· Brenham, TX · Investigation
Brenham, Texas fires a police officer and asks the Texas Rangers to investigate license plate reader misuse
The Brenham Police Department fired an officer on Friday, Oct. 16, 2026 after an internal affairs investigation found multiple violations of its policy on automated license plate reader (ALPR) searches, KBTX, KXXV and the Brenham Banner-Press reported. A department employee flagged unusual search activity during a routine audit under the department's updated ALPR policy, and the officer was put on administrative leave, lost access to department systems, and had a year of the department's ALPR searches reviewed. The internal investigation concluded Oct. 14. Police Chief Gary Boshears also asked the Texas Rangers to run a separate criminal investigation; no charges had been reported. The department did not say what the searches were. Brenham's plate reader system is Vigilant, a Motorola Solutions product, not Flock. According to the reports, the updated policy adds documentation requirements, search restrictions, new retention rules, an annual public report and quarterly audits, and Boshears said the safeguards "worked as intended by bringing this conduct to light."
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