FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Henry Lockwood was not just another police officer.
He was a detective who served as a public face of the Fort Lauderdale Police Department, a recruiting officer who mentored students at Dillard High School, led charity drives, and promoted the department on national television. He was the kind of officer often held up as a role model.
Now, he’s been fired.
The Fort Lauderdale Police Department confirmed Lockwood’s termination following an internal affairs investigation that found he abused his authority, misused police databases and equipment, and gave conflicting statements to investigators about a GPS tracker found on his ex-girlfriend’s car.
According to an internal report obtained by Local 10 News, Lockwood’s violated multiple policies and possibly state laws while on and off duty.
Lockwood’s career highlights included co-leading a Thanksgiving turkey giveaway in 2023 for hundreds of needy families.
“You can see the need here today, when you have 1,200 families you feed, yet you still have another 100 or 200 that can use a meal,” Lockwood said at the time.
He was photographed by the South Florida Sun Sentinel doing push-ups and interacting with spring breakers on Fort Lauderdale Beach during a 2024 recruitment event. That same spring, he appeared on Fox News to promote the department’s outreach efforts.
“We want them to be safe,” Lockwood said on national television. “We also let them know the opportunities that we have available within the police department.”
As a recruiting officer, Lockwood also took part in the department’s “Youth Behind the Shield” mentorship program.
Behind the scenes, however, Lockwood was under scrutiny by internal affairs for conduct that investigators ultimately deemed deceptive, unethical, and unauthorized.
One of the key incidents involved a GPS tracker discovered on a vehicle belonging to Lockwood’s ex-girlfriend.
At first, authorities said Lockwood denied placing it. He later admitted to a supervisor that he did before walking back that statement, suggesting someone else may have installed the device.
Investigators said Coconut Creek Hyundai surveillance footage captured Lockwood entering a staff-only service area, while on duty and in plain clothes, to retrieve the tracker once it was discovered by employees.
According to internal affairs documents, Lockwood also accessed restricted police databases at least 26 times between April and August 2024 for personal reasons. It also stated that he conducted unauthorized searches involving his ex-girlfriend, her brother, friends and even a former romantic partner.
In one instance, the report stated that he admitted to providing a friend identified in the report only as “Mr. Brown” with sensitive information about his ex-girlfriend’s home address, vehicle color, and tag number. Lockwood claimed the friend needed it to determine whether the woman was “following” him.
The department found Lockwood’s explanation inconsistent and unsubstantiated.
Use of law enforcement databases for personal matters can constitute a felony under Florida law. Lockwood searched personal data from systems such as D.A.V.I.D. and FCIC/NCIC, according to the report.
The report stated that he additionally used his city-issued police vehicle to shuttle his ex-girlfriend’s brother around town for errands, gym visits, and social outings in Hollywood, Florida, while off duty.
License plate reader data confirmed the vehicle’s movements.
While no criminal charges have been filed to date, the case is under review by the Broward State Attorney’s Public Corruption Unit.
The Fort Lauderdale Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 31 is appealing the termination.
“The union is appealing the decision and supports Lockwood’s right to have the case reviewed by an independent arbitrator,” a union spokesperson said in a written statement.
Lockwood did not respond to requests for comment from Local 10 News. Repeated attempts to contact him at his residence were unsuccessful.