MOORESVILLE, N.C. — Former Cornelius police officer Edward Florentino was dismissed from the Cornelius Police Department on Aug. 21, following an internal investigation.
The termination occurred after his girlfriend, Elizabeth Snowman, was arrested for allegedly misusing automatic license plate readers to track Florentino’s ex-wife.
The department cited a violation of Cornelius Police Department General Order 25 as the basis for Florentino’s dismissal.
Department officials declined to elaborate on the specific details of General Order 25 or the investigation findings, citing North Carolina state law that protects the confidentiality of municipal personnel records.
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According to court records, Snowman was arrested while working for the Mooresville Police Department. She is accused of using the town’s Flock automatic license plate readers to track Florentino’s ex-wife.
The Mooresville Police Department subsequently fired Snowman, who is currently out on bond.
Florentino said he personally notified the Cornelius Police Department about Snowman’s arrest, after which he was almost immediately placed on paid administrative leave.
Florentino, who was hired by the department in June, denied any involvement in or prior knowledge of Snowman’s actions.
“I did not tell her to do it,” Florentino said. “I was not aware of it. I knew nothing of what she was doing or what she was looking into.”
Florentino said he offered to pay for a polygraph examination to prove his innocence, but the department proceeded with his termination.
“I think it happened just because I was guilty by association,” Florentino said. “Basically, because I was standing next to her. Because I do have a relationship with her.”
Florentino added that the chief of police told him he “created a dark cloud over Cornelius” prior to his dismissal.
Florentino has a background in law enforcement, having served for years as a military police officer before joining the Cornelius force. His father is also a retired police chief.
Florentino noted he has never worked directly with Flock cameras and expressed concern about how such systems could be abused, while also voicing concern about his ability to continue working in law enforcement.
Florentino’s attorney plans to evaluate potential legal action against the Cornelius Police Department. No lawsuit had been filed as of Wednesday.
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