DeKalb County CEO Lorraine Cochran Johnson has announced the launch of Digital Shield, a new $18.9 million initiative aimed at enhancing public safety through advanced technology. The program will deploy Flock Safety cameras across the county to help law enforcement prevent and solve crimes.
The DeKalb County Board of Commissioners approved the investment unanimously. According to CEO Cochran Johnson, “Digital Shield is about protecting every corner of DeKalb. This unprecedented investment gives our police department the tools to prevent crime, solve cases faster, and give residents the peace of mind they deserve. This is a defining moment for how we reimagine public safety in our county.”
Digital Shield will use license plate recognition technology and real-time data sharing to assist police in tracking stolen vehicles, identifying suspects, and generating leads during investigations. Cameras are planned for major corridors, neighborhood entry points, and high-traffic intersections throughout DeKalb County.
The initiative includes integration with the Real Time Crime Center for live monitoring and investigations, collaboration with neighboring jurisdictions already using Flock technology, and safeguards for transparency and ethical data use.
CEO Cochran Johnson’s administration has previously increased pay and benefits for police officers in an effort to make DeKalb one of metro Atlanta’s most competitive law enforcement employers. Other recent efforts have included recruitment initiatives, officer training programs, and retention strategies.
“I want to thank the Board for unanimously approving this investment,” said CEO Cochran Johnson. “With Digital Shield, and through our ongoing commitment to supporting and investing in our officers, DeKalb is taking bold steps to strengthen public safety and protect the security of our residents.”
Deployment of Digital Shield will begin immediately with full implementation expected within a year.
In other recent developments affecting DeKalb County schools: enrollment declined by 2.2% during the 2022-23 school year compared to the previous year (https://www.gadoe.org/), bringing total enrollment down to 98,287 students (https://www.gadoe.org/). White students represented 14% of enrolled students that year (https://www.gadoe.org/).
For more information on DeKalb County’s partnership with Flock Technology visit DeKalb County’s Digital Shield Initiative.
