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Residents ask DeKalb commissioners to end Flock surveillance contract
Summary
Multiple public commenters told the board they oppose the county's contract with Flock surveillance units, citing privacy risks, reported misuse by officers elsewhere, and limited crime‑reduction evidence; commissioners noted public concerns and deferred some digital‑policy items for further committee review.
Several speakers said DeKalb’s mobile and fixed Flock cameras represent an ongoing privacy and civil‑liberties risk and urged the board to terminate the county’s contract.
"We hate the surveillance networks," Lane Flynn said during public comment, adding that "contrary to Flock marketing claims, the system absolutely does track everybody" and warning about documented misuse by officers in multiple jurisdictions. Flynn asked commissioners to protect both residents and officers by terminating the county agreement.
Commissioners acknowledged the concerns and highlighted the county’s pending work on civilian oversight and auditing of surveillance infrastructure; a separate resolution asking the administration to establish independent oversight was deferred to Sept. 29 with a prior stop in committee for further review. Commissioners asked staff to coordinate legal and policy reviews and to bring options back to committee before any final policy change.
Why it matters: public concern about pervasive vehicle and pedestrian scanning systems has risen nationwide; speakers raised both privacy and race/equity concerns and cited instances where misuse led to arrests or other harms.
What to watch: the board asked administration and legal staff to provide options, and a surveillance‑oversight resolution was scheduled for committee review and a Sept. 29 consideration.
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