SHIELDS OF SHAME | GEORGIA FLOCK ABUSE DATABASE | CASE 020

Errol Dithroy Farrell Jr.: Clayton County Deputy Arrested Over Flock Misuse While on Georgia POST Probation

Terminated by one police department. Hired by another about 40 days later. Placed on three years of POST probation. Then arrested in a new Flock surveillance investigation. Errol Dithroy Farrell Jr.’s documented disciplinary history makes the September 2026 allegation more than a story about a single database search. It raises important questions about hiring reviews, certification oversight and the safeguards governing access to vehicle-location information.

September 1: a new arrest over Flock searches

According to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s September 2 announcement, Clayton County Sheriff’s Office requested a state investigation into suspected misuse of its Flock Safety automated license plate reader system. Preliminary information indicated Farrell had used the system for a purpose unrelated to law enforcement. Farrell, then 40 and residing in Lithonia, surrendered September 1 and was booked into the Clayton County Jail. The GBI said the completed investigative file would be submitted to the Clayton County District Attorney’s Office for prosecution.

Authorities did not publicly disclose whose plate or vehicle was searched, how often Farrell accessed the database, what justification he entered, whether he created an alert or whether any location information was shared. No final conviction or dismissal was independently verified for this article. A criminal charge is an allegation, not a finding of guilt.

The 2023 South Fulton investigation: a closed park, an alleged robbery and admissions to investigators

Georgia POST records previously obtained by Shields of Shame describe a July 5, 2023 incident at Welcome All Park. According to the administrative investigative summary, Farrell said he and a woman were at the park at approximately 3 a.m., near a baseball field, when an armed man approached and demanded Farrell’s jewelry. The woman reportedly departed with the man and later came to a South Fulton police precinct, returning the jewelry.

Investigators examined Farrell’s decisions before and after the alleged robbery. The POST account says he acknowledged entering the park even though he knew it was closed; admitted drinking alcohol before driving there; initially did not call 911 to report the alleged armed robbery; and acknowledged that his conduct reflected poorly on the agency and his integrity. The summary also described later communication with the woman through Instagram. These details come from an administrative account, not an independent judicial determination about every aspect of the alleged robbery.

South Fulton Police terminated Farrell August 9, 2023. The record therefore documents a disciplinary outcome at that agency, separate from the later Flock allegations.

Earlier discipline: 2020, 2022 and 2023

The supplied POST case summary and original Shields of Shame investigation also describe earlier South Fulton disciplinary actions. In 2020, Farrell received a three-day suspension involving findings or allegations categorized as Conduct Unbecoming, Camera Systems, Duty to Make a Report, Inefficiency and Incompetence. In 2022, he received an oral reprimand for Conduct Unbecoming. A separate 2023 incident resulted in a two-day suspension involving Conduct Unbecoming and Alcohol Beverages — Off Duty.

Each entry should be read in its own administrative context. The fact that camera-system discipline appeared in an earlier personnel history does not, by itself, establish any connection to Flock technology or the 2026 allegations. The original case summary is linked below so readers can examine the recorded disciplinary categories and chronology.

A new badge about 40 days after termination

Farrell’s POST employment history lists his South Fulton separation on August 9, 2023 and the start of his Clayton County Sheriff’s Office employment on September 18, 2023 — approximately 40 days later. That timing makes the recruitment and background-check record especially relevant. It does not, on its own, establish that Clayton County lacked knowledge of the previous investigation or violated hiring rules.

The records worth requesting include Farrell’s application, background investigator’s notes, prior-employer contact, disciplinary disclosures, hiring approvals and any correspondence about the unresolved POST matter. Those documents could show what Clayton County knew, when it learned it and what employment conditions were imposed.

April 3, 2026: revocation withheld, 36 months probation imposed

The September 11, 2026 POST profile described by Shields of Shame lists an April 3 sanction: Revocation Withheld, and Placed on Probation, with a separate entry specifying Probation — 36 Months. The certification was reportedly active but carried the status On Probation. Withheld revocation is materially different from a full revocation: it means the agency did not immediately revoke certification under the recorded disposition, instead imposing probationary conditions.

The probation arose from the earlier South Fulton disciplinary matter, not from the later Flock case. Because the September 2026 arrest occurred roughly five months after the April order, a central question is whether the new allegation triggers a probation review, new POST investigation or possible additional sanction. The answer requires the actual probation order, its conditions and any subsequent POST proceedings.

A certification snapshot is not an employment confirmation

Shields of Shame’s September 11 POST profile reportedly still showed Farrell actively employed by Clayton County after the arrest. That historical entry should not be treated as proof of his present assignment, payroll status or access privileges. State certification databases can lag agency personnel actions. The current status of his employment, certification and Flock access should be confirmed directly through Clayton County and POST.

Timeline: the record before the arrest

1. 2020: Three-day South Fulton suspension covering several policy categories.
2. 2022: Oral reprimand for Conduct Unbecoming.
3. 2023: Two-day suspension involving conduct and off-duty alcohol.
4. July 5, 2023: Welcome All Park incident described in subsequent internal investigation.
5. August 9, 2023: South Fulton Police terminates Farrell.
6. September 18, 2023: Clayton County Sheriff’s Office hires Farrell.
7. April 3, 2026: Georgia POST withholds revocation and imposes 36 months probation.
8. September 1, 2026: Farrell surrenders following GBI Flock investigation and is booked into jail.
9. September 2, 2026: GBI announces charge and ongoing investigation.
10. October 2026: Subsequent court, employment and POST outcomes require further verification.

Read the primary documents

The documents above are supplied records. Administrative findings and allegations should be interpreted according to their actual language, and the current POST status should be checked against a fresh report.

Official sources and related coverage

GBI — September 2 arrest announcement ↗

FOX 5 Atlanta — questions still unanswered ↗

WSB-TV — Clayton County arrest coverage ↗

Original Shields of Shame investigation ↗

Institute for Justice — national ALPR abuse cases ↗

What Shields of Shame should request next

• Full Flock user audit trail for Farrell, including queries, timestamps, entered purposes, case numbers, search results, exports, hotlists and alerts
• GBI arrest warrant, affidavit, case number, incident report and prosecution status
• Clayton County Internal Affairs complaint, referral to GBI, interviews and any administrative finding
• Clayton County hiring/background packet and documentation of prior South Fulton discipline disclosed or reviewed
• April 3, 2026 POST consent order, probation conditions and any later violation proceedings
• South Fulton July 2023 investigative file and earlier disciplinary records
• Current POST certification, Clayton employment and Flock account-access status

Frequently asked questions

What is Farrell accused of?

The GBI alleges he used Clayton County’s Flock license plate reader system for a non-law-enforcement purpose. The agency announced a misuse charge.

Who was he searching?

The targets and number of queries were not publicly disclosed in the GBI announcement.

Was Farrell previously fired?

Yes. Georgia POST records reviewed by Shields of Shame list South Fulton Police termination August 9, 2023.

Was he already on POST probation?

Yes. The historical POST profile lists 36 months of probation beginning April 3, 2026, with revocation withheld.

Was he convicted in the Flock case?

No final criminal outcome was independently verified. Farrell is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.

Updated October 12, 2026. The 2023 administrative disciplinary history and 2026 criminal allegations are separate matters; neither should be presented as proof of the other.