ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) — Advocates opposed to license-plate reader technology rallied outside Atlanta City Hall as the Atlanta-based company Flock Safety opened a three-day conference.

The advocates are calling on the Atlanta Police Department to end its contract with Flock. They are also calling on Home Depot to end its contract with the company.

“Invest in community. Stop investing in surveillance,” said advocate Dawn Rush.

“It’s not just about a camera. Public safety matters. But so does human dignity. So does accountability,” said Gail Macklin Sall.

“Just like we didn’t want ‘Cop City,’ we don’t want ‘Flock City,’” Kamau Franklin said.

Home Depot responds

Advocates alleged the cameras have been and can be used at Home Depot locations to assist in immigration enforcement.

Home Depot did not name Flock by name in a statement, which read: “We do not grant access to our license plate readers to federal law enforcement.”

Advocates allege ICE agents are going through local law enforcement agencies as a workaround to access the cameras.

According to an “Immigration Activity in Our Parking Lots” page on Home Depot’s website, the company said it is not involved in immigration enforcement operations and does not coordinate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Customs and Border Protection or other federal agencies regarding them. The company said its stores and parking lots are publicly accessible, so law enforcement agents do not require a warrant to enter those areas, and it complies with applicable federal and local laws in every community where it operates.

Home Depot’s website said the company uses license plate readers in its parking lots to detect and prevent theft and to protect the safety of customers and associates, and that it does not grant federal law enforcement access to that information.

Home Depot’s Privacy & Security Statement includes a separate policy governing what it calls Automated License Plate Recognition, or ALPR, systems. According to the statement, the company collects license plate data for “fraud prevention, security, and asset protection purposes,” and access is limited to designated personnel in its security, asset protection, information technology and legal departments who undergo training on the policy.

‘Flock Forward’ conference

The rally comes as Flock Safety hosts its “Flock Forward” conference Aug. 18-20 in Atlanta. According to the company’s website, the event is built for law enforcement leaders, public safety professionals, private-sector security leaders and invited partners, and features keynotes, fireside chats, customer-led panels and investigative case studies on deployment, operations, investigations, integrated response and community impact.

The website says the conference is expected to draw more than 500 attendees from public safety, security and operations roles across the country. It says attendees can meet one-on-one with compliance experts to discuss regulatory compliance and preparation for city council conversations. Registration costs $350 per attendee and includes access to sessions, meals and other conference activities, according to the website.

Conyers arrest

In Conyers, 24 miles east of Atlanta, police arrested a suspect in a fatal hit-and-run that killed Andrea Cantrell, 43, of Conyers. The incident happened in the early morning hours of Monday, Aug. 17, 2026, on Dogwood Drive.

The Conyers Police Department, working with the Georgia State Patrol, secured warrants for Derrick Lydell Mathis, 52, of Oxford, on a charge of homicide by vehicle. Mathis was arrested without incident at a motel in Conyers, according to police.

RELATED: Arrest made in deadly Conyers hit-and-run, police say

Conyers police detectives worked with the Georgia State Patrol to identify the vehicle and person believed to be involved, reviewing surveillance footage and using the department’s Flock Safety intelligence platform and license plate reader technology to develop leads, according to police. The technology allowed detectives to access and analyze vehicle information, helping them narrow their search and locate the suspected vehicle at a residence on Harvel Street in Conyers, police said.

A Conyers police spokesperson said Flock surveillance played a “significant role” in the investigation, which led to an arrest within 12 hours of the initial call. The Georgia State Patrol is the lead agency in the case, and Conyers police said they will continue to assist as needed.

Policy changes

Flock has recently tightened some of its policies around how the technology is regulated, including storing video on its server for seven days rather than a 30-day standard. Asked whether there is middle ground on the issue in light of those changes, advocate Al Solove said the measures don’t go far enough.

“There really is no safe mass surveillance network,” Solove said.

Protesters are planning a rally Wednesday night in downtown Atlanta, where they believe the conference is taking place.

MORE COVERAGE:

Flock Safety overhauls rules following ANF investigations

Atlanta reviews police use of Flock Safety cameras amid advocacy pushback

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