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Council rejects license‑plate reader contract after hours of public testimony and debate
Summary
After a presentation and lengthy public comment that split residents and retailers, Gig Harbor City Council voted 2–5 against authorizing a master services agreement for automated license‑plate readers from Flock Safety.
Gig Harbor City Council considered a police proposal March 24 to install automated license‑plate reader (ALPR) cameras at the city’s ingress and egress points but voted against authorizing the contract after more than an hour of public comment and council deliberation.
Chief Kelly Busey told the council the department sought the system as a crime‑fighting tool and had secured a Washington Auto Theft Prevention Authority grant that would cover installation and the first year of cloud storage. “License plate readers are a series of cameras that would be installed, within the ingress and egress points of Gig Harbor,” Busey said during his staff report. He described two uses: real‑time alerts when a passing plate matches a stolen vehicle or the department’s internal “hot list,” and reactive searches to trace suspect vehicles as part of an investigation.
Why it mattered: The proposal drew intense public scrutiny. Supporters — including retail loss‑prevention investigators — said ALPRs help solve and prevent organized retail theft, stolen‑vehicle crime and violent offending by rapidly locating suspect vehicles. Opponents — including survivors‑advocates, civil‑liberties speakers and many residents — warned of privacy risks, data sharing and potential misuse of location records.
Public testimony and questions
Speakers against deployment pressed privacy, retention and sharing concerns: they cited potential public‑records requests, federal access, the possibility of misuse by agency staff, and the chilling effect on people exercising rights such as attending demonstrations or seeking confidential services. Several speakers referenced out‑of‑state incidents and pending litigation in other jurisdictions as reasons to pause.
Speakers in favor described operational successes they said ALPR networks had produced elsewhere. Retail investigators described faster suspect identification, rapid response to known vehicles and case closures when fleet or retail cameras are networked with law enforcement.
Council deliberation and outcome
Councilors split along lines reflecting public testimony and the absence of unanimity in the community. Supporters noted immediate operational benefits and the grant funding; opponents highlighted unresolved policy questions including data retention, whether federal or out‑of‑state agencies could gain access, audit procedures, and how a local opt‑out or shutdown would work in practice.
A motion to authorize the mayor to sign the master services agreement with Flock Safety (mover: Council Member Rodenberg; seconder: Council Member Coronado) failed on a roll call vote, 2–5.
What happens next: Chief Busey told council the department would evaluate the feedback. The grant that underpinned the installation has timing constraints, but the council declined to accept the contract as presented. Busey advised that the department could rework policy language, data‑sharing limitations and retention terms before bringing a revised proposal back for council consideration.
Ending: The council’s vote leaves the department without the proposed ALPR network. The department and council indicated they would continue conversations about alternatives and safeguards for any future proposal.
