A Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) officer has been charged with a misdemeanor after investigators allege he improperly accessed law enforcement databases to share information with a person under drug investigation.
Officer Seth Elliott, 25, was arrested on July 29 and placed on unpaid leave pending the outcome of an internal investigation, according to the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI). Elliott is accused of accessing Flock Safety license plate reader data and CJLeads, a criminal justice database, for non-law enforcement purposes.
The charges stem from an investigation that began after Elliott allegedly accessed the systems on June 16, according to CMPD officials. His access to law enforcement technology and criminal intelligence information was revoked on June 22, and he was placed on administrative assignment. Elliott had been with the department since 2024.
How the incident unfolded
According to search warrants obtained by The Charlotte Observer, Elliott and Michael Kuester, the subject of a drug investigation, were friends and college acquaintances. Kuester contacted Elliott via Snapchat in June, stating an unknown person was near his father’s business. Kuester asked Elliott to run a license plate, which Elliott did using Flock Safety and CJLeads. Elliott then shared the information with Kuester through the same Snapchat conversation.
The warrants do not indicate Elliott knew Kuester was under investigation for drug-related activity or that the license plate belonged to an undercover officer. Kuester’s phone was also searched as part of the investigation, revealing his involvement in a Telegram group suspected of selling marijuana products and psilocybin mushrooms.
Law enforcement response and policy implications
CMPD Chief Estella Patterson stated the department does not operate Flock cameras but has an agreement allowing officer access. She emphasized that misuse of law enforcement technology is a violation of public trust.
"The public expects and deserves the highest level of integrity from every officer who wears the CMPD badge," Patterson said in a statement. "Misusing law enforcement technology or accessing confidential information for non-law enforcement purposes is a betrayal of the public’s trust and a violation of everything this profession stands for."
The SBI confirmed the charges against Elliott, who has not publicly commented on the allegations. It remains unclear whether he has legal representation.
Background on Flock Safety and CJLeads
Flock Safety is a private company that provides automated license plate reader (ALPR) systems used by law enforcement agencies. CJLeads is a North Carolina criminal justice database that aggregates records for law enforcement use. Both systems are designed to assist in investigations but are subject to strict access controls to prevent misuse.
The case raises questions about accountability measures for officers who misuse sensitive law enforcement tools, as well as the oversight of third-party technology used by police departments.