Georgia Lawmakers Face Renewed Calls for Stronger Digital Privacy Protections Amid Surveillance Misuse Allegations
The arrests of former Savannah Police Department employees for allegedly misusing Flock Safety license plate reader data have reignited the debate over digital privacy and surveillance technology in Georgia. Three former officers face charges of violating their oaths of office and misusing the system, while a former civilian specialist is charged with two counts of misuse. These allegations were uncovered through an internal audit by the department. This incident follows a similar case in Albany, where five former officers were arrested in July for unauthorized searches of Flock data. These events have raised concerns about law enforcement personnel using surveillance databases for personal reasons rather than legitimate investigations. Under Georgia law, accessing license plate reader records for non-law-enforcement purposes is classified as a high and aggravated misdemeanor. 
