Questions arise concerning use of Flock cameras use during internal police investigation

QUINCY — The Quincy City Council learned Monday night about an issue involving the Quincy Police Department’s use of Flock automated license plate reader (ALPR) cameras and heard a comment from a speaker that a deputy chief with the police department, should “no longer hold a position with the department.” 

“I speak on behalf of many people who have concerns about the Quincy Police Department administration,” Steve Homan told aldermen during the public comment portion of Monday night’s meeting.

He said the main concern from aldermen when they voted in March 2023 to approve the Flock system was privacy, including the potential for misuse.

Homan said a hearing took place on March 10 for an internal administration investigation against a Quincy police officer, which Muddy River News learned after the City Council meeting was Zach Tuley. Homan said the “improper” investigation, approved by Police Chief Adam Yates, was conducted by Deputy Chief Mike Tyler, who used the Flock cameras to determine where Tuley was during the day.

Tuley said he left his position with the Quincy Police Department 11 days after the hearing “under my own free will and accord.”

Contacted Monday after the meeting, Tuley said he was “caught off guard” to hear Homan address the matter publicly during the City Council meeting.

“I believe (the Flock cameras) were definitely not used as they were intended to be used for my internal investigation,” Tuley said. “The cameras were used to determine where I was at throughout the daytime for a non-criminal matter.”

“Civil matters are inappropriate use of Flock, and that is the reason why the general public does not have access to it,” Homan said. “There are strict guidelines for flock usage … and misuse warrants immediate termination.”

He referred to comments made by Yates during a January 2023 public meeting to explain the Flock system, when Yates said it’s his responsibility to ensure his department uses the technology for which it is intended.

“If we become aware that the technology is being used inappropriately, we absolutely have a requirement to end our relationship with the cop,” Yates said. 

Asked if he planned to file an official complaint, Tuley said, “I don’t know what route I’m going to take with that at this point.”

Homan also referred to an issue involving Tyler that became public on Friday. Yates officially reprimanded Tyler earlier this week for an incident involving two other officers on Feb. 11.

“Morale at the Quincy Police Department is the lowest ever. Many officers are leaving for other jobs out of state, and you have a deputy chief who is bullying officers and creating a hostile work environment,” Homan said. “Actions need to be taken against this person.

“(The Illinois) State Police has launched an investigation on Mike Tyler as well. I think this proves corruption and bullying is here in Quincy, Illinois, at Quincy Police Department, just as it is in the federal government.”

Patrick Hollensteiner, an investigator with the Quincy Police Department and president of the Police Benevolent and Protective Association Labor Unit 12, said after Monday’s meeting that the union has not officially filed a complaint against Tyler, Yates or the police department about the use of Flock cameras in internal investigations.

Tuley said he runs “a couple of businesses,” which is what he’s doing full-time now. He also has since been employed elsewhere part-time in law enforcement.

Tuley said he has three employees who work for him who drive his vehicles, including a one-ton truck used to pull trailers with heavier equipment.

“When they need (the truck, the employees) would come pick my truck up, and that’s the vehicle that was searched in the Flock database,” Tuley said. “The concern I have is I have employees who work for me who drive my vehicles, and their expectation of privacy was violated because Mike Tyler was using the Flock cameras to search my vehicle, not knowing who was driving my vehicle.

“Even if it was me driving my vehicle, the cameras were not used for what Chief Yates had told the public they’re going to be used for. If I’m an employee at a business like Knapheide or Blessing Hospital, their supervisors can’t come down to the police department and use the Flock system to track their employees. It’s a non-criminal matter. It’s a huge policy violation.”

Yates said after the meeting that the Quincy Police Department does not publicly discuss internal investigations or discipline of police officers. He referred Quincy Police Department Policy No. 429 about automated license plate readers being restricted only to “official and legitimate law enforcement purposes.” 

“I believe that investigating a police officer’s misconduct is a legitimate law enforcement business and a valid reason to use ALPRs,” Yates said. “If we were investigating police misconduct and had a reason to believe we would glean evidence using an automated license plate reader camera, we would use the camera data in that investigation because investigating police misconduct is certainly an official and legitimate law enforcement business.”

Tuley disagrees.

“Calling it police misconduct is misleading because I feel it portrays that I did something to wrong the citizens in the community that I was entrusted to protect when in no way was that the case,” he said. “The use of the flock cameras on my personal vehicle was only because of an accusation that I did not follow a directive I was given.  When I think of misconduct, I think of corruption and police brutality, not an accusation that I did not do what my boss told me to do.”

Asked for her thoughts about the issue after the meeting, Mayor Linda Moore only said she supports Yates and his staff.