Pinellas Deputy Arrested Over Flock Camera Misuse
Ronald Scott faces charges after allegedly using a license plate reader database to track his estranged wife and her boyfriend.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Law Enforcement
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A Pinellas County deputy, Ronald Scott, was arrested Thursday morning for allegedly misusing the Flock camera database. Sheriff Bob Gualtieri said a new auditing tool released by Flock caught the alleged misuse.
Why it matters
The case highlights the risk of personal misuse of automated license plate reader systems by people with law enforcement access. It also comes as a separate decision by the Pinellas-Pasco State Attorney not to prosecute a former deputy raises questions about how such cases are handled in Florida.
Scott was arrested Thursday morning and Sheriff Bob Gualtieri said he is confident the state attorney has enough information to prosecute. The charges and court dates have not been specified, and the state attorney's office has not yet filed a case.
The players
Bob Gualtieri
Pinellas County Sheriff who announced the arrest and said a new Flock auditing tool identified the alleged misuse.
Bruce Bartlett
Pinellas-Pasco State Attorney whose office is weighing prosecution of Scott and which declined to prosecute former deputy Karl Gwynne.
Flock
Automated license plate reader company that has spent over $2 million lobbying for its technology and released the auditing tool that caught the alleged misuse.
The details
Scott, who was separated from his wife pending divorce, allegedly used the Flock database to learn where she and her boyfriend had traveled. Gualtieri said the misuse was caught through a new auditing tool released by Flock. Separately, the Pinellas County Commission declined to vote on a proposal to remove automated license plate readers from county roadways.
Timeline
February 14, 2026: Scott allegedly began searching for his wife and her boyfriend.
2019: Scott was reprimanded for being intoxicated and creating a public disturbance in an establishment.
October 29, 2026: State Attorney Bruce Bartlett declined to prosecute former deputy Karl Gwynne in a court filing.
November 6, 2026: Scott was arrested Thursday morning and Gualtieri held a press conference.
Legal Context
The state attorney's office has said it will ask the Florida legislature to correct the situation in its next session, following the Pinellas County Commission's decision not to vote on removing ALPRs from county roads. The case adds to a growing record of misuse questions surrounding the technology.
Residents in Pinellas County and across Florida may see the license plate reader systems on local roads come under greater scrutiny as lawmakers consider new rules. Officials have not said whether any changes to how the systems are accessed or audited will affect everyday drivers.
The takeaway
Oversight of automated surveillance tools depends on audits that can detect personal misuse by people who have legitimate access. Readers following this issue can track how the legislature responds in its next session.
What happens next
The state attorney's office will decide whether to prosecute Scott, and the Florida legislature is expected to take up ALPR regulation in its next session.
Further reading
For more on how officers are held accountable, see Law Enforcement coverage across Florida.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Creative Loafing: Tampa Bay.
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