Valdosta police officer accused of using drone to spy on neighbors

drone_woodsFrom WALB-TV:
A Valdosta police officer was out of a job as of Monday evening after being arrested for reportedly using a drone to eavesdrop on a neighbor.

Officer Howard Kirkland, 53, of Ray City, was fired Monday morning, Valdosta Police Chief Brian Childress confirmed.

He had been on suspension since September 4th. He was arrested at the police department by Lanier County Sheriff’s Deputies on September 10th. The sheriff’s office had been conducting an investigation for about a week.

As of Monday evening, Kirkland was charged with felony eavesdropping and was out on bond. The Lanier County Sheriff’s Office confirmed he was bonded out by family members the day he was arrested.

The Lanier County Sheriff’s Office did not say Monday what may have led to the suspected eavesdropping, though in a press release did say that complaints began coming in to the sheriff’s office in late June from Kirkland’s neighbors.

Read what Lanier County Sheriff Nick Norton had to say about the use of drones in today’s society

Be the first to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.


*