DeKalb County to vote on increased oversight of Flock surveillance technology

DeKalb County leaders are scheduled to vote Tuesday morning on a proposal to increase oversight of the county's use of Flock Safety's surveillance technology, according to Atlanta News First.

The proposal, introduced by Super District 6 Commissioner Ted Terry, calls for independent civilian oversight and auditing of the police surveillance network. This move comes amid concerns about potential abuses of the Flock system, as there is currently no federal oversight in place.

Recent investigations highlighted at least 19 cases in Georgia where police officers faced disciplinary or criminal actions for misusing the Flock license plate reader database for personal reasons, such as tracking romantic partners. These findings contributed to a U.S. Senate subcommittee hearing addressing civil liberties and transparency in surveillance networks.

Flock Safety states that every search is logged and audited, but public records advocates have expressed concern after the company altered audit logs to remove officer names and license plate numbers, making it harder for victims to verify searches. The controversy has also led some municipalities to reconsider or pause their contracts with Flock's surveillance services.