DECATUR, Ga. — Opposition to Flock Safety cameras is no longer limited to public meetings and social media posts.
In the past few months, more than half a dozen of these cameras have been vandalized.
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In Decatur, Police Chief Scott Richards recently told city leaders the department has dealt with multiple incidents involving Flock cameras.
“We had a pole cut down, had a Flock Safety camera on it,” Richards said.
The department has also reported cameras being spray-painted, turned away from roadways and stolen from their mounting locations.
Those incidents add to other reported cases around Georgia, including damaged cameras in Barrow County and a destroyed camera in Lumpkin County.
“That’s a fight against the system at this point,” said Cobb County resident Nigel McElroy. “I wouldn’t say I’m for it. I’m not for anybody destroying property.”
McElroy said he feels like the technology is an invasion of personal privacy.
“I am infuriated because I don’t want to be tracked at all times, at all moments,” he said.
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In the past few months, more than 40 officers have been fired, resigned, arrested or otherwise disciplined following allegations they misused Flock’s license plate reader database for personal reasons.
Georgia State University professor and former police officer Thaddeus Johnson said destroying the cameras is not the answer.
“So while you’re trying to combat injustices, you are breaking the law yourself,” Johnson said. “Two wrongs really don’t make a right.”
However, Johnson said the long-term solution is rebuilding the public’s faith through stronger oversight, clearer policies and safeguards governing how the technology is used.
“If you don’t have the guardrails, policy, personnel and infrastructure in place, things can go awry,” he said.
“Because the technology will not work if the people don’t feel it’s legitimate.”
Authorities have already begun bringing criminal cases in some incidents. In Barrow County, sheriff’s officials announced the arrest of Andrew Lyle Morrison in connection with vandalism of a camera.
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