Local
South Fulton town hall puts Flock camera oversight in focus
Residents at a South Fulton town hall pressed for stronger privacy safeguards around license-plate reader data. State Sen. Jaha Howard said he is working on legislation to limit access to the information and improve accountability.
South Fulton residents questioned how police use data from Flock Safety license-plate reader cameras and what protections keep that information from being misused at a town hall Thursday night at the Southwest Arts Center.
The discussion brought together five panelists, including a representative of Flock Safety, as residents weighed the cameras’ potential role in investigations against concerns about privacy and oversight. The cameras record license plates as vehicles pass, and law enforcement agencies can use the data to help identify vehicles connected to crimes.
Resident Chris Green said he attended to learn what privacy protections are in place and what legislation might be introduced. Jalen Johnson, Flock Safety’s government relations manager, said public safety and community values can coexist, and argued that the technology should not be banned.
South Fulton Mayor Carmalitha Gumbs said the discussion must consider how the system develops and affects residents. Gumbs and Georgia state Sen. Jaha Howard are pushing for more oversight. Howard said he is working on legislation that would restrict who can access license-plate data and increase accountability.
The town hall comes amid a broader debate over how agencies access, share and use location-linked vehicle data. Any policy changes could shape the balance between investigative tools and residents’ expectations of privacy.