A former Texas police officer accused of using automated licence-plate reader technology to monitor a female colleague has surrendered his law-enforcement licence to avoid criminal charges. Michael Palitz, who previously served as a sergeant with the Pasadena Police Department in the Greater Houston area, reached an agreement with local prosecutors after an internal investigation into the alleged misuse of police surveillance systems. According to an investigation by the Houston Chronicle, along with reports from FOX 26 Houston and KPRC 2, Palitz left his position after automated security systems used by the police department detected unusual activity.
System flags unusual searches
The surveillance technology involved was supplied by Flock Safety, a company that operates networks of licence-plate reading cameras designed to record vehicle movements on public roads. Police departments across the US use the cameras to help find stolen vehicles, locate missing people and collect evidence in criminal investigations. The system flagged Palitz’s account after detecting an unusually large number of searches involving one particular vehicle. Pasadena City Council Member Emmanuel Guerrero described the allegations that emerged during the internal investigation. “Based on what we gathered, [he] was using our camera system, our Flock system, to track and stalk a female officer,” Guerrero said. Guerrero said the system’s security features helped identify the unusual activity. “My understanding of the investigation, he would use it to specifically track another female officer, and the system, after so much usage, pinged his specific account, raising a red flag,” Guerrero told FOX 26 Houston.
Criminal and administrative investigations
After the searches were discovered, city officials launched both administrative and criminal investigations. Information released by the police department showed that the case involved separate allegations made by two employees against each other. Both employees resigned from the Pasadena Police Department before the administrative investigations were completed. Under Texas law, police administrative investigations remain confidential when an officer resigns before the process is formally concluded. As a result, no official disciplinary action was recorded in the administrative case. The criminal investigations were sent to the Harris County District Attorney’s Office for review. Prosecutors decided not to bring charges over one set of allegations. In the case involving the alleged improper surveillance of the female officer, prosecutors agreed to drop the criminal proceedings on the condition that Palitz surrender his law-enforcement credentials. The Pasadena Police Department confirmed the outcome in an official statement. “In one matter, the District Attorney’s Office declined prosecution,” the department stated. “In the other, the matter was resolved through and agreement requiring the individual to surrender his Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE) peace officer license in lieu of criminal prosecution”. The department said it would not make further comments because both the internal and criminal investigations had ended and neither person was still employed by the city.
Questions over police surveillance technology
The Pasadena case has raised concerns about how law-enforcement agencies control access to surveillance technology. Cities across Texas have increasingly turned to automated camera networks, leading to questions about who can access the systems and how their use is monitored. Civil liberties experts and legal commentators said that while software can detect unusual or unauthorised searches, departments must still ensure officers are held accountable when technology is misused. James Henderson, executive director of the Texas Civil Rights Project, discussed the wider concerns surrounding surveillance technology in comments cited by KPRC 2. “When an officer allegedly misuses a surveillance tool, it in its very nature raises a public trust question,” Henderson said. “People need confidence that the system designed to protect the community cannot at the same time be used to improperly monitor, intimidate or intrude upon private citizens”.Henderson said public confidence depends largely on how police departments control and use powerful surveillance tools. “The bigger issue is not necessarily whether police have technology, but it’s really shrouded in whether or not police departments have earned the public’s trust to use this technology responsibly,” Henderson added. During the early stages of the investigation, Pasadena Mayor Thomas Schoenbein said the city remained committed to maintaining high standards within its police department. “We are committed to maintaining the integrity of our organization and the confidence our residents place in us,” Schoenbein said. “As such, the City of Pasadena stands with our dedicated police officers who work every day to uphold the highest standards and keep our community safe”. Palitz has now officially surrendered his law-enforcement licence to the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement. As a result, he is permanently barred from working as a sworn peace officer in Texas.
