APACHE JUNCTION, Ariz. - Police in Apache Junction have released additional details surrounding an incident that involved one of their officers misusing automated license plate reader (ALPR) technology.
The backstory:
On Aug. 10, officials with the department said an internal investigation revealed that the officer used ALPR technology to track down his wife for personal reasons. The officer was later identified by police chief Michael Pooley as Joshua McDaniel.
What We Know Now:
On Aug. 18, Apache Junction Police released various documents related to McDaniel, including documents surrounding the internal investigation into McDaniel. The documents were released following a public records request that we made.
Per the documents, the internal investigation on McDaniel began on April 20, one day after the misuse incident happened. Besides McDaniel, two police dispatchers were also put under the same investigation. The identities of those two dispatchers were redacted from the documents we received. McDaniel was also placed on administrative leave as a result of the investigation.
The investigation was completed by July 1. Per a Notice of Discipline that was sent to McDaniel on July 23, two allegations - misuse of any Department or another law enforcement database and any act on- or off-duty which brings discredit to the department, were deemed "sustained," meaning the allegations were "supported by sufficient evidence to justify a reasonable conclusion of guilt."
The Notice of Discipline stated that investigators found the following:
- McDaniels "knowingly logged into the Flock database to track his wife"
- A review of audit log verified that McDaniel searched for the license plate of the car his wife was driving
- McDaniels walked into dispatch and contacted two dispatchers about his wife, which "initiated further searches tracking his wife's driving path and location using the Flock ALPR database."
- McDaniels called Casa Grande police, and later told them that his wife "had mental issues and is not ‘right.’"
The Notice of Discipline also noted that McDaniel had signed the department's ADPR policy, and "should have known he was violating policy."
The other side:
McDaniel, per the documents, was interviewed by police on the morning of June 16, and when asked if he had used any "police department technologies or database systems for non-official purposes on or around April 19, 2026," McDaniel said yes, and when asked on what specific technology he was referring to, McDaniel replied "Flock."
During that interview, McDaniel also read a statement to the investigators. It reads:
"So, I'd like to begin by acknowledging that I exercised poor judgment when I accessed a law enforcement database for a matter that was personal in nature and outside the scope of my official duties. I understand the importance of maintaining the integrity of privileged law enforcement systems and I take full responsibility for my actions.
Looking back, I recognize that I should have handled the situation differently, regardless of my intentions. I understand that the access itself was inappropriate and inconsistent with the trust placed in me as a law enforcement officer. I sincerely apologize for my lapse in judgment.
I would also like to provide some context regarding my state of mind during this period. As a relatively young officer I have been exposed to experiences that have significantly impacted me, most notably being directly involved in transferring [redacted] after being shot, which at the time I did not realize to be so traumatic. Witnessing and experiencing that event along with the aftermath of the officer involved shooting had a profound effect on my mental and emotional wellbeing.
At the time I did not fully recognize the extent to which those events were affecting me. While I'm not offering these circumstances as an excuse for my conduct, they are relevant to understanding the challenges I was experiencing. In hindsight, I should have sought additional support and utilize available resources rather than allowing stress, trauma, and poor judgment to influence my decision making.
In this career I've worked hard to serve the department community with professionalism and integrity. I have no prior disciplinary history, and I've always sought to learn, improve, and contribute positively as an officer. I remain committed to those values and to rebuilding any trust that may have been impacted by this incident. This experience has reinforced the seriousness of maintaining appropriate boundaries regarding access to department databases and information systems. I have reflected extensively on my actions, and I can confidently say that this mistake will not be repeated.
I accept responsibility for my conduct, and I'm committed to ensuring that my future actions reflect the standards expected of me as a police officer. Thank you for the opportunity to provide this statement."
Dig deeper:
The Notice of Discipline sent to McDaniel included a reference of McDaniel talking about the trauma of an incident.
While the exact nature of that incident was redacted from the documents we received, the same set of documents contained a letter dated June 3, 2025 that reference a critical incident that McDaniel was involved in the day prior, with the city encouraging McDaniel to "seek counseling through the Employee Assistance Program" or through a license psychologist of his choosing.
While the letter was not specific in its reference of the incident, the shooting of Officer Gabriel Facio happened on that day. Facio would die just days later, on June 8.
What Happened Next:
While the Notice of Discipline noted that McDaniel would be fired, McDaniel tendered his resignation with immediate effect on July 23.
Big picture view:
The incident in Apache Junction came to light as scrutiny of ALPR technology grew across Arizona.
On Aug. 7, we reported that Chandler Police has launched an internal investigation into the potential misuse of their Flock license plate readers. The officer allegedly involved was identified as Maurisio Miranda, and we learned on Aug. 19 that Miranda has resigned from his post.
On Aug. 11, Tempe Police announced that they will end license plate reader data sharing with Flock. Officials with the East Valley city said their police department has "never used Flock Safety data for any purpose other than law enforcement," and that multiple audits have not found misuse.
Just one day later, on Aug. 12, Surprise Police announced that they will suspend their use of ALPRs after a routine audit "identified an anomaly in the use of the system."
"The City has launched an investigation into a potential violation of its ALPR policy, and a Surprise Police officer has been placed on administrative leave until the investigation can be completed," read a portion of Surprise's statement.
On Aug. 18, Surprise announced they had canceled their Flock contract,
The Source: Information for this article was gathered from documents released by the Apache Junction Police Department, with supplemental information gathered from previous FOX 10 news reports surrounding allegations of improper ALPR use in August 2026.