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Resident raises concerns about Flock (license‑plate) surveillance; police say no move to adopt system
Summary
A downtown business owner warned the council about Flock Security automated license‑plate readers and urged public notice if the city or police are approached; city staff and police said representatives had approached the city but there was no intent to move forward.
Tim Shechtel, a downtown business owner, told the council during audience participation on June 9 that he had researched a company called Flock Security and warned that automated license‑plate surveillance systems can share plate data broadly across agencies and private subscribers.
Shechtel said municipalities nationally have deployed such systems and cited Skamania County as a recent example where citizens opposed an installation that occurred without public comment. He urged the city to be forthright and to allow public discussion before any decision to adopt similar technology.
Mayor Mays and the city manager responded that staff had received correspondence about Flock and the city had been approached by representatives from the company. The city manager said he checked with the city’s leadership team and with the police chief and that “there was no intent to move forward with such a program.” The city recorded the public comment and said staff would follow up with Shechtel about any contact records.
Shechtel said he was concerned about potential misuse and privacy implications; he told the council, “I think it's a violation and an intrusion of our privacy rights.” Council did not take any formal action on the matter during the meeting.
