A former Savannah Police Department officer was fired in August 2026 after an internal investigation revealed that she shared her confidential Flock surveillance system login credentials with her husband, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent. Department records obtained by WJCL showed that the account was used to conduct 983 license plate searches across six states, primarily targeting vehicles registered to Hispanic owners.
The internal audit uncovered unusually high activity tied to the account of former officer Amber Harpe between January and July 2026. Her husband, identified in investigative records as Tyler Harpe, utilized her username and password because he did not possess an independent Flock account authorized through the Department of Homeland Security.
Scope of the Surveillance Searches and Demographic Patterns
According to the investigative findings, the 983 searches involved 97 unique license plates across Florida, Georgia, New Jersey, Maryland, North Carolina, and South Carolina. South Carolina accounted for the vast majority of the activity, with 788 individual searches across 48 plates. Department documents noted that a significant portion of the vehicles identified in the audit logs belonged to Hispanic owners.
During investigative interviews, Tyler Harpe defended the searches, stating that every query served a legitimate federal law-enforcement purpose aimed at locating ICE targets with active arrest warrants. He explained to investigators that he requested the login credentials to simplify tracking targets while operating in the field.
However, department leadership emphasized that individual credential sharing violates internal policies regardless of intent. Assistant Police Chief Robert Gavin noted in disciplinary records that while state law permits agencies to share plate data through proper channels, it does not authorize personnel to hand over personal login details. This breaks the verified audit trail by attributing another person’s actions to the account holder.
Internal Disagreement Over Discipline and Termination
The investigation triggered a sharp divide among Savannah Police Department supervisors regarding the appropriate disciplinary action. Interim Maj. Max Nowinsky recommended an eight-hour suspension, citing Amber Harpe’s clean disciplinary record since joining the department in 2020 and a lack of evidence indicating personal financial gain.
Conversely, Maj. Michelle Halford and Assistant Chief Robert Gavin pushed for termination. They argued that the credential sharing was intentional, repeated over several months, and extensive in scale. Halford also highlighted that the demographic patterns combined with the husband’s ICE role raised concerns that municipal resources might have supported federal immigration enforcement without authorization, noting that ICE is not listed among the more than 1,700 agencies officially sharing Flock data with the city.
Amber Harpe was terminated on September 26, 2026. While she initially filed a Civil Service Board appeal contesting the decision, she later withdrew it, canceling the scheduled hearing. Although four other department employees faced arrest and criminal charges following a broader internal investigation into Flock system misuse, Amber Harpe was not among those charged criminally.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was former officer Amber Harpe fired?
Amber Harpe was fired after an internal investigation revealed she shared her department-issued Flock Safety system credentials with her husband, allowing an unauthorized individual to perform nearly 1,000 license plate searches.
Who performed the license plate searches using the account?
The searches were conducted by Amber Harpe’s husband, Tyler Harpe, who worked as an ICE agent and did not have an independent, authorized Flock account through the Department of Homeland Security.
How many searches were conducted and across which states?
The audit identified 983 searches involving 97 license plates across Florida, Georgia, New Jersey, Maryland, North Carolina, and South Carolina, with South Carolina accounting for 788 of the searches.
Did the investigation find any criminal violations?
Investigators found that the credential sharing did not violate Georgia state law regarding automated license plate readers, resulting in termination based strictly on internal department policy violations.
Was Amber Harpe criminally charged alongside other department employees?
No. While four other Savannah Police Department employees were arrested and charged following a broader investigation into Flock system misuse, Amber Harpe faced only employment termination.
