Airport Systems: New investigations examine oversight gaps

Flock Safety cameras are installed in metro Atlanta without votes from elected representatives, according to a new investigative report from Atlanta News First. The company markets the systems as a crime-fighting tool for police departments. Protests have followed, with critics arguing the technology can track nearly all Americans. The investigation found that local authorities frequently bypassed the standard legislative approval process before placing the hardware.

A separate federal review proposes changing how airlines stock emergency medical kits. The government intends to remove its required checklist for these kits and allow carriers to determine the contents. Rachel DePompa of InvestigateTV analyzed the decision. Opponents of the change argue that giving airlines this control could result in fewer tools being available to save lives during in-flight emergencies.

The investigation also addressed a runway safety technology that slows overrunning planes. Joce Sterman of InvestigateTV found that the system is installed at only 70 airports in the United States. This gap in coverage leaves people beyond the airport at risk when aircraft overrun runways. The report references a cargo plane that struck a van in Miami to illustrate the potential danger.

Other segments in the series covered a metro Atlanta renter who claims his landlord billed Medicaid without his consent. The report also examined allegations of unlicensed group homes that have persisted for more than a decade. A final segment followed an Atlanta couple who called Sears for refrigerator repairs and later sought help from Harry Samler when the fix was delayed.

The findings are part of Season 2 of the Atlanta News First Investigates series. The episodes are available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, and YouTube.