According to the Cape Cod Times, a Barnstable police detective allegedly shared personal information that he got through a law enforcement database. The Cape Cod Times reports that a Walpole family received a voicemail claiming the family had been involved in a car accident. The voicemail referenced the license plate number the VIN number and the caller stated he knew with the family lived. No accident had occurred. After getting the voicemail the family went to the Walpole police where it then was revealed that a Barnstable police detective John York had checked the license registration five days before the telephone message.
A Barnstable police investigation revealed that the detective share the information with somebody outside the department. According to the chief of the Barnstable police the detective was counseled on procedures and rules governing the running a registration plates. Even after the investigation the officer denies passing the information on to somebody outside the department stating that must’ve been a strange coincidence.