SHIELDS OF SHAME | GEORGIA FLOCK ABUSE DATABASE | CASE 009

Calandic Sierra Thomas Flock Misuse: Savannah Civilian Employee Fired and Charged

She was not a sworn police officer. Yet Savannah Police Department civilian employee Calandic Sierra Thomas allegedly had access to a Flock Safety system capable of searching vehicle sightings by license plate. Following an internal audit, she lost her job and faced two criminal counts of misuse of a license plate reader system.

The unusual question: who can search Flock?

Georgia POST certifies peace officers, but a department can employ civilian personnel who perform administrative, service or support duties. The GBI identified Thomas as a Community Service Specialist, unlike the three sworn officers arrested in the same investigation. Her supplied POST profile reportedly lists good standing but no officer certification, employment history, sanctions, investigations or training. That combination should not be read as proof of sworn status or POST clearance: it may simply reflect that her civilian job was outside the certified-officer employment record.

What matters for surveillance accountability is not just whether a user has a badge. It is whether the user has permission to access sensitive data, whether that access is tied to an authorized purpose, and whether supervisors audit the searches.

How the Savannah Flock investigation unfolded

Savannah Police began an internal investigation on July 27 after a proactive review flagged potentially improper searches. The department requested GBI assistance July 29. On August 7, it announced the termination of four sworn officers and two civilian employees for violations of its technology and resource-use policies. The GBI subsequently arrested Thomas and three former officers on August 21. The agency reported preliminary evidence of Flock access for non-law-enforcement purposes.

WTOC reported that the four arrested employees were accused of searching for personal acquaintances and family members. That broader description does not establish the precise targets or number of searches attributed to Thomas. The GBI charged her with two misuse counts, while each of the three sworn officers also faced a separate violation-of-oath count. The absence of an oath count against Thomas should not be confused with dismissal of her two pending allegations.

An audit of 39,000 searches

WTOC reported that Savannah Police reviewed approximately 39,000 Flock searches in 2026, flagged 127 for examination, and identified 34 as unjustified. Those totals describe the departmentwide audit, not Thomas’s individual activity. The city had approximately 106 Flock cameras according to WTOC’s August reporting. Police Chief Lenny Gunther discussed developing a formal Flock policy and conducting weekly audits to detect problems sooner.

The difference between 127 flagged queries and 34 found unjustified illustrates why investigators must review context: an automated flag is a reason to examine a search, not proof of misconduct by itself.

A later hearing exposed another oversight concern

During a September 2026 civil-service hearing involving former officer Matthew Rich, a Savannah Police internal investigator testified that the department had previously handled Flock misuse internally without referring those incidents to the GBI. WTOC also reported testimony from a training official that the department did not have formal Flock training because it was a vendor product. Those statements concern departmentwide practices and should not be misrepresented as specific findings about Thomas.

September court update

WTOC reported September 17 that the three charged sworn officers waived preliminary hearings, moving their cases toward Superior Court review. Thomas, who faced misdemeanor charges only, was scheduled to appear before a different judge. That article did not establish a final disposition in her case. Her current docket and any later proceedings need independent verification.

Timeline

1. July 27: Savannah Police begins internal investigation.
2. July 29: Department requests GBI investigation.
3. August 7: Six employees, including two civilians, are terminated.
4. August 21: GBI arrests Thomas and three former sworn officers.
5. September 17: WTOC reports Thomas’s misdemeanor case will proceed before a different judge from the officers’ felony cases.
6. September 21: WTOC reports hearing testimony concerning earlier internal handling of Flock misuse and lack of formal vendor-specific training.

Georgia POST record and original evidence

The supplied POST PDF should be read with its report date in mind. No listed officer certification or training in that record is consistent with Thomas’s documented civilian role; it does not prove the absence of employer training, system access, or employment outside POST’s certification database.

Verified sources and related reporting

GBI: Four Savannah arrests ↗

Savannah Police: Six terminations ↗

WTOC: Audit totals and background ↗

WTOC: September court developments ↗

WTOC: Civil-service testimony ↗

What records should be requested?

• Thomas’s Flock user-account authorization, access permissions and onboarding records
• All associated query audit logs, reasons, timestamps and supervisory reviews
• Civilian employee technology training and written Flock-use policies
• Internal Affairs findings, disciplinary decision and separation documentation
• GBI arrest warrants and misdemeanor court docket
• Historical Flock misuse reports and subsequent weekly audit results

Frequently asked questions

Was Calandic Thomas a certified police officer?

No. The GBI described her as a civilian Community Service Specialist, not a sworn officer. The supplied historical POST record reportedly contains no officer certification.

What charges did she face?

Two counts of misuse of a license plate reader system. The GBI did not announce an additional violation-of-oath count against her.

Did Savannah Police fire her?

Yes. She was among six employees terminated following the internal investigation.

Was she convicted?

No final conviction or other disposition was verified. The charges are allegations and Thomas is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.

Editorial update: October 12, 2026. This report distinguishes agency findings, criminal allegations, court procedure and historical POST records.