A former Amarillo police officer is facing 78 criminal charges after an internal investigation found he allegedly used law enforcement databases and the city’s Flock camera system to track a person for personal reasons.
The Potter County Attorney’s Office accepted a criminal complaint charging former Amarillo Police Officer Christian Eder, 29, with 78 counts of tampering with a government record. Each charge is a Class A misdemeanor, punishable by up to one year in jail and/or a fine of up to $4,000.
Eder was fired from the Amarillo Police Department on July 17 following an administrative investigation into alleged violations of department policy. According to an Aug. 19 APD news release, the investigation began after the department received a citizen complaint.
Court records from Potter County Court at Law No. 1 show the citizen reported alleged harassment and said Eder had been driving by their residence late at night. The citizen was concerned Eder was using police resources to track them because they were in a relationship with someone Eder had expressed interest in dating.
That complaint prompted APD to audit Eder’s use of law enforcement databases, including the Flock camera system and TLOxp.
Flock cameras capture images of vehicles and license plates traveling on public roads. Officers can search the system for license plates and obtain information about where a vehicle has been detected. The cameras do not use facial recognition technology.
TLOxp is an investigative database that can provide law enforcement with information including current and former addresses, phone numbers, vehicles and businesses.
According to APD, investigators found Eder searched the citizen’s license plate 76 times between February and June. He also allegedly searched the citizen’s name twice on April 22 using TLOxp.
Police said none of the searches were connected to a case assignment or information APD needed when Eder accessed the records.
Investigators also determined Eder allegedly entered false information into Flock or TLOxp as justification for conducting the searches. Those allegations resulted in the 78 counts of tampering with a government record.
Amarillo Police Chief Thomas Hover strongly criticized the alleged misuse of the systems.
“I am deeply frustrated and disappointed by Officer Eder’s decision to use his access to criminal justice information for a personal purpose and then be dishonest in an attempt to conceal his actions,” Hover said. “Law enforcement officers are entrusted with access to sensitive information for legitimate criminal justice purposes, and that trust comes with a responsibility that cannot be taken lightly.”
The case comes as Amarillo officials are examining the city’s use of camera technology.
Amarillo currently has 87 Flock cameras installed across the city. Earlier in August, while the Amarillo City Council was considering whether to purchase an additional traffic camera system, Hover told council members he wanted to provide information about APD’s existing policies and the steps the department takes when those policies are violated.
Flock cameras are designed to help law enforcement identify vehicles connected to crimes or alerts. The system can notify officers when a vehicle associated with a stolen vehicle report or another law enforcement alert is detected, while investigators can use historical license plate information to develop leads.
APD has previously credited the technology with helping investigators in major criminal cases. Police used information from Flock cameras during the investigation into the May shooting at the Westminster Apartments. Three people were arrested following that investigation and face charges stemming from the deaths and injuries caused by the shooting.
Following the investigation involving Eder, Hover said APD has tightened controls governing access to its law enforcement systems.
“I have implemented additional safeguards to reduce the likelihood of this happening again,” Hover said. “These measures include increased supervisory review of officer searches, expanded auditing capabilities to identify potential misuse, reduced access to software and reduced data-retention periods.”
Hover said maintaining public trust was central to the decision to fire Eder and refer the case for possible prosecution.
“Integrity and credibility are fundamental to this profession and to the trust our community places in us,” Hover said. “Based on the findings of the investigation, I made the decision to terminate Officer Eder and refer the matter to the Potter County Attorney’s Office for consideration of criminal charges.”
