Residents sign petition asking Avondale Estates to remove Flock cameras
Avondale Estates petition targets Flock cameras
More than 800 Avondale Estates residents signed a petition asking city leaders to remove all ten Flock Safety license plate reader cameras. Resident Kate Denny raised concerns over data tracking and officer misuse, while city officials stated they are weighing the decision.
DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. - A growing group of Avondale Estates residents is petitioning city leaders to completely remove automated license plate readers over surveillance and privacy concerns.
Avondale Estates Flock camera petition
What we know:
A change.org petition calling for the removal of Flock license plate recognition cameras in Avondale Estates has gathered more than 800 signatures, driven by resident concerns over data privacy and constant surveillance.
The small community currently operates about 10 of the Flock cameras. However, residents who signed the petition are asking the city to take all of them down.
Organizers are advocating for formal legal frameworks rather than internal police policies to regulate automated license plate readers, focusing on how data is accessed, collected, and shared across interconnected camera networks.
Resident surveillance concerns
What they're saying:
Kate Denny, an Avondale Estates resident who signed the petition, said the lack of oversight and data protection surrounding the AI-driven network is a primary concern. She and other residents are advocating for laws to be created around
"That regulates how Flock is used, who can use it, how it's accessed, all of that needs to be … law," Denny said.
Concerns over potential misuse by law enforcement, along with long-term data storage, have further fueled the opposition. Denny pointed to instances of officers being arrested or placed on leave for misusing Flock systems as reasons for caution.
"Once you get all of this out there and accumulate all of this data ... How are we going to put it back in Pandora's box?" Denny said.
While Denny noted that police should have the necessary tools to keep the community safe, she argued that license plate cameras cross the line into unwarranted tracking of everyday residents.
"But when a tool that they are using is making us feel less safe because of law-abiding citizens are being tracked, there's an issue with that," Denny said.
Denny hopes the petition will encourage Avondale Estates to set a precedent for surrounding areas considering similar technology.
"The safest thing to do is put in regulations to eliminate this particular type of surveillance, to put in regulations, and then find something that is a good tool that helps police that is also protecting the rest of the community," she added.
City response to petition
The other side:
In response to the petition, the City of Avondale Estates issued a statement addressing the growing movement.
"The BOMC [Board of Mayor and Commissioners] is aware of the petition and is carefully weighing the pros and cons of Flock cameras as they consider the best decision for the City of Avondale Estates," the statement said.
What we don't know:
City leaders have not announced an official date for a formal vote on whether to cancel or modify the Flock camera contract.
What's next:
A public forum on Flock cameras organized by Denny is scheduled for Oct. 13 in her backyard at Avondale Estates.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from an online petition statement on Change.org, interviews conducted by FOX 5's Tara Jabour with Avondale Estates resident Kate Denny, and an official response from the Avondale Estates Board of Mayor and Commissioners.