Former Concord Cop Violates Driver Privacy Act; Was Fined, Agrees To Forfeit Certification

CONCORD, NH — A former police officer in Concord pleaded guilty on Thursday to violating driver privacy by using state databases to query information for personal use.

Michael Kosa, 32, of Clear Creek Way in Manchester, was charged earlier this month with two counts of disclose-misuse of DMV records. In July 2022, he used the State Police Online Telecommunication System, known as SPOTS, to query the name and date of birth of a person he knew and then used the information to obtain information from the New Hampshire Department of Motor Vehicles. Kosa then used the data for “non-law enforcement purposes,” said Michael Garrity, the director of communications for the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office, which prosecuted the case.

In September 2022, Kosa again used SPOTS to query a license plate belonging to the same person, reaccessed the DMV, and used the information for personal use.

In Concord District Court Thursday, Kosa pleaded guilty to two counts of violating records and certifications, also known as the Driver Privacy Act, as part of a plea deal. He was fined $2,400 with all but $500 suspended for two years. Garrity said Kosa also agreed to resign from the police department, surrender his certification, and not seek employment in law enforcement.

“He also agreed to not contest his placement on a national registry of decertified officers or on the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Exculpatory Evidence Schedule (EES),” also known as the “Laurie List.”

Garrity said if Kosa violated any of the conditions of the plea bargain within two years, “the state may seek to impose the suspended portion of his negotiated sentence and reserves the right to bring forward additional charges.”

While with the department, Kosa earned around $65,000 annually. At post time, it was unknown how long he was employed with the department — although online records appear to show he was hired in early 2019.

Garrity said the Concord Police Department and New Hampshire State Police assisted the public integrity unit with the case.

Have you got a news tip? Please send it to tony.schinella@patch.com. View videos on Tony Schinella's YouTube.com channel or Rumble.com channel.