Savannah Officer Fired Over Unauthorized ICE Data Sharing

The Savannah Police Department maintains a strict policy against sharing its Flock data with federal immigration authorities. Despite these protocols, Tyler Harpe utilized his wife’s login to perform 983 searches involving 97 distinct license plates. While the couple maintains the queries were conducted for legitimate law enforcement purposes, the department characterized the unauthorized access as a severe security violation.

Internal disciplinary recommendations initially varied, with Interim Major Max Nowinsky suggesting only an eight-hour suspension. However, Major Michelle Halford and Assistant Police Chief Robert Gavin overruled that recommendation, resulting in Harpe’s termination. She was one of six employees dismissed during the broader investigation into system misuse. Although four of those individuals faced criminal charges, Harpe was not among them.