Mariam Dula spoke Tuesday alongside an attorney representing her husband, Randy Dula, who was fired after an investigation into his use of Flock cameras. The attorney advised Randy Dula not to attend the news conference.

Mariam Dula said she has diabetes and experienced emergencies in which her husband lost track of her. She said he used Flock seven times over two years, only after the location-tracking tools they normally relied on failed.

“Had he let me die – he wouldn’t be in this position,” she said, adding that she believes her medical crises led to his use of the system. She rejected the claim that he misused Flock, saying he was trying to locate someone in danger.

The couple and their attorney said they tried to explain the circumstances to Milton’s police chief, but felt their account and medical documentation were not adequately considered in the investigation. Mariam Dula said she felt unable to make her case.

Randy Dula, a former Milton police “Officer of the Year,” is appealing his termination. He also has an upcoming hearing to argue that he should retain his certification through Georgia’s Peace Officer Standards and Training Council. The report said a Georgia statute makes it a crime to use Flock data for purposes outside law enforcement, and that Dula could face charges.

The dispute raises questions about how police departments govern access to automated license-plate reader data, including what qualifies as an authorized search and how agencies review officers’ use of the technology. No findings from Dula’s appeal or certification hearing were reported.