LUFKIN, Texas — A Lufkin Police Department officer has been indicted on 100 felony counts following an investigation into his alleged misuse of the department’s Flock Safety automated license plate reader system.
Zachary Anthony Klein, 32, was indicted by an Angelina County grand jury on 100 counts of misuse of official information, according to court and jail records reported by KTRE/KLTV. Klein was being held at the Angelina County Jail with bonds totaling $750,000 following the indictment. An arraignment date had not been set as of the latest publicly available reporting.
The criminal allegations remain pending. An indictment is a formal accusation and does not constitute a finding of guilt. Klein is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
Investigation Began With Department Audit
The Lufkin Police Department said it became aware of potential issues involving use of its Flock automated license plate reader technology and began an internal audit.
According to the department, its Internal Affairs division subsequently investigated two officers. Police Chief Travis Brazil also requested assistance from the Texas Rangers to conduct an independent investigation.
Klein was arrested by the Texas Rangers and booked into the Angelina County Jail on August 20, 2026. Initial reporting at the time of his arrest identified charges of abuse of official capacity and tampering with a government record. The subsequent grand jury indictment reported August 24 contains 100 counts of misuse of official information.
A second Lufkin police officer was placed on administrative leave while authorities investigate that officer’s use of the technology. The department has not publicly identified that officer in the reporting reviewed by Cop Talk LIVE.
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Lufkin Police Suspend Flock Camera Use
Chief Brazil announced that the department has suspended its use of Flock cameras while the investigations remain underway.
“While the investigations are ongoing, we have suspended the use of Flock cameras within the department,” Brazil said in a department statement reported by KTRE.
The department has said both its internal investigation and the outside investigation involving the Texas Rangers are continuing.
Public Records Show More Than 45,000 Searches
Separate public-record data reviewed by Chron raises additional questions about the volume and pattern of searches attributed to Klein’s Flock account.
According to Chron’s review of records published through Have I Been Flocked, Klein’s account was associated with approximately 45,318 license plate reader searches from May 2024 through December 2025. The database identified 210 days on which searches were recorded.
Have I Been Flocked compiles Flock usage logs obtained through public-records requests and organizes them by law enforcement agency and individual operator.
According to the database analysis reported by Chron:
- Klein’s profile showed approximately 45,318 searches.
- His activity averaged approximately 1,258 searches per week across the recorded usage period.
- The profile showed more searches attributed to Klein than any other Lufkin Police Department officer listed in the database.
- The same four license plates were reportedly searched thousands of times.
- One license plate was reportedly searched approximately 3,470 times over the course of a year.
- The stated reason associated with Klein’s searches in the database was listed as “investigation.”
These database records alone do not establish that any individual search was unlawful or unauthorized. The publicly available information reviewed by Cop Talk LIVE does not establish who owned or operated the repeatedly searched vehicles, what relationship, if any, they may have had to Klein, or which specific searches form the basis of the criminal indictment.
Chron reported that it requested additional information from the Lufkin Police Department and that it remained unclear whether the repeatedly searched license plates belonged to people Klein knew personally.
What Flock License Plate Readers Do
Flock Safety operates automated license plate reader technology used by law enforcement agencies throughout the United States. Cameras can capture license plates and other identifying characteristics of passing vehicles, with authorized users able to search collected information during criminal investigations.
The City of Lufkin approved use of Flock technology in 2023, according to Chron.
Because automated license plate reader networks can document where vehicles have been observed, their expansion has also generated privacy and oversight concerns, particularly regarding access controls, retention periods and whether agencies adequately audit employee searches.
Flock Announces Additional Safeguards
Flock Safety recently announced changes intended to increase oversight of law enforcement searches after national reporting identified multiple allegations of unauthorized use of automated license plate reader systems.
The Washington Post reported on August 13 that Flock planned to require officers to associate searches with criminal case information and to automatically review searches for abnormal activity. The company also announced that its default license plate data-retention period would be reduced from 30 days to seven days. Agencies may retain data for longer periods under certain circumstances and evidence connected to investigations can be preserved beyond the standard window.
The Post subsequently reported that at least 69 police officials nationwide had been accused, charged or convicted in cases involving alleged misuse of Flock or other license plate reader systems. The newspaper also found that some departments did not routinely audit officers’ searches before potential misuse was identified by journalists, activists, victims or others outside the department.
Flock CEO Garrett Langley told The Washington Post that law enforcement authority requires heightened accountability and has said the company is developing tools intended to make potentially improper use easier to identify.
The existence of unrelated allegations involving other agencies does not establish wrongdoing in the Lufkin case. Klein’s criminal charges will be determined independently through the Texas judicial process.
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Current Status
As of August 26, 2026:
- Zachary Anthony Klein has been indicted on 100 counts of misuse of official information.
- Klein was being held in the Angelina County Jail with bonds totaling $750,000 in the latest available reporting.
- Klein has filed a motion seeking a reduction of his bond.
- An arraignment date had not been announced.
- A second Lufkin police officer remains the subject of an investigation and was placed on administrative leave.
- The Lufkin Police Department has suspended departmental use of Flock cameras while the investigations continue.
- The department’s Internal Affairs investigation and an independent investigation involving the Texas Rangers remain ongoing.
No court has determined Klein’s guilt. The allegations contained in the indictment must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt for a criminal conviction.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Zachary Klein accused of?
An Angelina County grand jury indicted Klein on 100 counts of misuse of official information following an investigation involving his use of the Lufkin Police Department’s Flock license plate reader system.
How many Flock searches were attributed to Klein?
Public-record logs compiled by Have I Been Flocked and reviewed by Chron attributed approximately 45,318 searches to Klein between May 2024 and December 2025, encompassing 210 recorded days of activity.
Did Klein repeatedly search specific license plates?
According to the public-record database reviewed by Chron, four plates were searched thousands of times, including one plate approximately 3,470 times during a year. The publicly available information does not establish the identities of the vehicle owners or the purpose behind each search.
Has Klein been convicted?
No. Klein has been indicted and criminal charges are pending. An indictment is not evidence of guilt, and he is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Has Lufkin stopped using Flock cameras?
The Lufkin Police Department announced that it suspended departmental use of Flock cameras while the investigations are ongoing.
Is another officer being investigated?
Yes. Lufkin police said a second officer was placed on administrative leave pending further investigation concerning that officer’s use of the system. Public reporting reviewed by Cop Talk LIVE has not identified that officer.
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