Media interviews available Tuesday, November 10 from 12:30-2 PM
DEKALB COUNTY – November 9, 2026. DeKalb County Super District 6 Commissioner Ted Terry is urging the Board of Commissioners (BOC) during the November 10 Board meeting to pass a critical resolution requesting that the administration establish an independent Civilian Oversight Board for the county’s digital surveillance infrastructure.
The vote comes after the Employee Relations and Public Safety (ERPS) committee voted 3-0 to deny the resolution, despite a recent internal audit confirming that DeKalb County officers violated county policy regarding the misuse of FLOCK automated license plate readers.
Commissioner Terry’s resolution introduces the American Civil Liberties Union’s (ACLU) Community Control Over Police Surveillance (CCOPS) framework to DeKalb County. The CCOPS framework mandates legally binding use policies, independent auditing, and a requirement for public hearings on all surveillance system contracts before they are considered by the Board.
Commissioner Terry cites the instance in Dunwoody as the first alert to possible abuse, but the issue isn’t isolated to Dunwoody, as there is an ongoing nationwide debate demanding transparency.
“Last year, the Board approved an $18 million investment into new police surveillance infrastructure. Before that, the prevailing attitude was simply trusting that the police were doing everything right,” said Commissioner Ted Terry. “How many times do we need to be shown otherwise before we course-correct our public policy to safeguard civil liberties? We do not wait for a house to burn down before we install smoke detectors. True oversight is preventative governance.”
During committee hearings, opposition from Commissioners to the oversight board centered on the assertion that there is no widespread abuse. “We can no longer fund mass surveillance on the promise of blind trust,” continued Commissioner Terry. “With over 200 documented cases of abuse nationwide, from officers stalking ex-partners to wrongful detentions, the data is clear: without independent oversight, these systems don’t just protect our communities, they expose them. ‘Trust us’ is no longer an acceptable public policy.”
Commissioner Terry also noted that the current “transparency portal” heavily referenced by the administration is actually a website produced by FLOCK Safety, not an independent, objective auditing mechanism run by DeKalb County. The Commissioner went on to warn that surveillance technology and artificial intelligence are rapidly evolving beyond license plate readers, now encompassing drones and the integration of private security cameras through the Fusus system, as part of the larger real-time crime center system.
“If this Board cannot guarantee independent oversight, if we cannot guarantee transparency, and if we cannot guarantee civil liberty protections, then we must cancel the license plate readers and related contracts entirely,” said Commissioner Terry. “If we do not have independent civilian oversight, we must pause any expansion of our real-time crime center operations until a system of checks and balances is fully established. We owe it to the future of DeKalb County to build an institution of accountability that outlives any one CEO, Commissioner, or Police Chief.”
Recent national polling by the National Policing Institute shows that 54.4% of respondents oppose the use of automated license plate readers in their communities, with majorities demanding strict limits on data retention.
The DeKalb County Board of Commissioners will vote on the resolution on Tuesday, November 10, 2026.
MEDIA ADVISORY
- Commissioner Terry Offers Press Availability Following Crucial Vote on Police Surveillance Oversight
- Who: Ted Terry, DeKalb County Super District 6 Commissioner
- What: Press availability and interview opportunity regarding the upcoming Tuesday BOC vote
- When: Tuesday November 10, 2026 from 12:30 PM to 2 PM
- Where: 178 Sams St, Decatur, GA 30030
- Commissioner Terry to Host Town Hall on Surveillance Technology in DeKalb County
- Who: Ted Terry, DeKalb County Super District 6 Commissioner
- What: Town Hall: Surveillance Technologies in DeKalb County
- When: Monday, November 16 from 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM
- Where: Chamblee Library (4115 Clairmont Rd., Chamblee, GA 30341)
- For more information: Click here
Please RSVP: Media planning to attend these events in person or request a virtual interview should RSVP to Isadora Pennington, Commissioner Ted Terry’s Director of New Media and Communications. Email [email protected] or call/text 678-424-0765.