christopher Goodson, 31, an officer with the Haines City Police Department, is facing one count of official misconduct and one count of offenses against users of computers, computer systems, computer networks and electronic devices, according to a probable cause affidavit obtained by PEOPLE.
It’s unclear if he has entered a plea or retained an attorney to speak on his behalf.
Police said they learned on Monday, Aug. 10, that Goodson’s estranged wife sent him a text message saying The Washington Post had contacted her about a story concerning his alleged misuse of the Flock database to track her location, according to the affidavit.
Goodson then allegedly told a supervisor that he had made several inquiries through the platform about his estranged wife’s vehicle to keep track of his children’s location when they were with her.
Investigators reviewed Goodson’s searches and found that he entered his estranged wife’s license plate number into the Flock database 717 times between Sept. 1, 2024, and June 30, 2026, per the affidavit.
During that timeframe, the woman “was not involved in any type of criminal investigation nor was her vehicle listed as being part of any crime which would require Christopher to inquire her or the vehicles location,” the affidavit states.
He selected justifications such as “Criminal Motor Vehicle Offense,” “Wanted Person (Arrest Warrant/Fugitive)” and “Drugs/Narcotics,” allegedly in an attempt to make the searches appear to be for legitimate law enforcement purposes.
According to a press release, Goodson has been placed on administrative leave with pay pending further investigation. He has worked with the Haines City Police Department since March 2022 and has indicated his intent to resign as a result of the investigation, authorities said.
“This is an unfortunate incident,” Haines City Police Chief Isaac Jackson said in the release. “The Haines City Police Department fully supports all appropriate investigative measures necessary to solve crimes and assist our officers in carrying out their duties.”
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“We want to make it clear that the Haines City Police Department does not tolerate the misuse, unauthorized access, or personal use of any investigative databases or law-enforcement information systems,” he added. “These resources are provided for legitimate official purposes only and must be used responsibly and in accordance with department policies and applicable laws.”
Jackson said he has also ordered additional quarterly measures to ensure department staff are using the system only for “legitimate law enforcement purposes.”
The case comes as Flock cameras are increasingly used by law enforcement in vehicle tracking and criminal investigations, with the controversial surveillance technology also raising privacy concerns.
