DeKalb police chief signed Flock contract in May; City Council approved it in June, records show

Event: May 4, 2025 · First reported: September 1, 2026 · 1 source

Records obtained by Shaw Local News Network through a public records request show DeKalb Police Chief David Byrd signed a contract with Flock Safety on May 4, roughly seven weeks before the City Council voted 4-1 on June 22 to approve the two-year, $27,500 agreement. City Attorney Matt Rose said the contract is valid because the Council ratified Byrd's action, and that staff signing agreements ahead of Council approval is not unusual. Byrd said he signed it with the caveat that Council approval was required before anything further could proceed; 7th Ward Alderman John Walker, the lone dissenting vote, said the sequence raises transparency concerns.

Why this matters

The dispute centers on when elected officials actually exercise authority over surveillance purchases — whether a council vote is a genuine decision point or a ratification of a deal already signed by staff.

Key facts

Chief David Byrd signed the Flock Safety contract May 4; the City Council voted to approve it June 22.
The two-year contract is worth $27,500 and moves DeKalb from Genetec to Flock as its license plate reader vendor.
The Council vote was 4-1, with Alderman John Walker dissenting and three alderpersons absent.
City Attorney Matt Rose said the agreement became legal once the Council ratified it, and that pre-approval signatures by staff are not uncommon.
The city says Flock gives DeKalb police access to a network of about 1,300 agencies, compared with 20 to 25 under Genetec.

Sources

This summary was written from the published reporting below and links to it; BlockFlockNow does not reproduce article text.

DeKalb Police Department signed Flock Safety contract before City Council approved it: Records (Shaw Local, September 1, 2026)

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About this record

BlockFlockNow documents reported incidents involving Flock Safety cameras and automated license plate readers: council votes, contract decisions, misuse by authorized users, lawsuits, audits, and community response. Every record is reviewed by a person before publication. New to the topic? Start with What is Flock?, find meetings near you, or learn how to request your town's camera records.

Updated September 1, 2026. Corrections: blockflock@bytebunny.io. See all documented incidents or search the full article archive.