Texas police sergeant surrenders license over camera stalking allegations

A former Texas police sergeant has surrendered his law-enforcement license to avoid criminal charges after an internal investigation revealed he allegedly used a surveillance system to stalk a female coworker. Michael Palitz, formerly a sergeant with the Pasadena Police Department, reached an agreement with prosecutors after the department's automated security systems detected unusual activity.

The investigation, reported by local news outlets, found that Palitz allegedly used the Flock Safety automated license-plate reader system to track a female officer. The system's security features flagged Palitz's account when it detected an unusually high number of searches involving one specific vehicle.

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Based on what we gathered, [he] was using our camera system, our Flock system, to track and stalk a female officer.

"Based on what we gathered, [he] was using our camera system, our Flock system, to track and stalk a female officer," Pasadena City Council Member Emmanuel Guerrero stated. He added that the system "pinged his specific account, raising a red flag."

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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.

Following the discovery, both administrative and criminal investigations were launched. Information from the police department indicated separate allegations were made between two employees. Both Palitz and the other employee resigned before their administrative investigations concluded. Under Texas law, administrative investigations are confidential if an officer resigns before completion, preventing official disciplinary action.

The criminal investigations were sent to the Harris County District Attorney’s Office. Prosecutors declined to bring charges in one set of allegations. In the case of the alleged improper surveillance, criminal proceedings were dropped on the condition that Palitz surrender his law-enforcement credentials. The Pasadena Police Department confirmed this outcome, stating that in one matter the District Attorney's Office declined prosecution, and in the other, the matter was resolved through an agreement requiring the surrender of his license.

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In one matter, the District Attorney's Office declined prosecution. In the other, the matter was resolved through and agreement requirin