DeKalb Committee backs ‘Digital Shield’ real‑time crime center; $18.9 million contract recommended to full board

DeKalb County’s IRPS Committee on May 20 recommended that the full Board of Commissioners consider a 10‑year contract expansion to build a “Digital Shield” real‑time crime center integrating cameras, license‑plate readers, gunshot detection and drones. Chief Padrick and county staff presented the package and asked the committee for a due pass to the full board.

The presentation described a phased, 10‑year contract with Flock Safety and an operating system to centralize video, license‑plate recognition (LPR), 911 audio, and other feeds. “The total cost is 18,900,000.0, but it's a phased approach,” Chief Padrick said, adding that year‑one costs begin with $561,000.

The package the county presented would expand the county’s LPR footprint to about 271 cameras, add pan‑tilt‑zoom surveillance cameras, include gunshot‑detection nodes, provide four drones as “first responders,” and add three mobile security trailers to the existing two. The system also includes the vendor’s Flock 911 integration and a “freeform” search tool staff described as able to search by vehicle description, multi‑geo movement and fine visual detail to generate investigative leads in real time.

Why it matters: presenters said the system functions as a force multiplier to provide persistent coverage where officers cannot be present and to speed investigations and response. Chief Padrick told commissioners the platform would allow officers to access relevant feeds from in‑car laptops and enable a 24/7 real‑time crime center staffed by civilian crime analysts as the program scales.

Committee questions and staff direction focused on interoperability, staffing and costs. Commissioners asked whether the system can integrate cameras and data from smaller municipalities and private cameras, whether solar powering and permitting are included, how docking stations and drone coverage would be staged, and how evidence would be shared with prosecutors. Chief Padrick said the contract covers implementation, configuration, integration, permitting and ongoing upgrades during the 10‑year term. He said evidence identified as case evidence would be ingested into the county’s records management system and shared with prosecutors via existing evidence portals.

Auditor review and committee vote: staff told the committee the county auditor completed an emergency review to keep the procurement timeline. The committee then voted to recommend approval to the full board; committee members stated “aye” and the chair announced the recommendation for approval.

What remains: staff said implementation will be phased and that the vendor will provide upgrades as technology evolves. Commissioners requested a follow‑up with cost scenarios for different coverage levels, confirmation of camera inventories in specific districts and details on staffing the real‑time crime center (including FAA licensing for drone operators). Staff committed to return with further detail and cost breakdowns as the item moves to the full board.

Ending: The committee’s recommendation moves the Digital Shield item to the full Board of Commissioners for final action. No final contract was signed at the committee level; the committee issued a recommendation to advance the contract for board consideration.