Georgia · Houston County · Crime & Courts
Houston County Flock Camera Audit: Deputy Sierra Carroll Suspended Without Pay
The Houston County Sheriff's Office says an internal audit of its Flock license plate reader data found misuse by a school resource officer. She is suspended without pay pending termination, and the sheriff's office has sent the matter to the district attorney. No charge has been announced.
Key facts
- What
- A suspension without pay pending termination, following an internal audit of Flock license plate reader use
- Who
- Deputy Sierra Carroll, a school resource officer with the Houston County Sheriff's Office
- Where
- Houston County, Georgia — the middle Georgia county that includes Warner Robins and Perry
- When
- Monday, Aug. 17, 2026
- Hired
- April 28, 2025, and assigned to the School Resource Unit
- Who audited
- The Houston County Sheriff's Office, reviewing its own use of Flock Safety Automated License Plate Reader data
- Announced by
- Houston County Sheriff Matt Moulton
- Referred to
- The district attorney's office, for criminal charges. No charging decision has been announced
- Status
- An employment action. No criminal charge has been announced
What happened in Houston County?
A Houston County school resource officer was suspended without pay on Monday after the sheriff's office said its own audit of Flock license plate reader records turned up misuse, 41NBC reported.
The suspension is pending termination, meaning the agency has moved to end her employment rather than simply hold her off duty. WGXA reported that the sheriff's office ran an internal audit of how it uses Flock Safety Automated License Plate Reader data, and that the audit found the deputy misused data the company supplies.
What the searches were for has not been made public. 41NBC reports that the sheriff's office did not disclose how she misused the data.
Who is the suspended deputy?
The sheriff's office identified her as Deputy Sierra Carroll, according to 41NBC.
She was hired on April 28, 2025, and assigned to the sheriff's office School Resource Unit as a school resource officer, according to the sheriff's office. A school resource officer is a sworn deputy assigned to a campus rather than a patrol beat, so "deputy" and "school resource officer" describe the same job here.
No specific school or campus has been named.
Has anyone been charged?
No. The sheriff's office announced an employment action, not an arrest.
What it did announce is a referral. WGXA reports that Sheriff Matt Moulton said the matter went to the district attorney's office for criminal charges, and 41NBC reports the sheriff's office referred it there for criminal prosecution. A referral is a handoff: it puts the decision about whether any charge is brought with prosecutors, who have not announced one.
A suspension is a decision an employer makes about an employee. It is not a court finding, no evidence has been tested, and Carroll has not been charged with or convicted of anything.
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What did Sheriff Matt Moulton say?
Moulton framed the suspension around public trust, and around his intention to keep using the cameras. His statement, carried by both stations, reads:
"The public places an incredible amount of trust in the men and women of the Houston County Sheriff's Office, and I will never take that trust for granted. The misuse of law enforcement resources or technology will not be tolerated. I continue to support the responsible use of Flock Safety technology as a valuable public safety and investigative tool, but with that technology comes a responsibility to use it lawfully and appropriately. When a deputy violates that trust, I will take immediate action and hold them accountable."
What had the sheriff said about Flock misuse before this?
Moulton had already spoken publicly about the risk. WGXA reports that after five Albany Police Department officers were arrested over Flock misuse, the sheriff told the station the case led him to watch his own deputies more closely, and that his office has strict accountability measures in place.
In that same interview he told WGXA: "I think the biggest concern is the recent news of law enforcement officers misusing access to those Flock systems and using them as a search tool for personal reasons." He added that such conduct betrays public trust and affects every law enforcement officer, not only the one involved.
Where does this fit among recent Georgia Flock cases?
Each is a separate matter involving a different agency and different people.
WGXA reports the Houston County suspension came one week after three Bibb County deputies were arrested over Flock camera misuse, and four days after a Milledgeville Police Department officer turned himself in on a similar allegation.
The Local Alert has covered two of the Georgia cases in detail: the Bibb County case, in which three former deputies were charged with stalking and violation of oath after an internal audit, and the arrest of the former Dallas 911 director in Paulding County on two misdemeanor counts. Those are distinct cases and should not be read as connected to the Houston County suspension.
On the company's side, WGXA reports that Flock Safety chief executive Garrett Langley apologized for misuse of the company's technology and said Flock will require new anti-abuse safeguards and tighten policies across its license plate reader network.
What we don't know yet
- How many searches the audit identified, and over what period
- What the searches were for, and whose vehicles or data were involved
- Which school or campus the deputy was assigned to
- What prompted the audit, and whether it was routine or triggered by something specific
- Which district attorney's office received the referral, and when a charging decision is expected
- Whether the audit identified any other employee
- Whether Carroll has responded publicly or through an attorney
- Whether the sheriff's office is changing who holds Flock access or how often it audits
Frequently asked questions
Who is the Houston County deputy suspended over Flock data?
The Houston County Sheriff's Office identified her as Deputy Sierra Carroll, a school resource officer. 41NBC reports she was hired on April 28, 2025, and assigned to the sheriff's office School Resource Unit.
Has Sierra Carroll been charged with a crime?
The sheriff's office announced a suspension, not a charge. It says it referred the matter to the district attorney's office, which is the office that decides whether a criminal charge is brought.
What is a suspension without pay pending termination?
It is an employment action taken by an employer, in this case the Houston County Sheriff's Office. It means the deputy is off the payroll while the agency moves toward ending her employment. It is not a court finding and it is not a conviction.
What did the Houston County internal audit examine?
The sheriff's office reviewed its own use of Flock Safety Automated License Plate Reader data. WGXA reports the audit found Carroll misused ALPR data provided by Flock Safety.
How did the deputy allegedly misuse the Flock data?
That has not been released. According to 41NBC, the sheriff's office did not disclose how she misused the data.
What did Sheriff Matt Moulton say about the suspension?
Moulton said his office will not tolerate deputies misusing law enforcement resources or technology, and that he acts immediately when a deputy breaks the public's trust. He also said he still backs responsible use of Flock Safety tools.
Which school was the deputy assigned to?
The assignment was to the sheriff's office School Resource Unit. A specific school or campus has not been released.
Is Houston County removing its Flock cameras?
Nothing in the sheriff's office announcement addresses removing cameras. Moulton's statement says he still backs Flock Safety technology when it is used responsibly, calling it useful for public safety and for investigations.
Are there other Georgia Flock misuse cases?
Yes. WGXA reports the Houston County suspension came one week after three Bibb County deputies were arrested over Flock camera misuse and four days after a Milledgeville Police Department officer turned himself in. The Local Alert has also reported the arrest of the former 911 director for the Dallas Police Department in Paulding County.
Sources
- 41NBC — Houston County school resource officer suspended over Flock data misuse
- WGXA — School resource officer suspended after audit finds misuse of Flock plate reader data
- The Local Alert — Bibb County Flock camera case: 3 former deputies charged
- The Local Alert — Dallas, GA 911 director arrested on Flock camera misuse counts
Compiled by The Local Alert Georgia Staff from named news outlets, each linked above. Sheriff Matt Moulton's statement is quoted as carried by those outlets; The Local Alert did not obtain a release directly from the Houston County Sheriff's Office. The Local Alert is not a law enforcement agency and not a law firm. Anyone named in connection with an allegation is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court. Corrections and removal requests: see our corrections policy.
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