‘More eyes and ears in the sky’: Dunwoody police open real-time crime center – 95.5 WSB

DUNWOODY, Ga. – Dunwoody Police are the latest law enforcement agency in metro Atlanta to open a real-time crime center that connects surveillance cameras from across the city into one hub.

The department converted its old roll call room into a command center, where video monitors on one wall show streets, parks, parking lots and gas stations.

“And this system puts everything on one central interface,” said Major Patrick Krieg of the Dunwoody Police Department. “We have our analysts run it, who relay and monitor that information.”

The city has about 80 Flock license plate recognition cameras, as well as traffic, business and residential cameras. Analysts working at the crime center can monitor video feeds and assist police officers with emergency calls.

“We were able to supervise officers working in the field and act as a secondary unit or support while doing so,” he said.

The command center also has a map showing officer locations and emergency calls, as well as a list of all calls placed. All video and data is accessible on officers' onboard computers. Dunwoody Police used $360,000 in Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax funding to set up the center.

“There are simply more eyes and ears in the sky. Now we have the technology that not only makes Dunwoody safer, but also helps us solve crimes,” said Dunwoody Police Chief Mike Carlson.

The center has been in operation for about two weeks and has already proven its effectiveness, according to police. Cameras have transmitted video of a fire in Brook Run Park and detectives are reviewing it for possible criminal activity.

“We had a few drunk driving cases that were caught on cameras and were able to get the officers involved,” Krieg said.

Real-time crime centers in metro Atlanta have had success solving major crimes. Cobb County used its center and Flock license plate reading cameras to catch a man accused of shooting five people in Midtown Atlanta in May 2023.

“We can never hire enough officers to cover the entire city, and this gives Dunwoody the opportunity to leverage technology to help solve crimes,” said former Police Chief Billy Grogan, for whom the center is named.

Mayor Lynn Deutsch said the center would also help prevent crime.

“When we catch offenders before they misbehave, we do good for public safety,” she said.