DeKalb County Video Surveillance Letter

County officials in DeKalb County, Georgia are requiring gas stations and convenience stores to install surveillance cameras at their own expense and turn video footage over to law enforcement without a warrant. DeKalb County’s dystopian ordinance is grossly unconstitutional and threatens people’s livelihood.

DeKalb County’s Board of Commissioners passed an ordinance in December 2022 mandating that all gas stations and convenience stores install security camera systems that meet a list of specific requirements, despite the fact that 90% of these businesses already have existing systems in place. Any business that fails to comply with the county’s new requirements by January 1, 2024, risks losing their business license, in addition to the potential for fines or jailtime.

The government can’t get around the warrant requirement by forcing businesses to surveil their customer on the police’s behalf. That’s why the Institute for Justice (IJ) sent a letter to leaders in DeKalb County, calling on them to repeal their Orwellian ordinance.