Police surveillance, Flock cameras face public scrutiny in 2 metro Atlanta communities

Two metro Atlanta communities are holding public meetings Wednesday night to hear residents' concerns and answer questions about police surveillance technology.

Gwinnett County Commissioner Kirkland Carden will hold a town hall to answer residents' questions about the county's use of Flock license plate-reading cameras. Representatives from Gwinnett County police and the Planning and Development Department will also discuss federal immigration enforcement policies and how data center proposals are reviewed.

"As a commissioner, I've had residents reach out with questions and concerns regarding Flock Safety," Carden said in a statement. "Having this town hall gives our residents an opportunity to get those questions answered directly."

The meeting comes after Gwinnett County police fired and arrested three officers during an investigation into alleged misuse of the county's license plate-reader system.

After gaining access to Flock's auditing system, the department changed its rules. Officers must now provide a reason for a search to a supervisor, who decides whether to conduct it. The department also required officers to undergo new training and reduced the time it retains Flock data from 30 days to 15 days.

Gwinnett County Police Chief J.D. McClure said the cameras remain an important tool for solving violent crimes and finding missing people but acknowledged the need for oversight.

"We understand why the public expects us to closely monitor who accesses this technology and how it is being used," McClure said in the department's release.

The Gwinnett town hall runs from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Gwinnett Justice and Administration Center, located at 75 Langley Drive in Lawrenceville. The county will stream it live on Facebook.

At the same time, ACLU of Georgia representatives will address the Doraville City Council about a proposed Community Control Over Police Surveillance ordinance, known as CCOPS.

The ACLU said the ordinance would require a public review process before police purchase or use new surveillance tools. It would also create rules for how information is collected, stored and shared.

The organization said Georgia does not have a comprehensive statewide law governing police surveillance data. It is encouraging Doraville residents to participate in the discussion.

The Doraville City Council meeting begins at 6 p.m. at Doraville City Hall, located at 2421 Van Fleet Circle, Suite 200.