SHARONVILLE — A Sharonville police lieutenant has been indicted on a felony charge alleging he misused the department’s Flock license-plate camera system to track a vehicle belonging to someone he knew.
Walter Cordes, 48, was indicted Oct. 13 on one count of unauthorized use of a computer, cable or telecommunication property, according to the Hamilton County Prosecutor’s Office. Prosecutors say he made 29 improper searches between December 2024 and April 2026.
Cordes served as an administrator of the camera system. According to prosecutors, Flock Safety flagged the searches after the department strengthened its audit policies in early 2026, and Cordes admitted making them. Investigators have not said why he was tracking the vehicle or described his relationship to the person involved.
The department placed Cordes on paid administrative leave in early June, cut off his access to department systems and referred the case to the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office, Police Chief Jim Nesbit said.
Hamilton County Prosecutor Connie Pillich said a police officer wrongfully using police systems is a serious matter. If convicted, Cordes faces up to one year in prison.
Sharonville officials said the city will continue using its Flock cameras, which are part of a network of more than 1,100 plate-reading cameras across Greater Cincinnati.
