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Brevard County ‘Deputy of the Year’ Resigns After Internal Report Cites Sex, Racist and Surveillance Abuse

An internal 43-page probe that was released to media details graphic sexual misconduct and shows the deputy used a license-plate reader to track an ex which raises questions about agency controls on surveillance tools.

Overview

  • The sheriff’s office opened an internal probe after the deputy’s ex-girlfriend sent a complaint the same day he received an award, and the deputy resigned in May as officials prepared to terminate him.
  • Investigators documented Hitler-style photos, repeated use of racial slurs, images showing a service pistol held to the ex-girlfriend’s head and in her mouth during sex, and video evidence of sexualized conduct in a patrol vehicle.
  • The report says auditors found the deputy ran Flock license-plate-reader queries to follow his ex’s vehicle, logged the searches as a general “investigation,” and accessed the system while off duty.
  • Brevard County closed the administrative investigation after accepting the resignation and referred the file to records, and no public criminal charges tied to the report have been reported so far.
  • The case adds to a string of recent incidents in other jurisdictions where officers misused Flock, a camera and plate-reading network, prompting audits, contract reviews, and calls for tighter access controls and routine logging.