The San Luis Obispo County District Attorney’s Office on June 19 dropped charges made against a former Paso Robles police officer in 2011 over the alleged unlawful use of department records.

Jeffry Bromby pleaded not guilty in June 2011 to four misdemeanor counts, which is punishable by a fine of up to $5,000 or one year in San Luis Obispo County Jail for each count, according to court records.

The prosecution decided not to move forward with the case because of insufficient evidence, which would have required proving Bromby made a false representation to obtain information through department records.

“I’m gratified by the decision to dismiss this case, which is the correct decision,” said Ilan Funke-Bilu, Bromby’s attorney.

From 2008 to 2010, Bromby allegedly looked up his own name and the names of others unassociated with incidents logged at the Paso Robles Police Department, according to a police report that was part of the case documents.

Bromby told the investigating officer the names belonged to people he knew, according to the police report.

The names were redacted from the report.

Bromby told the investigating officer he was looking up the names because he was trying to find potential criminal activity.

The police department’s equipment is linked to state databases that show details such as whether a driver’s license has been suspended or whether an arrest warrant has been filed against an individual.