Former Fulton County commissioner calling for more oversight of Flock cameras, overhaul of system

Our Take

When a former county commissioner starts calling for oversight and an overhaul of a surveillance system, it's worth paying attention. 11Alive's report out of Fulton County adds to a growing pile of evidence that Flock's ALPR network wasn't rolled out with the kind of guardrails, audits, or public accountability that a tool capable of tracking every driver's movements actually deserves. This isn't an activist or a privacy nonprofit raising the alarm — it's someone who was inside the government that approved these deals now saying the current setup doesn't hold up.

That distinction matters. Local officials often greenlight Flock contracts with vague promises about solving crime, then leave the actual policy details — retention periods, who can query the data, whether outside agencies get access — vague or unenforced. When former insiders start pushing back, it's usually because they've seen firsthand how thin those safeguards really are, or how little oversight exists once the cameras go live. Fulton County residents deserve real answers about who's watching the watchers, not just another vendor's sales pitch dressed up as public safety policy.

Credit to 11Alive for putting this story in front of viewers and giving a former official space to say what a lot of residents are already thinking. If you want to see how many of these cameras are already active near you, check our camera map, and if you're ready to push your own local officials for the kind of oversight Fulton County is now debating, our take-action resources are a good place to start.