GAINESVILLE, Ga. — Three Hall County sheriff’s deputies have resigned while under investigation as the agency continues auditing use of its Flock safety system.
The investigations found that two deputies conducted unauthorized searches and a third asked a colleague to search for information on people she knew, according to the Hall County Sheriff’s Office.
Jason Orellana, a Uniform Patrol Division deputy, resigned Wednesday, Aug. 26. An internal investigation found he conducted 10 unauthorized searches at the request of a co-worker who did not have access to the system, the agency said. Orellana had worked for the sheriff’s office since April 2019.
Jail Division deputy Taylor McArthur resigned Thursday, Aug. 27, the same day she was notified she was under investigation for violating agency policies. According to the sheriff’s office, McArthur provided information to Orellana and asked him to check the Flock system for information on people known to her. She had been employed since April 2023.
Deputy Austin Scott Flanagan also resigned Aug. 27. He was already on paid administrative leave following his Aug. 25 arrest on a charge of making harassing phone calls.
Flanagan was under investigation both in connection with his arrest and for unauthorized use of Flock. Investigators determined he accessed the system twice for personal reasons unrelated to his job, the sheriff’s office said. He had worked for the agency since November 2022.
The sheriff’s office said the violations remain under review and will be referred to the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council, which oversees officer certification.
These resignations bring the total to five Hall County deputies who have resigned or been fired as a result of Flock investigations in the past two weeks.
The sheriff’s office said its Internal Affairs Unit is continuing its Flock audit.
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