Florida Cop Stalked Ex-Wife 717 Times Using Police AI Camera System Under Fake Felony Charges

A Florida law enforcement officer has been arrested after allegedly abusing high-tech police tools to keep tabs on his estranged wife. Investigators say he repeatedly ran her details through a public surveillance network using bogus legal reasons to hide his actions.

The discovery came to light following an outside inquiry, sparking concerns over the misuse of AI-powered tracking technology.

Flock Cameras Used 717 Times to Track His Estranged Wife

Florida police officer Christopher Goodson was taken into custody after allegedly turning his force's Flock licence-plate readers into a personal tracking tool, running his estranged wife's car details through the system 717 times in under two years.

Court documents show the 31-year-old Haines City officer routinely searched her registration details from 1 September 2024 to 30 June 2026, switching between working shifts and personal hours to keep tabs on her vehicle.

Detectives found he logged into official devices using fake police codes to justify the searches, despite his estranged wife having no connection to any active police inquiry. Goodson faces counts of official misconduct alongside computer crime offences and has been placed on paid administrative leave ahead of his expected resignation.

Bogus Police Reasons Allegedly Hid the Searches

Investigators uncovered a sharp spike in queries during several months in 2025, with 280 lookups recorded in September alone. This heavy usage triggered a criminal inquiry to determine whether the officer had used confidential law-enforcement records for personal purposes.

Authorities opened the investigation when Goodson informed a superior about his searches after his estranged wife mentioned being contacted by The Washington Post about the matter. Although he claimed he used the system merely to track his children's location while they were with her, a subsequent audit revealed hundreds of unauthorised searches linked to her number plate.

The arrest affidavit details how Goodson allegedly selected various police search reasons, including wanted suspects, drug cases, driving offences, assault, fleeing, theft and felony inquiries. Detectives confirmed his estranged wife was never involved in an active criminal case, nor was her car linked to any incidents that would justify the queries.

Surveillance Searches Took Place On and Off Duty

Investigators noted that the queries occurred both during his working shifts and while off duty, highlighting a clear breach of policy. Departmental guidelines strictly limit access to active police work, explicitly prohibiting officers from using official surveillance systems for personal reasons.

Goodson was taken into custody on 11 August 2026, facing third-degree felony charges of official misconduct and unauthorised use of computer systems. The allegations are yet to be tested in court, and public records do not currently clarify whether he has retained a solicitor or entered an official plea.

Flock Cameras Face Wider Privacy Concerns

Placed on paid administrative leave after the investigation, Goodson, a force member since March 2022, has indicated that he will step down from his post. Chief Isaac Jackson labelled the situation unfortunate, emphasising that official databases exist solely for lawful duties and that strict adherence to policy is non-negotiable.

To prevent future abuse, the department will implement quarterly audits to flag improper queries, although it plans to retain Flock cameras as a vital tool for lawful investigations.

The case highlights broader concerns surrounding the expansion of licence-plate tracking networks throughout US police forces. According to an August 2026 report by The Washington Post, dozens of officers have faced allegations of turning public camera databases into personal stalking tools.

The findings have fuelled intense debate over officer access to vast repositories of historical movement data.