Osceola deputy used crime surveillance system to spy on girlfriend

An Osceola County Sheriff's deputy, Douglas Ford, was arrested for domestic battery and stalking after using the agency's crime monitoring system to spy on his girlfriend, who is an Osceola reserve deputy. Ford accessed the Real-Time Crime Center's database on multiple occasions to view security cameras at the Criminal Justice Academy of Osceola, where his girlfriend worked. He sent her messages indicating he was watching her and even physically assaulted her in the academy parking lot, an incident captured on security cameras. The girlfriend reported that Ford had been tracking her movements and threatened her with a dangerous driving maneuver. Ford faces charges of domestic battery, aggravated assault, and unauthorized computer access. Despite pleading not guilty, a judge denied prosecutors' request to keep him in custody until trial. The case sheds light on the misuse of surveillance technology and the serious allegations of abuse within law enforcement.