GBI Arrests Former Emerson Police Department Officer with Misuse of a License Plate Reader System

Emerson, GA (September 14, 2026) - The GBI has arrested and charged former Emerson Police Department Officer Anthony Trapani, age 32, of Rockmart, GA, with two counts of Misuse of a License Plate Reader System and Violation of Oath of Office.

The Acworth Police Department (APD) requested the GBI to investigate allegations of misuse of the Flock Safety System. Preliminary information indicates that Trapani used the APD Flock Safety System for non-law enforcement purposes while employed with the Acworth Police Department, and that misuse continued after Trapani transferred employment to the Emerson Police Department in 2025.

On September 14, 2026, Trapani turned himself in and was booked into the Bartow County Sheriff’s Office.

This investigation is active and ongoing. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the GBI Atlanta Regional Investigative Office in Conyers at 770-388-5019. Anonymous tips can also be submitted by calling 1-800-597-TIPS(8477), online at https://gbi.georgia.gov/submit-tips-online, or by downloading the See Something, Send Something mobile app.

Once the investigation is complete, the case file will be given to the Bartow County District Attorney’s Office and the Cobb County District Attorney’s Office for prosecution.