Atlanta mayor proposes surveillance oversight rules after 79 Flock searches flagged

Mayor Andre Dickens plans to introduce citywide legislation next week that would establish permanent oversight and privacy rules for surveillance cameras after an internal Atlanta Police Department audit flagged 79 Flock license plate reader searches for review.

The proposed ordinance, scheduled for introduction at the Sept. 21 Atlanta City Council meeting, would turn internal police safeguards into binding city law across municipal departments.

The move follows a directive from Dickens ordering APD to review officers’ use of automated license plate recognition technology.

An internal audit examined 115,578 Flock search inquiries conducted so far this year. Police officials said 99.93% complied with policy and training, but investigators opened an inquiry into 79 searches — about 0.07% of the total — to determine whether any unauthorized searches occurred.

Police Chief Darin Schierbaum said the internal investigation into the flagged searches should be completed within 60 days. Officials emphasized that a flagged search reflects a potential policy deviation under review, not a confirmed violation.

“Technology that gives government extraordinary capabilities must come with extraordinary accountability,” Dickens said in a statement. “Public safety is not a blank check, and neither is privacy an excuse to deny law enforcement tools that can help save lives and solve crimes.”

Immediate police restrictions enacted

Ahead of the legislative rollout, APD updated its standard operating procedures, known as APD.SOP.5193, and enacted several administrative restrictions:

• Outside agency limits: Outside law enforcement agencies are barred from direct access. Partner requests must go through authorized APD task force officers.
• Account cutoffs: APD revoked system access for all retired reserve officer login accounts.
• Tighter definitions: The updated policy explicitly outlines authorized law enforcement purposes, defines prohibited searches and details potential criminal or administrative penalties for misuse.
• Mandatory audits: APD implemented monthly compliance audits and distributed required refresher training videos on authorized use.

“APD is committed to ensuring license plate recognition technology is used responsibly, appropriately and solely for legitimate law enforcement purposes,” Schierbaum wrote in a Sept. 10 memo to Chief Operating Officer LaChandra Burks.

10-point plan headed to City Council

The Dickens administration’s proposal would create a 10-part regulatory framework governing public safety cameras and related tracking technology.

Key provisions include:

• Independent and public audits: The measure would codify monthly internal police audits, require quarterly public reports summarizing corrective actions and mandate an annual independent compliance review of high-risk systems.
• Strict prohibitions: The proposal would explicitly prohibit discriminatory or viewpoint-based tracking, along with personal or commercial use of surveillance data.
• Vendor accountability: Contractors, including Flock Safety, would be required to include city privacy, retention and data-sharing limits in their contracts. Those contracts would be subject to annual audits.
• Public inventory: The city would publish an inventory of covered surveillance systems and require a review before emergency or temporary event cameras could become permanent.

The administration has requested a City Council work session and public hearing to gather feedback from community groups, civil rights advocates and privacy experts. Dickens has set a goal of full council approval within 60 days of the ordinance’s introduction.