A Waukegan, Illinois, police officer has been charged with five offenses over the alleged misuse of the city’s automated license plate reader systems (such as Flock cameras) and police databases.
The Waukegan Police Department and the Lake County State’s Attorney announced this week that Oscar Magpali will face five counts of abuse of official authority. Magpali had worked for the police department for 11 years. According to authorities, numerous searches were initially detected in the systems for vehicles registered to Waukegan police employees and people connected to them. Separate administrative and criminal proceedings were opened in connection with that activity.
An analysis of electronic records and documentation, along with witness interviews, led investigators to examine activity in the Illinois Law Enforcement Agencies Data System (LEADS) and the National Crime Information Center database. As a result, five counts of abuse of official authority were brought against Magpali.
Police said an administrative proceeding and an audit of officers’ use of police databases are under way across the department. Police said Magpali was removed from duty (placed on administrative leave) after the first allegations surfaced and remains in that status. Police added that the administrative proceeding is separate from the ongoing criminal investigation.
A court hearing has been set for Nov. 3.
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Source: Polski.FM
