Former Pasadena sergeant avoids charges by surrendering police license after surveillance misuse

A probe into the Pasadena Police Department’s automated license-plate reader system uncovered that former sergeant Michael Palitz accessed the network to repeatedly search for a specific vehicle, an action investigators say was aimed at a female colleague. The Flock Safety cameras, typically employed to locate stolen cars and missing persons, flagged Palitz’s account after an unusually high number of queries. City officials launched parallel administrative and criminal inquiries, but Texas law sealed the administrative record once Palitz resigned.

The Harris County District Attorney’s Office declined to prosecute one allegation and, for the surveillance claim, agreed to drop charges if Palitz surrendered his Texas Commission on Law Enforcement peace officer license. The department confirmed the arrangement and noted that neither party remains employed by the city. The case has sparked broader debate about oversight of police surveillance tools and public trust in their use.