VALDOSTA, GA (WTXL) - A Valdosta Police Officer has been fired after being charged with Felony Eavesdropping/Surveillance.
Howard Kent Kirkland was arrested by the Lanier County Sheriff's Office after a coordinated investigation with the Valdosta Police Department.
Officials with the Lanier County Sheriff's Office say that the charges stem from Kirkland's flying of a "drone" aircraft over homes in an area neighborhood.
Kirkland was flying the remote controlled aircraft topped with a camera in the neighborhood and Deputies say several complaints were made to authorities, "Complaints were initially filed by several members of the community in late June and additional complaints were received in July. In the late June complaint a Sheriff's Deputy made contact with the suspect in the case and attempted to encourage him not to operate the "drone" aircraft above the homes of the complainants to hopefully prevent any escalation in the matter."
The Sheriff's Office says the District Attorney's Office was consulted before charges were filed.
Kirkland was placed on suspension without pay while the investigation was on-going but was fired from the Valdosta Police Department on Monday.
Chief Brian Childress of the Valdosta Police Department released a statement saying, "Based on the internal investigation, it is clear there was sufficient evidence to substantiate the charge against Kirkland and it was determined Kirkland violated several sections of Valdosta Police Department Policy. Although I regret it happened, I am proud of the efforts of Lanier County Sheriff's Office to investigate this incident. If we don't police ourselves, we violate the trust of our community."
