South Carolina officer dismissed after repeatedly tracking ex's car with police cameras

Ellie Anna Hammond, a 24-year-old officer with the Mauldin Police Department, was dismissed on August 3 after an internal review showed she had used the department’s Flock camera system to search her ex-lover’s license plate a total of 166 times from March through July. Records from the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy indicate she fabricated reasons for each lookup, citing supposed warrant checks, traffic infractions and welfare checks to mask her personal interest.

Hammond, who joined the department’s Uniform Patrol division in June 2024, faced termination but was not subjected to criminal prosecution. A department spokesperson described the situation as a personnel matter and offered no further details. The incident highlights persistent concerns among activists that Flock cameras can be abused to infringe on individual privacy, despite arguments from some law-enforcement officials about their utility. The controversy underscores the need for clearer oversight of such surveillance tools.