GPS RESEARCH LIBRARY: GDC Overwatch & Logistic (OWL) Unit Command Center: Technology, Surveillance & Budget Analysis ============================================================ Georgia Prisoners' Speak — gps.press Generated: 2026-03-07 03:47:58 EST Research Date: 2026-03-03 Topic: Surveillance/Technology JSON: https://gps.press/research/gdc-overwatch-logistic-owl-unit-command-center-technology-surveillance-budget-analysis/?format=json SUMMARY ---------------------------------------- Georgia is constructing the OWL (Overwatch & Logistic) Unit Command Center, a first-of-its-kind centralized prison surveillance system integrating drone detection radar, managed access cell phone interdiction across 35 prisons, Axon Fusus real-time intelligence, body cameras, digital mail scanning, and statewide WiFi into a single command hub. Budget documents reveal at least $17.8 million dedicated to OWL itself, embedded within a broader $600+ million corrections investment that includes over $150 million in technology spending. No other U.S. state department of corrections operates a comparable system, and no civil liberties organization has publicly addressed it by name. The system's components — including military-grade radar from defense contractor Leidos with 15 km range covering surrounding communities — raise significant surveillance, privacy, and spending priority concerns. CASE DETAILS (11) ---------------------------------------- - [confirmed] OWL Unit Command Center under construction Commissioner Tyrone Oliver reported to the Board of Corrections on September 4, 2025 that the 'Overwatch & Logistic (OWL) Unit Command Center' is 'under construction,' alongside a 'CGL partnership.' Date: 2025-09-04 Tags: surveillance,operations,facilities,policy Sources: Board of Corrections Meeting Minutes, September 4, 2025 - [confirmed] Hawks Ear Communications covers three Georgia facilities Hawks Ear Communications LLC covers three Georgia facilities: Hancock, Phillips, and Valdosta state prisons. Incorporated in Florida in 2015 with manager Roger Banks, no public website or meaningful corporate disclosure exists. Date: 2025-01-01 Tags: contraband,surveillance Sources: FCC Contraband Wireless Devices page; Hawks Ear Communications LLC, BIS Profiles - [confirmed] CellBlox Georgia presence dates to 2014 managed access pilot CellBlox's Georgia presence dates to a 2014 managed access pilot at a maximum-security facility. Securus acquired CellBlox's assets in January 2015. Date: 2014-01-01 Tags: contraband,surveillance Sources: CellBlox Managed Access Pilot In Georgia Prison System, PR Newswire - [confirmed] Operation Skyhawk: 150 arrests including 8 correctional officers Operation Skyhawk (concluded March 2024), a GDC drone-based contraband operation, resulted in 150 arrests including eight correctional officers. Date: 2024-03-01 Tags: contraband,corruption,investigations,operations,drugs Sources: Implementing Contraband Cell Phone Interdiction Strategies in Corrections, Urban Institute; Feds charge 23 in prison-based Georgia drug ring aided by drones, AJC - [confirmed] AeroDefense deployed at Georgia prisons since December 2017 GDC has deployed AeroDefense's AirWarden drone detection system since December 2017, making Georgia one of the earliest state prison systems to deploy RF-based drone detection. Securus Technologies selected and deployed the system. Date: 2017-12-01 Tags: surveillance,contraband,operations Sources: Securus Technologies deploys AeroDefense drone detection at Georgia corrections facilities, Corrections1 - [confirmed] AeroDefense integrated O.W.L. radar into AirWarden in 2023 In 2023, AeroDefense publicly integrated O.W.L.'s GroundAware radar into AirWarden, creating a layered detection system combining RF triangulation with radar tracking. Date: 2023-01-01 Tags: surveillance,contraband Sources: AeroDefense Integrates O.W.L. Radar, O.W.L. - [reported] Tennessee proposed CSIC: $5 million budget, 26 officers, not yet built Tennessee's proposed Centralized Security Intelligence Center (CSIC) was pitched by TDOC Commissioner Frank Strada in February 2026 with a $5 million budget request for AI-enabled cameras, drone detection, and centralized monitoring staffed by 26 officers. It remains at the proposal stage — not under construction. Date: 2026-02-01 Tags: surveillance,policy Sources: Tennessee Asks For $1.7M In Drone Detection Tech, DroneXL; Tennessee prison officials pitch AI to increase safety, The Center Square - [confirmed] CGL acquired by Hunt Companies CGL (Carter, Goble Lee Companies), the corrections consulting firm referenced alongside OWL in Board minutes, was acquired by Hunt Companies. Date: 2025-01-01 Tags: operations Sources: Hunt Companies Acquires Carter Goble Lee - [confirmed] Guidehouse/CGL/Moss Group assessment led to $600M+ budget recommendations CGL was part of the Guidehouse consulting team (with The Moss Group) hired by Governor Kemp in June 2024 for the system-wide assessment that led to $600+ million in budget recommendations announced in January 2025. Date: 2024-06-01 Tags: policy,budget Sources: Gov. Kemp Unveils Recommendations from System-wide Corrections System Assessment, Office of Governor Brian Kemp; Georgia prison and corrections system assessment announced by Gov. Brian Kemp, Fox 5 Atlanta - [confirmed] Henry Rutherford appointed GDC IT Director April 2022 Henry Rutherford was appointed Director of the Office of Information Technology at GDC in April 2022, overseeing all GDC IT including the technology projects feeding into OWL. Date: 2022-04-01 Tags: staffing,operations Sources: New Director of the Office of Information Technology Named, GDC Press Release - [confirmed] Axon acquired Fusus in 2024 Axon Enterprise (formerly TASER International) acquired Fusus in 2024, bringing the real-time crime center platform under the body camera and taser company's umbrella. Date: 2024-01-01 Tags: surveillance Sources: Body Camera-Maker Axon Buys Real-Time Crime Center Developer Fusus, SDM Magazine QUOTES (8) ---------------------------------------- - [confirmed] OWL function: continuous statewide camera monitoring Georgia State Representative Dale Washburn described OWL's function in a March 2025 legislative recap of HB 67: body cameras and tasers 'will be linked to an Over Watch Logistics Unit (OWL), funded at $7.2 million, that will continuously monitor security cameras across the state, enabling a rapid response to disturbances.' Date: 2025-03-01 Tags: surveillance,budget,policy,operations Sources: Week 8 Legislative Session Recap 2025, Rep. Dale Washburn - [confirmed] Fusus described as enabling single Operations Center for corrections Axon's corrections marketing materials describe Fusus as enabling 'a single Operations Center' to have 'real-time access to live and recorded video from multiple Corrections facilities, in one interface, accessed from a single computer.' Date: 2024-01-01 Tags: surveillance,operations Sources: How Axon Fusus can support safer corrections environments, Axon - [reported] GDC quote: AeroDefense 'always detects and never fails' A GDC spokesperson stated: 'Out of numerous tests with other drone detection equipment from virtually all the big companies that have drone detection technologies, AeroDefense stands apart from others. The system always detects and never fails.' Date: 2017-01-01 Tags: surveillance,contraband Sources: AeroDefense Case Study — Georgia Department of Corrections - [confirmed] EFF warning: Fusus 'encourages adoption of additional surveillance tools' The Electronic Frontier Foundation published a major investigative report on Fusus in 2023, warning that it 'really encourages the adoption of additional surveillance tools' and calling real-time crime centers 'a gateway' to expanded surveillance. Date: 2023-05-01 Tags: surveillance,legal,policy Sources: Neighborhood Watch Out: Cops Are Using Fusus, EFF - [reported] ACLU of Michigan: Fusus is 'gateway drug into other surveillance technologies' The ACLU of Michigan described Fusus-enabled systems as 'a gateway drug into other surveillance technologies.' Date: 2023-01-01 Tags: surveillance,legal,policy Sources: GPS OWL Unit Research Brief - [confirmed] Senator Tillery quote: 'Prisons are for punishment and rehabilitation — not TikTok' Senate Appropriations Chairman Blake Tillery declared: 'Prisons are for punishment and rehabilitation — not TikTok,' reflecting Georgia's uniformly supportive political environment for the technology deployment. Date: 2025-01-01 Tags: policy,surveillance Sources: Fiscal '26 state budget clears General Assembly, The Current - [confirmed] OWL prison solution: 'eliminates need for staff to patrol perimeters' O.W.L.'s prison solution sheet states: 'GroundAware eliminates the need for prison staff to patrol prison yards and perimeters or to monitor video screens.' Date: 2020-01-01 Tags: surveillance,staffing Sources: 2D & 3D Digital Radar Solutions for Prisons, Observation Without Limits - [confirmed] AeroDefense CEO on layered system: 'contraband prevention platform' AeroDefense CEO Linda Ziemba said the combined AirWarden-GroundAware system offers 'a contraband prevention platform to detect and prevent airborne contraband deliveries by drone and ground-based contraband deliveries by people or vehicles.' Date: 2023-01-01 Tags: surveillance,contraband Sources: AeroDefense Integrates O.W.L. Radar, O.W.L. FINDINGS (15) ---------------------------------------- - [confirmed] OWL paired with Axon Fusus at April 2025 Board meeting At the April 3, 2025 Board of Corrections meeting, Commissioner Oliver's technology presentation explicitly paired OWL with Fusus, referencing 'the Over Watch and Logistics Unit (and Fusus).' This is the earliest identified public link between OWL and the Axon Fusus real-time crime center platform. Date: 2025-04-03 Tags: surveillance,operations,policy Sources: Board of Corrections Meeting Minutes, April 3, 2025 - [confirmed] Ten distinct technology streams converging into OWL Based on September 2025 and April 2025 Board meeting minutes, ten distinct technology streams feed into OWL: Officer Tablets, AeroDefense/AirWarden drone detection, Managed Access, Electronic Health Records, Taser 10, OWL Unit, Mail Screening, Body Worn Cameras, Digital Forensics Unit, and the Data Intelligence Advanced Integration system. Date: 2025-01-01 Tags: surveillance,operations,policy Sources: Board of Corrections Meeting Minutes, September 4, 2025; Board of Corrections Meeting Minutes, April 3, 2025 - [estimated] Axon Fusus case study: 'large Southern State' DOC with ~40 facilities One Axon case study references 'a large Southern State' DOC with roughly 40 facilities that received a $30 million estimate from an incumbent for camera upgrades, which Axon Fusus quoted 'at a fraction of the cost.' Georgia, with 36 state prisons, fits that description precisely. Date: 2024-01-01 Tags: surveillance,budget Sources: How Axon Fusus can support safer corrections environments, Axon - [reported] Trace-Tek C-DOS program bypasses warrant process Trace-Tek operates a 'Cellular Denial of Service (C-DOS)' program that permanently disables contraband phones from connecting to cellular networks — a capability it markets as bypassing the warrant process. Date: 2025-01-01 Tags: contraband,surveillance,legal Sources: ShawnTech Communications — Cellular Denial of Service page - [confirmed] O.W.L. is a joint venture between Dynetics and Alabama Power Company Observation Without Limits LLC (O.W.L.) is described on Dynetics' website as a joint venture between Dynetics (a wholly owned Leidos subsidiary) and Alabama Power Company (a Southern Company subsidiary). This means one of the South's largest utilities has a direct stake in prison surveillance radar. Date: 2025-01-01 Tags: surveillance,corruption,operations Sources: Observation Without Limits LLC — About page - [confirmed] GroundAware radar: up to 15 km detection range O.W.L.'s GroundAware radar uses S-band digital beamforming to observe entire sectors simultaneously. The product line ranges from the GA1360 (covering 750 acres in 2D) to the GA9000 (detecting drones at 5+ km and vehicles at 12 km in 3D). A single unit can surveil approximately 2,000 acres with up to 15 km range. Date: 2025-01-01 Tags: surveillance,operations Sources: O.W.L. GroundAware Radars page - [reported] No other state DOC operates comparable centralized surveillance system An exhaustive search of all 50 state DOC systems and the Federal Bureau of Prisons found no operational equivalent to Georgia's OWL Unit Command Center. Georgia's system appears to be first-of-its-kind in American corrections. Date: 2026-01-01 Tags: surveillance,policy,operations Sources: GPS OWL Unit Research Brief - [reported] No civil liberties organization has publicly addressed OWL by name Despite the system's unprecedented scope, no civil liberties organization has publicly addressed Georgia's OWL Unit by name. The ACLU of Georgia, Southern Center for Human Rights, SPLC, Georgia Justice Project, and EFF have issued no statements, filed no legal challenges, and published no policy analyses about the integrated command center. Date: 2026-03-01 Tags: legal,policy,surveillance Sources: GPS OWL Unit Research Brief - [confirmed] Fusus platform originated in municipal policing The integration of Axon Fusus — a platform that originated in municipal policing real-time crime centers — into a state corrections system at this scale represents a qualitative shift from facility-level security technology to centralized, statewide surveillance infrastructure. Date: 2025-01-01 Tags: surveillance,policy Sources: How Axon Fusus can support safer corrections environments, Axon; Neighborhood Watch Out: Cops Are Using Fusus, EFF - [confirmed] OWL never announced via press conference or press release The OWL Unit was never announced in a press conference or press release. It does not appear on GDC's public-facing website. Its funding was distributed across three fiscal years and multiple budget bills. Date: 2026-01-01 Tags: policy,surveillance Sources: GPS OWL Unit Research Brief - [confirmed] Radar 15 km range encompasses significant civilian territory The GroundAware radar system tracks humans, vehicles, and drones within a 15 km radius — which encompasses significant civilian territory around most prison facilities. Radar systems deployed at 36 prison facilities across rural Georgia — predominantly in counties with significant Black populations — create surveillance coverage over surrounding communities without any public notice or community input. Date: 2025-01-01 Tags: surveillance,demographics,legal Sources: O.W.L. GroundAware Radars page; GPS OWL Unit Research Brief - [confirmed] Trace-Tek website is single-page GoDaddy site Trace-Tek's website is a single-page GoDaddy-hosted site with almost no corporate information, despite the company holding CIS agreements for 28 Georgia prison facilities. Date: 2026-01-01 Tags: contraband,surveillance Sources: Trace-Tek LLC website - [confirmed] Securus as GDC primary phone provider since at least 2016 Securus Technologies has been GDC's primary inmate telephone service provider since at least 2016, and also deployed AeroDefense drone detection and operates managed access at four prisons through subsidiary CellBlox. Tags: operations,contraband,surveillance Sources: Georgia DOC — Securus Contract Amendment 2017–2021, Prison Phone Justice - [reported] Securus multiple roles create conflict of interest Securus occupies multiple roles: primary phone provider, drone detection deployer, and managed access operator at four prisons. Each new layer of technology is another revenue or contract opportunity for the same companies that profit from the communications extraction economy. Date: 2025-01-01 Tags: corruption,operations,surveillance,budget Sources: GPS OWL Unit Research Brief - [confirmed] GDC technology stack includes Viken Detection contraband equipment GDC deploys Viken Detection's Nighthawk handheld X-ray imagers, Broadwing transmission bars, and Foxhound portable narcotics analyzers for contraband detection, led by Director of Special Operations Antonnio Printup. Date: 2025-01-01 Tags: contraband,operations Sources: Case study: How technology-driven contraband detection is transforming the Ga. Department of Corrections, Corrections1 STATISTICS (37) ---------------------------------------- - [confirmed] OWL-specific funding: ~$17.8 million over three fiscal years Tallied across known appropriations, the OWL Unit itself accounts for approximately $17.8 million over three fiscal years: $7.2 million (AFY2025), $3.8 million (FY2026), $1.2 million + $5.5 million (FY2027). Value: 17.8 million dollars Tags: budget,surveillance,operations Sources: Governor's Budget Report, AFY 2025 and FY 2026; Governor's Budget Report, AFY 2026 and FY 2027; FY2026 House Criminal Justice and Public Safety Budget Analysis - [estimated] Total technology spending commanded by OWL exceeds $150 million The technology systems OWL commands — managed access, drone detection, cameras, body cameras, tablets, mail screening, Data Intelligence platform — represent well over $150 million in combined technology spending across multiple fiscal years. Value: 150.0 million dollars (minimum) Tags: budget,surveillance,operations Sources: Governor's Budget Report, AFY 2025 and FY 2026; Governor's Budget Report, AFY 2026 and FY 2027; FY2026 House Criminal Justice and Public Safety Budget Analysis - [confirmed] Governor Kemp's corrections investment exceeds $600 million Governor Kemp's total corrections investment package across AFY2025 and FY2026 exceeded $600 million, with FY2026 representing a 44% increase over FY2022 levels. Value: 600.0 million dollars (minimum) Tags: budget,policy Sources: Overview: 2026 Fiscal Year Budget for the Georgia Department of Corrections, GBPI - [confirmed] AFY2025 total new GDC funding: $345.9 million The Amended FY2025 budget (HB 67), signed by Governor Kemp in March 2025, carried $345.9 million in total new GDC funding. Value: 345.9 million dollars Date: 2025-03-01 Tags: budget,policy Sources: Governor's Budget Report, AFY 2025 and FY 2026 - [confirmed] $35 million managed access investment — largest single tech line item The $35,027,675 managed access and drone detection appropriation in AFY2025 is the single largest technology line item, supporting cell phone interdiction systems covering all 35 of Georgia's operational state prisons. Value: 35027675.0 dollars Date: 2025-01-01 Tags: budget,contraband,surveillance Sources: Governor's Budget Report, AFY 2025 and FY 2026 - [confirmed] $84.6 million for thermal cameras, CCTVs, and perimeter security statewide The AFY2026 Governor's Budget proposed $84,661,607 for 'design and construction of fire alarm replacements, perimeter security and lighting, thermal cameras, and CCTVs, statewide.' This camera infrastructure is what Fusus aggregates into the OWL command center's operational picture. Value: 84661607.0 dollars Tags: budget,surveillance,facilities Sources: Governor's Budget Report, AFY 2026 and FY 2027 - [confirmed] AFY2025: $7,224,150 for body cameras and tasers The Amended FY2025 budget included $7,224,150 for body cameras and tasers, which feed into the OWL system. Value: 7224150.0 dollars Date: 2025-01-01 Tags: budget,surveillance Sources: Governor's Budget Report, AFY 2025 and FY 2026 - [confirmed] AFY2025: $15,048,183 for Electronic Health Records The Amended FY2025 budget included $15,048,183 for department-owned Electronic Health Records, replacing a private vendor system. Value: 15048183.0 dollars Date: 2025-01-01 Tags: budget,medical Sources: Governor's Budget Report, AFY 2025 and FY 2026 - [confirmed] AFY2025: $2,506,740 for officer tablets The Amended FY2025 budget included $2,506,740 for officer tablets. Value: 2506740.0 dollars Date: 2025-01-01 Tags: budget,operations,staffing Sources: Governor's Budget Report, AFY 2025 and FY 2026 - [confirmed] AFY2025: $913,248 for off-site mail screening The Amended FY2025 budget included $913,248 for off-site mail screening. Value: 913248.0 dollars Date: 2025-01-01 Tags: budget,surveillance,contraband Sources: Governor's Budget Report, AFY 2025 and FY 2026 - [confirmed] FY2026: $3,805,472 for OWL personnel and technology fees FY2026 Line 120.20 provided $3,805,472 'for personnel for the Over Watch and Logistics (OWL) Unit and ongoing technology fees.' This was inserted by the House and was absent from the Governor's original recommendation. Value: 3805472.0 dollars Date: 2026-01-01 Tags: budget,surveillance,staffing Sources: FY2026 House Criminal Justice and Public Safety Budget Analysis - [confirmed] FY2026: $1,950,000 for Data Intelligence Advanced Integration system FY2026 Line 120.21 provided $1,950,000 for 'the annual operations costs of the Data Intelligence Advanced Integration system.' This was inserted by the House and was absent from the Governor's original recommendation. Value: 1950000.0 dollars Date: 2026-01-01 Tags: budget,surveillance,operations Sources: FY2026 House Criminal Justice and Public Safety Budget Analysis - [confirmed] FY2026: $4,114,511 for Digital Forensics Unit contract FY2026 Line 120.19 provided $4,114,511 to continue the Digital Forensics Unit contract. This was inserted by the House and was absent from the Governor's original recommendation. Value: 4114511.0 dollars Date: 2026-01-01 Tags: budget,operations,investigations Sources: FY2026 House Criminal Justice and Public Safety Budget Analysis - [confirmed] FY2026: $2,457,440 for officer tablet software licenses FY2026 budget included $2,457,440 for officer tablet software licenses. Value: 2457440.0 dollars Date: 2026-01-01 Tags: budget,operations Sources: FY2026 House Criminal Justice and Public Safety Budget Analysis - [confirmed] FY2026: $3,584,932 for body camera and taser support FY2026 budget included $3,584,932 for body camera and taser support. Value: 3584932.0 dollars Date: 2026-01-01 Tags: budget,surveillance Sources: FY2026 House Criminal Justice and Public Safety Budget Analysis - [confirmed] FY2026: $1,826,486 for mail screening FY2026 budget included $1,826,486 for mail screening. Value: 1826486.0 dollars Date: 2026-01-01 Tags: budget,surveillance,contraband Sources: FY2026 House Criminal Justice and Public Safety Budget Analysis - [reported] AFY2026: $13,387,475 proposed for managed access and drone detection The AFY2026 Governor's Budget proposed $13,387,475 for managed access and drone detection. Value: 13387475.0 dollars Date: 2026-01-01 Tags: budget,surveillance,contraband Sources: Governor's Budget Report, AFY 2026 and FY 2027 - [reported] FY2027: $1,238,495 to annualize OWL Unit personnel The AFY2026/FY2027 Governor's Budget proposed $1,238,495 to 'annualize personnel for the Over Watch and Logistics (OWL) Unit.' Value: 1238495.0 dollars Date: 2027-01-01 Tags: budget,surveillance,staffing Sources: Governor's Budget Report, AFY 2026 and FY 2027 - [reported] FY2027: $5,521,230 for additional OWL technology costs The AFY2026/FY2027 Governor's Budget proposed $5,521,230 for 'additional technology costs for the Over Watch and Logistics (OWL) Unit to enhance safety, security, and technology.' Value: 5521230.0 dollars Date: 2027-01-01 Tags: budget,surveillance Sources: Governor's Budget Report, AFY 2026 and FY 2027 - [confirmed] FY2026 budget: $200 million increase, $75 million above Governor's recommendation The FY2026 GDC budget included a $200 million corrections spending increase approved by the General Assembly, which was $75 million above the Governor's recommendation. Value: 200.0 million dollars increase (vs. 75 million above Governor's recommendation) Date: 2026-01-01 Tags: budget,policy Sources: Fiscal '26 state budget clears General Assembly, The Current - [confirmed] GDC spending increased 44% since FY2022 Since FY2022, GDC spending has increased 44%, representing a massive surge in corrections investment. Value: 44.0 percent increase Tags: budget,trend Sources: Overview: 2026 Fiscal Year Budget for the Georgia Department of Corrections, GBPI - [confirmed] FY2026: Only $805,000 for vocational education programs The FY2026 budget allocated only $805,000 for vocational education programs, compared to over $50 million for technology and security improvements — a stark disparity between surveillance and rehabilitation investment. Value: 805000.0 dollars (vs. 50000000 technology and security improvements) Date: 2026-01-01 Tags: budget,reentry,policy Sources: Overview: 2026 Fiscal Year Budget for the Georgia Department of Corrections, GBPI - [confirmed] Trace-Tek/ShawnTech hold CIS agreements for 28 Georgia facilities Trace-Tek LLC, the exclusive partner of ShawnTech Communications, holds FCC Contraband Interdiction System (CIS) lease agreements for 28 Georgia facilities. Value: 28.0 facilities Date: 2025-01-01 Tags: contraband,surveillance,operations Sources: FCC Contraband Wireless Devices page - [reported] ShawnTech/Trace-Tek claim 86% of all FCC CIS licenses nationwide ShawnTech claims to hold, together with Trace-Tek, '86% of the CIS licenses issued' by the FCC nationwide. Value: 86.0 percent of FCC CIS licenses Date: 2025-01-01 Tags: contraband,surveillance Sources: ShawnTech Communications — Cellular Denial of Service page - [confirmed] CellBlox operates CIS at four Georgia facilities CellBlox Acquisitions LLC, a subsidiary of Securus Technologies, operates CIS at four Georgia facilities: Jimmy Autry, Macon, Smith, and Telfair state prisons. Value: 4.0 facilities Date: 2025-01-01 Tags: contraband,surveillance Sources: FCC Contraband Wireless Devices page - [reported] Securus invested over $40 million in managed access technology After acquiring CellBlox's assets in January 2015, Securus Technologies subsequently invested over $40 million in managed access technology acquisitions including patents, Vanu Tactical, and cellXion. Value: 40.0 million dollars (minimum) Tags: contraband,surveillance,budget Sources: Securus Invests in Managed Access Technology, PR Newswire - [confirmed] GroundAware radar updates target data up to 8 times per second The GroundAware radar system updates target data up to eight times per second, observing entire sectors simultaneously rather than scanning. Value: 8.0 updates per second Date: 2025-01-01 Tags: surveillance Sources: O.W.L. GroundAware Radars page - [reported] GroundAware deployed at approximately 400 sites worldwide O.W.L./GroundAware operates at approximately 400 critical infrastructure and government sites worldwide, despite not appearing in any Leidos SEC filing due to being too small relative to Leidos' $16+ billion annual revenue. Value: 400.0 sites worldwide Date: 2025-01-01 Tags: surveillance,operations Sources: Observation Without Limits LLC — About page - [confirmed] BJA grant funded O.W.L.D. 3D Radar at Baldwin State Prison Bureau of Justice Assistance grant #2020-BX-0002 awarded GDC $420,216 under the FY2020 'Safeguarding Correctional Facilities and Public Safety by Addressing Contraband Cellphones' program to purchase and implement an 'OWLD 3D Radar' UAV Detection System at Baldwin State Prison. Value: 420216.0 dollars Date: 2020-01-01 Tags: budget,surveillance,contraband Sources: Implementing Contraband Cell Phone Interdiction Strategies in Corrections, Urban Institute - [confirmed] Operation Skyhawk seizures: 87 drones, 273 cell phones, 22 weapons Operation Skyhawk resulted in confiscation of 87 drones, 273 cell phones, and 22 weapons. Value: 87.0 drones seized Date: 2024-03-01 Tags: contraband,investigations,operations Sources: Implementing Contraband Cell Phone Interdiction Strategies in Corrections, Urban Institute - [confirmed] GDC recovered 3,200 cell phones in 2019 In 2019 alone, GDC recovered 3,200 cell phones in its prisons. Value: 3200.0 cell phones Date: 2019-01-01 Tags: contraband Sources: Implementing Contraband Cell Phone Interdiction Strategies in Corrections, Urban Institute - [confirmed] AirWarden operating at 25 locations as of September 2025 As of the September 2025 Board meeting, GDC was operating the AeroDefense/AirWarden drone detection system at 25 locations, with plans to expand to additional sites. Value: 25.0 locations Date: 2025-09-01 Tags: surveillance,contraband,operations Sources: Board of Corrections Meeting Minutes, September 4, 2025 - [reported] 1,050 officer tablets deployed, 1,600 planned As of January 2025, 1,050 officer tablets had been deployed, with plans for 1,600 statewide across all 35 state prisons by end of 2025. Value: 1050.0 tablets deployed (vs. 1600 planned total) Date: 2025-01-01 Tags: operations,staffing Sources: Gov. Kemp Unveils Recommendations from System-wide Corrections System Assessment, Office of Governor Brian Kemp - [reported] Commissary price increases shifted $5 million to incarcerated people and families Commissary price increases shifted $5 million in costs to incarcerated people and families in FY2021. Value: 5.0 million dollars Date: 2021-01-01 Tags: budget,conditions Sources: Overview: 2026 Fiscal Year Budget for the Georgia Department of Corrections, GBPI - [confirmed] Leidos annual revenue exceeds $16 billion Leidos, the parent of Dynetics which owns O.W.L., has over $16 billion in annual revenue. O.W.L./GroundAware does not appear in any Leidos SEC filing, earnings call, or investor presentation because the product line is too small to warrant individual disclosure. Value: 16.0 billion dollars annual revenue Date: 2025-01-01 Tags: budget,surveillance Sources: GPS OWL Unit Research Brief - [confirmed] New Washington County prison: $436.7 million CGL is a project partner on the $436.7 million new state prison being built in Washington County (Davisboro), alongside NELSON Worldwide as architect. Construction is estimated to start Summer 2026. Value: 436.7 million dollars Date: 2026-01-01 Tags: facilities,budget Sources: NELSON Worldwide to Design New Georgia Department of Corrections State Prison - [confirmed] Georgia has 36 state prisons, 35 operational Georgia has 36 state prisons, with 35 currently operational. All 35 operational prisons are covered by managed access cell phone interdiction. Value: 35.0 operational state prisons Date: 2025-01-01 Tags: facilities Sources: GPS OWL Unit Research Brief POLICYS (2) ---------------------------------------- - [confirmed] October 2022: Board discussed expanding WiFi to all facilities The October 2022 Board of Corrections meeting discussed 'expanding Wi-Fi to all facilities' as an 18-24 month priority, suggesting the GDC-OWL WiFi network build-out began in 2023. Date: 2022-10-01 Tags: operations,surveillance Sources: Board of Corrections Meeting Minutes, October 6, 2022 - [reported] Georgia joined NASPO agreement for phone/tablet services mid-2024 Georgia joined the NASPO master agreement for phone and tablet services as of mid-2024, with Securus as one of five available vendors. Date: 2024-01-01 Tags: operations,policy Sources: Pay-for-Play Tablets: The Costly New Prison Paradigm DATA GAPS (6) ---------------------------------------- - [estimated] OWL Command Center location unknown — likely Forsyth The physical location of the OWL Command Center is not documented in any accessible record. Circumstantial evidence points to GDC headquarters at State Offices South, Tift College campus, Forsyth, Georgia, but no construction permit, property record, or official statement confirms the site. Date: 2026-01-01 Tags: surveillance,facilities Sources: GPS OWL Unit Research Brief - [confirmed] $35 million managed access procurement vehicle unidentified The specific procurement vehicle for the $35 million managed access deployment — which vendor or vendors received the contract, through what RFP or sole-source process — is not publicly visible. Georgia's Team Georgia Marketplace does not expose individual GDC contract details for these systems. Date: 2025-01-01 Tags: budget,contraband,surveillance Sources: GPS OWL Unit Research Brief - [confirmed] CGL's precise role in OWL construction unstated CGL's precise role in the OWL construction (design, program management, general contracting, or some combination) is unstated beyond the Board minutes' reference to a 'CGL partnership.' Date: 2025-01-01 Tags: operations,surveillance Sources: Board of Corrections Meeting Minutes, September 4, 2025 - [confirmed] GDC-OWL WiFi network funding and vendor unknown The GDC-OWL WiFi network — the branded statewide prison WiFi system — appears nowhere in any budget document, board minutes, or procurement record under that name. Its vendor, cost, technical specifications, and relationship to managed access infrastructure remain undocumented. Date: 2026-01-01 Tags: budget,surveillance,operations Sources: GPS OWL Unit Research Brief - [confirmed] Data Intelligence Advanced Integration system entirely opaque The Data Intelligence Advanced Integration system, funded at $1.95 million in FY2026, has no public description beyond its budget line item and a single mention in the April 2025 Board minutes. Its vendor, capabilities, and relationship to OWL are entirely opaque. Date: 2026-01-01 Tags: surveillance,budget Sources: Board of Corrections Meeting Minutes, April 3, 2025; FY2026 House Criminal Justice and Public Safety Budget Analysis - [confirmed] Multiple sets of 2024-2025 Board minutes inaccessible Five sets of 2025 Board minutes (June, April 30, October, November, December) and five sets of 2024 minutes (March, May, October, November, December) could not be accessed due to PDF retrieval limitations. These likely contain additional OWL references. Tags: operations,surveillance Sources: GPS OWL Unit Research Brief METHODOLOGY NOTES (1) ---------------------------------------- - [confirmed] OWL system built incrementally to obscure total scope The OWL program has been built incrementally across overlapping appropriations, vendor relationships, and federal grants since at least 2017, making the full scope difficult to see from any single document. OWL-related spending has been distributed across appropriations in a way that obscures the total investment. Tags: budget,surveillance,policy Sources: GPS OWL Unit Research Brief LEGAL FACTS (3) ---------------------------------------- - [confirmed] Trace-Tek received FCC Phase 1 CIS certification March 2024 Trace-Tek LLC received FCC Phase 1 CIS certification in March 2024. Date: 2024-03-01 Tags: contraband,legal Sources: FCC DA 25-234, CIS Phase 1 Certification - [confirmed] Hawks Ear received FCC Phase 1 CIS certification March 2025 Hawks Ear Communications LLC received FCC Phase 1 CIS certification in March 2025. Date: 2025-03-01 Tags: contraband,legal Sources: FCC DA 25-234, CIS Phase 1 Certification - [confirmed] FCC CIS program established under 2024 Second Report and Order The FCC's Contraband Interdiction System (CIS) program, established under a 2024 Second Report and Order, created the first legal framework for managed access in prisons, requiring carriers to lease spectrum and allowing CIS operators to capture and deny service to unauthorized phones. Date: 2024-01-01 Tags: legal,contraband,policy Sources: FCC Second Report and Order on Contraband Phones, FCC-25-65A1 DATASETS (4) ---------------------------------------- # OWL-Related Budget Appropriations by Fiscal Year Budget line items specifically for the OWL Unit Command Center across three fiscal years, excluding related technology systems (managed access, cameras, etc.) Fiscal Year Budget Item Amount Budget Bill ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- AFY2025 OWL Unit 7200000 HB 67 FY2026 OWL Unit personnel and technology fees (Line 120.20) 3805472 HB 68 FY2027 Annualize OWL Unit personnel 1238495 AFY2026 Governor's Budget FY2027 Additional OWL technology costs 5521230 AFY2026 Governor's Budget # OWL Technology Ecosystem Budget Appropriations (AFY2025) Key technology appropriations in the Amended FY2025 budget (HB 67) for systems feeding into the OWL Command Center Technology System Amount ---------------------------------------------- Managed access and drone detection 35027675 Electronic Health Records 15048183 Body cameras and tasers 7224150 OWL Unit 7200000 Officer tablets 2506740 Off-site mail screening 913248 # Managed Access Vendor Distribution Across Georgia Prisons Three vendors holding FCC CIS lease agreements for Georgia's 35 operational state prisons Vendor Number of Facilities Parent Company Specific Facilities ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Trace-Tek LLC 28 ShawnTech Communications (partner) Not individually specified CellBlox Acquisitions LLC 4 Securus Technologies / Aventiv Technologies Jimmy Autry, Macon, Smith, Telfair Hawks Ear Communications LLC 3 Independent (Roger Banks, manager) Hancock, Phillips, Valdosta # OWL Command Center Technology Integration Components Technology systems feeding into the OWL Command Center as identified from Board meeting minutes and budget documents Technology Vendor Status Budget Reference ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Drone Detection (AirWarden RF + radar) AeroDefense / O.W.L./Dynetics 25 locations operational, expanding $966,000 for 2 additional Managed Access Cell Phone Interdiction Trace-Tek/CellBlox/Hawks Ear All 35 prisons covered $35 million (AFY2025) Officer Tablets Vendor not identified 1,050 deployed, 1,600 planned ~$5 million across AFY25/FY26 Electronic Health Records Department-owned In development $15 million Body Cameras / Taser 10 Axon Deployment underway ~$4.4 million across AFY25/FY26 Mail Screening Vendor not identified Active project $913K AFY25 + $1.8M FY26 Contraband Detection (X-ray, narcotics) Viken Detection Deployed Not separately itemized Digital Forensics Vendor not identified Being established $4.1 million FY26 GDC-OWL WiFi Network Vendor not identified Deployed statewide Not separately itemized Data Intelligence Advanced Integration Vendor not identified Unknown $1.95 million FY26 KEY ENTITIES (51) ---------------------------------------- - ACLU of Georgia [organization]: Has filed multiple legal challenges to Georgia's private probation system, prison conditions, and racial disparities. Published a 2014 report on Georgia's private probation industry. - ACLU of Michigan [organization]: Civil liberties organization that described Fusus-enabled systems as 'a gateway drug into other surveillance technologies' - AeroDefense [organization]: Manufacturer of AirWarden RF-based drone detection system, deployed at Georgia prisons since December 2017, integrated O.W.L. radar in 2023 - Alabama Power Company [organization]: Southern Company subsidiary and joint venture partner in Observation Without Limits LLC, giving a major utility a direct stake in prison surveillance radar - Alan Watson [person]: Chief of Staff at the Georgia Department of Corrections. - Antonnio Printup [person]: Director of Special Operations, GDC; leads contraband detection technology deployment including Viken Detection equipment - Aventiv Technologies [organization]: Prison technology company that acquired JPay, providing communications and financial services to incarcerated populations (aka: Securus) - Axon Enterprise [organization]: Company that owns Fusus (acquired 2024), manufactures body cameras and Taser 10 systems deployed at GDC facilities (aka: Axon, formerly TASER International) - Baldwin State Prison [facility]: Georgia state prison where 26 grams of methamphetamine were found on a visitor in November 2025. - Blake Tillery [person]: Senate Appropriations Chairman who declared 'Prisons are for punishment and rehabilitation — not TikTok' in support of corrections technology spending (aka: Senator Tillery) - Brian Kemp [person]: Governor of Georgia who proposed $600 million in emergency spending over 18 months for prison reform in January 2025. (aka: Governor Kemp) - Bureau of Justice Assistance [organization]: Federal agency within DOJ that assumed responsibility for DCRA data collection from BJS around 2019, after which data quality and transparency deteriorated significantly. (aka: BJA) - CellBlox Acquisitions LLC [organization]: Standalone subsidiary of Securus Technologies operating managed access CIS at four Georgia facilities (Jimmy Autry, Macon, Smith, Telfair); acquired by Securus January 2015 (aka: CellBlox) - CGL Companies [organization]: National corrections consulting firm specializing in correctional facility planning, design, and operations assessment; part of Guidehouse assessment team; project partner on new Washington County prison; acquired by Hunt Companies (aka: Carter, Goble Lee, CGL) - Dale Washburn [person]: Georgia State Representative who provided the clearest public description of OWL's function in a March 2025 legislative recap of HB 67 (aka: Rep. Dale Washburn) - Data Intelligence Advanced Integration [program]: Opaque technology system funded at $1.95 million in FY2026; no public description beyond budget line item and single Board meeting mention; vendor and capabilities unknown - Dawn Mock [person]: GDC Office of Information Technology staff member; present at Board meetings - Dynetics [organization]: Wholly-owned subsidiary of Leidos, defense and intelligence contractor based in Huntsville, Alabama, with 3,000+ staff and 48 years of radar expertise - EFF [organization]: Digital rights organization that published a major investigative report on Fusus in 2023 but has not addressed Georgia's OWL system (aka: Electronic Frontier Foundation) - Federal Communications Commission [organization]: Federal agency with authority over prison communications rates under the Martha Wright-Reed Act; implemented rate caps in 2024 that were suspended under new Republican majority in 2025 (aka: FCC) - Frank Strada [person]: Tennessee DOC Commissioner who pitched the proposed Centralized Security Intelligence Center (CSIC) in February 2026 - Fusus [program]: Cloud-based real-time intelligence platform that aggregates live camera feeds, sensor data, officer GPS locations, and AI-driven alerts into a single map-based interface; originally developed for municipal policing real-time crime centers, now deployed in GDC's OWL system (aka: Axon Fusus) - GDC-OWL WiFi Network [program]: Branded statewide prison WiFi network serving as communications backbone for OWL system; vendor, cost, and technical specifications undocumented; build-out likely began 2023 (aka: GDC-OWL) - Georgia Department of Corrections [organization]: State agency responsible for operating Georgia's prison system. Subject of federal DOJ investigation in 2022-2023 for constitutional violations including food-related deaths. (aka: GDC) - Guidehouse [organization]: Consulting firm that conducted the Kemp Assessment of Georgia's prison system, publishing recommendations in January 2025. - Hawks Ear Communications LLC [organization]: Most opaque of the three managed access vendors, covers 3 Georgia facilities (Hancock, Phillips, Valdosta); incorporated Florida 2015, registered Georgia 2022; managed by Roger Banks; no public website - HB 67 [legislation]: Georgia's Amended FY2025 budget bill signed by Governor Kemp in March 2025, containing $345.9 million in new GDC funding including $7.2 million for OWL, $35 million for managed access, and other technology appropriations (aka: Amended FY2025 Budget) - HB 68 [legislation]: Georgia's FY2026 budget bill containing $3.8 million for OWL personnel and technology fees, $1.95 million for Data Intelligence system, and $4.1 million for Digital Forensics (aka: FY2026 Budget) - Henry Rutherford [person]: Director of Office of Information Technology, GDC; appointed April 2022; oversees all GDC IT including OWL technology projects - Hunt Companies [organization]: Company that acquired CGL (Carter, Goble Lee) - Joel Tolliver [person]: GDC Office of Information Technology staff member; present at Board meetings - Leidos [organization]: Major U.S. defense and intelligence contractor with $16+ billion annual revenue, parent company of Dynetics which owns O.W.L. (aka: formerly SAIC) - Linda Ziemba [person]: CEO of AeroDefense; described the combined AirWarden-GroundAware system as a 'contraband prevention platform' - Louis DeBroux [person]: Assistant Commissioner of Research, Strategic Planning, and Government Affairs, GDC; assumed role summer 2025 - NELSON Worldwide [organization]: Architecture firm serving as architect for the new $436.7 million GDC state prison in Washington County (Davisboro) - Observation Without Limits LLC [organization]: Joint venture between Dynetics (Leidos subsidiary) and Alabama Power Company (Southern Company subsidiary) that manufactures GroundAware digital beamforming radar systems for prison surveillance and drone detection (aka: O.W.L., OWL (radar company), OWLD) - Operation Skyhawk [operation]: 2024 multi-state operation resulting in 150 arrests (including 8 GDC employees) targeting drone-based smuggling networks into Georgia prisons. - OWL Unit Command Center [program]: GDC's centralized surveillance and operations command center currently under construction, integrating drone detection, managed access, cameras, body cameras, mail scanning, digital forensics, officer tablets, and statewide WiFi into a single command-and-control hub via Axon Fusus platform (aka: Overwatch & Logistic Unit, Over Watch Logistics Unit, OWL, OWL Unit) - Platinum Equity [organization]: Private equity firm founded and controlled by Tom Gores. Acquired Securus in 2017 for ~$1.5B. Losing ownership of Aventiv through debt-for-equity exchange with creditors. - Roger Banks [person]: Manager of Hawks Ear Communications LLC, the most opaque of the three managed access vendors covering three Georgia prison facilities - Securus Technologies [organization]: Prison telecom and technology company that acquired JPay. Also known as Aventiv Technologies. (aka: Aventiv Technologies) - ShawnTech Communications [organization]: Corrections integrator founded in 1993, partner of Trace-Tek LLC; claims to hold (with Trace-Tek) 86% of all FCC CIS licenses nationwide - Southern Center for Human Rights [organization]: Legal advocacy organization that investigated food conditions at Gordon County Jail and sent a formal letter to Sheriff Mitch Ralston in October 2014. (aka: SCHR) - Southern Company [organization]: Major Southern utility holding company, parent of Alabama Power, which is a joint venture partner in O.W.L. - SPLC [organization]: Civil rights organization that has not publicly addressed Georgia's OWL Unit by name (aka: Southern Poverty Law Center) - Tennessee CSIC [program]: Tennessee DOC's proposed centralized surveillance center pitched in February 2026 with $5 million budget, the closest analog to Georgia's OWL; remains at proposal stage (aka: Centralized Security Intelligence Center) - The Moss Group [organization]: Consulting firm that worked alongside Guidehouse Inc. and Carter Goble Lee on the Georgia prison conditions report. - Tom Gores [person]: Billionaire founder and CEO of Platinum Equity; owner of the Detroit Pistons. Controls the PE firm that owns Aventiv/Securus. Has publicly stated the prison telecom industry should be led by nonprofits. - Trace-Tek LLC [organization]: Exclusive partner of ShawnTech Communications, holds FCC CIS lease agreements for 28 Georgia facilities, received FCC Phase 1 CIS certification March 2024, operates C-DOS contraband phone disabling program; minimal public corporate presence - Tyrone Oliver [person]: Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Corrections who in March 2024 stopped including preliminary cause of death in monthly mortality reports. (aka: Commissioner Oliver, GDC Commissioner) - Viken Detection [organization]: Manufacturer of contraband detection equipment deployed at GDC: Nighthawk handheld X-ray imagers, Broadwing transmission bars, and Foxhound portable narcotics analyzers SOURCES (53) ---------------------------------------- - 2D & 3D Digital Radar Solutions for Prisons, Observation Without Limits, Observation Without Limits LLC (2020-01-01) [press_release, primary] URL: https://owlknows.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/OWL-Prison-Solution-Sheet_v3.pdf - AeroDefense Case Study — Georgia Department of Corrections, AeroDefense [press_release, primary] URL: https://www.aerodefense.tech/drone-detection-case-study-georgia-department-corrections - AeroDefense Integrates O.W.L. Radar, cuashub.com, cUAS Hub (2023-03-01) [journalism, secondary] URL: https://cuashub.com/en/content/aerodefense-integrates-owl-radar/ - AeroDefense Integrates O.W.L. Radar, O.W.L., Observation Without Limits LLC (2023-03-01) [press_release, primary] URL: https://www.owlknows.com/aerodefense-integrates-o-w-l-s-radar-to-deliver-layered-airspace-security-solution-2/ - Board of Corrections Meeting Minutes, April 3, 2025, Georgia Department of Corrections (2025-04-03) [official_report, primary] URL: https://gdc.georgia.gov/document/board-meeting-minutes/board-meeting-minutes-april-2025/download - Board of Corrections Meeting Minutes, October 6, 2022, Georgia Department of Corrections (2022-10-06) [official_report, primary] URL: https://gdc.georgia.gov/document/board-meeting-minutes/board-meeting-minutes-october-2022/download - Board of Corrections Meeting Minutes, September 4, 2025, Georgia Department of Corrections (2025-09-04) [official_report, primary] URL: https://gdc.georgia.gov/document/board-meeting-minutes/board-meeting-minutes-september-2025/download - Body Camera-Maker Axon Buys Real-Time Crime Center Developer Fusus, SDM Magazine, SDM Magazine (2024-01-01) [journalism, secondary] URL: https://www.sdmmag.com/articles/102804-body-camera-maker-axon-buys-real-time-crime-center-developer-fusus - Case study: How technology-driven contraband detection is transforming the Ga. Department of Corrections, Corrections1, Corrections1 (2025-01-01) [journalism, secondary] URL: https://www.corrections1.com/products/contraband-detection/case-study-how-technology-driven-contraband-detection-is-transforming-the-ga-department-of-corrections - CellBlox Managed Access Pilot In Georgia Prison System, PR Newswire, PR Newswire (2014-01-01) [press_release, primary] URL: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cellblox-managed-access-pilot-in-georgia-prison-system-260268321.html - Contact an Offender, Georgia Department of Corrections [official_report, primary] URL: https://gdc.georgia.gov/offender-info/contact-offender - Contraband by Air: Operation Skyhawk Takes Aim at Drones, Correctional News, Correctional News (2025-04-17) [journalism, secondary] URL: https://correctionalnews.com/2025/04/17/contraband-by-air-operation-skyhawk-takes-aim-at-drones/ - Dynetics Debuts Surveillance Radar for Critical Infrastructure, Homeland Security Today, Homeland Security Today [journalism, secondary] URL: https://www.hstoday.us/industry/industry-news/dynetics-debuts-surveillance-radar-for-critical-infrastructure/ - FCC Contraband Wireless Devices page, Federal Communications Commission [official_report, primary] URL: https://www.fcc.gov/wireless/bureau-divisions/mobility-division/contraband-wireless-devices - FCC DA 25-234, CIS Phase 1 Certification, Federal Communications Commission (2025-03-17) [official_report, primary] URL: https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-25-234A1.pdf - FCC Second Report and Order on Contraband Phones, FCC-25-65A1, Federal Communications Commission (2024-01-01) [legal_document, primary] URL: https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/FCC-25-65A1.txt - Feds charge 23 in prison-based Georgia drug ring aided by drones, AJC, Atlanta Journal-Constitution (2024-01-01) [journalism, secondary] URL: https://www.ajc.com/news/georgia-news/feds-charge-23-in-prison-based-drug-ring-aided-by-drones/MWELA7BHTJA6TLL2F7KVK2JFG4/ - Fiscal '26 state budget clears General Assembly, The Current, The Current Georgia (2025-04-04) [journalism, secondary] URL: https://thecurrentga.org/2025/04/04/fiscal-26-state-budget-clears-general-assembly/ - FY2026 House Criminal Justice and Public Safety Budget Analysis, Georgia Senate Budget and Evaluation Office (2025-01-01) [official_report, primary] URL: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/senate-budget-office-document-library/appropriations/2026/general/fy2026_house_criminal_justice_and_public_safety.pdf?sfvrsn=b2499910_2 - Georgia DOC — Securus Contract Amendment 2017–2021, Prison Phone Justice, Prison Phone Justice [official_report, secondary] URL: https://www.prisonphonejustice.org/GA/georgia-doc-securus-contract-amendment-2017-21/ - Georgia Economic Justice Primer for State Fiscal Year 2026, GBPI, Georgia Budget and Policy Institute (2025-01-01) [official_report, secondary] URL: https://gbpi.org/georgia-economic-justice-primer-for-state-fiscal-year-2026/ - Georgia prison and corrections system assessment announced by Gov. Brian Kemp, Fox 5 Atlanta, Fox 5 Atlanta (2024-06-01) [journalism, secondary] URL: https://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/georgia-prison-corrections-system-assessment-announced-gov-brian-kemp - Gov. Kemp Unveils Recommendations from System-wide Corrections System Assessment, Office of Governor Brian Kemp, Office of Governor Brian Kemp (2025-01-07) [press_release, primary] URL: https://gov.georgia.gov/press-releases/2025-01-07/gov-kemp-unveils-recommendations-system-wide-corrections-system - Governor's budget presentation to Joint Appropriations Subcommittee, January 7, 2025, CitizenPortal AI (AI-generated summary) (2025-01-07) [official_report, tertiary] URL: https://citizenportal.ai/articles/6686428/Governorproposal-seeks-nearly-459-million-in-amended-FY25-to-boost-Georgia-prisons-staffing-contraband-interdiction-and-facility-repairs - Governor's Budget Report, AFY 2025 and FY 2026, Georgia Office of Planning and Budget (2025-01-01) [official_report, primary] URL: https://opb.georgia.gov/document/governors-budget-reports/afy-2025-and-fy-2026-governors-budget-report/download - Governor's Budget Report, AFY 2026 and FY 2027, Georgia Office of Planning and Budget (2026-01-01) [official_report, primary] URL: https://opb.georgia.gov/document/governors-budget-reports-current-year/afy-2026-fy-2027-governors-budget-report/download - GPS OWL Unit Research Brief, Georgia Prisoners' Speak / The GDC Accountability Project (2026-03-04) [gps_original, secondary] - GroundAware page, Leidos corporate, Leidos [press_release, primary] URL: https://www.leidos.com/capabilities/integrated-systems/sensors/GroundAware - GroundAware product page, Leidos/Dynetics, Dynetics/Leidos [press_release, primary] URL: https://www.dynetics.com/groundaware/ - Hawks Ear Communications LLC, BIS Profiles, BIS Profiles [data_portal, primary] URL: https://bisprofiles.com/fl/hawks-ear-communications-l15000085992 - Hawks Ear Communications LLC, OpenCorporates, OpenCorporates [data_portal, primary] URL: https://opencorporates.com/companies/us_fl/L15000085992 - How Axon Fusus can support safer corrections environments, Axon, Axon Enterprise (2024-01-01) [press_release, primary] URL: https://www.axon.com/resources/safer-corrections-fusus - Hunt Companies Acquires Carter Goble Lee, Hunt Companies [press_release, primary] URL: https://www.huntcompanies.com/news/hunt-companies-acquires-carter-goble-lee-1 - Implementing Contraband Cell Phone Interdiction Strategies in Corrections, Urban Institute, Urban Institute (2024-10-01) [academic, primary] URL: https://www.urban.org/sites/default/files/2024-10/Implementing_Contraband_Cell_Phone_Interdiction_Strategies_in_Corrections.pdf - Kemp unveils plan to spend millions intended to restore order in Georgia prisons, Georgia Recorder, Georgia Recorder (2025-01-08) [journalism, secondary] URL: https://georgiarecorder.com/2025/01/08/kemp-unveils-plan-to-to-spend-millions-intended-to-restore-order-in-georgia-prisons/ - Neighborhood Watch Out: Cops Are Using Fusus, EFF, Electronic Frontier Foundation (2023-05-01) [official_report, secondary] URL: https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2023/05/neighborhood-watch-out-cops-are-incorporating-private-cameras-their-real-time - NELSON Worldwide to Design New Georgia Department of Corrections State Prison, NELSON Worldwide (2023-01-01) [press_release, primary] URL: https://nelsonworldwide.com/nelson-worldwide-to-design-new-georgia-department-of-corrections-state-prison/ - New Director of the Office of Information Technology Named, GDC Press Release, Georgia Department of Corrections (2022-04-01) [press_release, primary] URL: https://gdc.georgia.gov/press-releases/2022-04-16/new-director-office-information-technology-named - O.W.L. Counter-Drone page, Observation Without Limits LLC [press_release, primary] URL: https://www.owlknows.com/counter-drone/ - O.W.L. GroundAware Radars page, Observation Without Limits LLC [press_release, primary] URL: https://www.owlknows.com/groundaware/ - Observation Without Limits LinkedIn page, LinkedIn [data_portal, primary] URL: https://www.linkedin.com/company/owlknows - Observation Without Limits LLC — About page, Observation Without Limits LLC [press_release, primary] URL: https://www.owlknows.com/about/ - Overview: 2026 Fiscal Year Budget for the Georgia Department of Corrections, GBPI, Georgia Budget and Policy Institute (2025-02-01) [official_report, secondary] URL: https://gbpi.org/overview-2026-fiscal-year-budget-for-the-georgia-department-of-corrections/ - Pay-for-Play Tablets: The Costly New Prison Paradigm, Prison Legal News (2025-03-01) [journalism, secondary] URL: https://www.prisonlegalnews.org/news/2025/mar/1/pay-play-tablets-costly-new-prison-paradigm/ - Radar Surveillance Helping to Prevent Contraband at Prisons, O.W.L., Observation Without Limits LLC [press_release, primary] URL: https://www.owlknows.com/radar-surveillance-helping-to-prevent-contraband-at-prisons/ - Securus Invests in Managed Access Technology, PR Newswire, PR Newswire (2016-01-01) [press_release, primary] URL: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/securus-invests-in-managed-access-technology-300145251.html - Securus Technologies deploys AeroDefense drone detection at Georgia corrections facilities, Corrections1, Corrections1 (2017-01-01) [journalism, secondary] URL: https://www.corrections1.com/products/drone-detection/press-releases/securus-technologies-deploys-aerodefense-drone-detection-at-georgia-corrections-facilities-PlYzbm7VY3PcbSwz/ - Securus Technologies Purchases CellBlox, PR Newswire, PR Newswire (2015-01-01) [press_release, primary] URL: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/securus-technologies-purchases-cellblox--key-provider-of-technology-that-limits-contraband-wireless-use-in-prisons-and-jails-300020657.html - ShawnTech Communications — Cellular Denial of Service page, ShawnTech Communications [press_release, primary] URL: https://www.shawntech.com/cellulardenialofservice/ - Tennessee Asks For $1.7M In Drone Detection Tech, DroneXL, DroneXL (2026-02-11) [journalism, secondary] URL: https://dronexl.co/2026/02/11/tennessee-drone-detection-prison-contraband/ - Tennessee prison officials pitch AI to increase safety, The Center Square, The Center Square (2026-02-01) [journalism, secondary] URL: https://www.thecentersquare.com/tennessee/article_2b395afc-dc2d-40df-9f23-01abc89c09fe.html - Trace-Tek LLC website, Trace-Tek LLC [press_release, primary] URL: https://trace-tek.com/ - Week 8 Legislative Session Recap 2025, Rep. Dale Washburn, Rep. Dale Washburn by Dale Washburn (2025-03-01) [press_release, primary] URL: https://www.washburnforstatehouse.com/week-8-legislative-session-recap-2025/