Police Deputy’s Misuse of Databases and Plate Readers for Stalking Purposes

A recent incident involving a Monroe County sheriff’s deputy has shed light on the misuse of law enforcement databases and surveillance technology. Deputy Lamar Eliseo Roman was arrested and fired for using police databases and an ALPR system to stalk a woman he met on the set of Bad Monkey, a show on Apple TV+.

In February, Roman allegedly drove at high speeds on a Florida Keys road, not in pursuit of a suspect, but tracking down a woman he had encountered on the TV set. He used law enforcement databases to obtain her identity, vehicle information, photo, and even her signature. He then added her license plate to an ALPR hotlist, which triggered an alert whenever her plate was detected by the system.

This disturbing misuse of surveillance technology by law enforcement raises concerns about oversight and potential abuse of power. In this case, Roman’s actions turned standard surveillance tools into a personal stalking operation.

The woman involved was unaware of being tracked by government systems and thought Roman was simply flirting. This incident highlights the gap between what victims know and what officers can access. It underscores the importance of audit logs and use-restriction policies to prevent such abuses in the future.

The tools Roman used are commonly employed by law enforcement agencies across the country, posing the question of who is monitoring those who operate them. This case might lead to stricter database permissions and ALPR hotlist oversight in law enforcement agencies to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future.