Former Forest Park police chief responds to surveillance accusations

FOREST PARK, Ga. - The former Forest Park police chief responds to claims he conducted illegal surveillance on council members.

An audit found two forest park city council members spent three years under close police watch.

Councilmembers Latresa Akins-Wells and Dabouze Antoine said they were told they were being monitored for 3 years. This was between 2014 and 2017 when Dwayne Hobbs was chief.

According to city leaders, the officers were told to watch the councilmembers on the pretext that they were involved in illegal drug activities and voter fraud. An investigation showed these allegations were unsubstantiated.

Both Wells and Antoine are convinced they were targeted because of their race. They were the only African Americans on the council.

Hobb's attorney issued a statement saying in part:

“That never, at any time was any surveillance-based, motivated or driven by any racial or other improper motives.”

RELATED: Council members under surveillance on orders of then-police chief