Mountlake Terrace DEIC debates oversight, MOUs for Flock camera system

Mountlake Terrace’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Commission (DEIC) spent the meeting considering how the city should oversee and account for a newly approved Flock License Plate Recognition camera system, focusing on community oversight structures, audit frequency and how memoranda of understanding (MOUs) with other jurisdictions will govern external access to footage.

Commissioners described three oversight options: reconstitute a previously convened community advisory committee; have a DEIC representative regularly review Flock data with police command staff; or rely solely on periodic reports that the police department will provide to the City Council. Commissioners emphasized that the group was not being asked to vote on any formal policy at this meeting.

The discussion mattered because the Flock system stores and shares vehicle location imagery across a closed-loop network that other cities can access under interlocal agreements. Commissioners repeatedly raised privacy and equity questions: who may query the data, whether vendor-held data can be compelled by out-of-state warrants or subpoenas, how audits will be conducted, and whether MOU terms will prevent profiling or disproportionate targeting of minority and disenfranchised residents. Commissioners also asked for clarity about the public-facing transparency portal and what commander-level access will include versus what the public can view.

On technical points raised during the discussion, staff said the system’s short-term footage retention is limited unless data are downloaded: recorded imagery resides in the system for roughly 30 days unless a department downloads it to local storage. Staff also described a public-facing portal with randomized user identifiers for searches so the portal does not display full user IDs, while command staff retain more complete audit logs. The commission noted a provision in the vendor MOU (identified in the meeting as section 5.3) that allows the vendor to disclose footage to law enforcement, government officials or third parties if legally required to do so; commissioners said they wanted the exact MOU language reviewed.

Commissioners and staff discussed how external access works in practice. Staff explained other cities would need an interlocal agreement with Mountlake Terrace to receive access to a portion of the city’s data feed and that each agreement could define the parameters of permitted searches (for example by license-plate, vehicle make or color). Several commissioners said those MOUs could be stronger, and they asked whether the city could include preventive safeguards rather than only reactive consequences (such as revoking access after misuse). Commissioners also reviewed vendor claims that the vendor itself would not run searches on behalf of outside jurisdictions without the city’s authorization, but members said the city should not rely only on vendor assurances.

The commission identified next steps rather than making a formal decision. Staff (Deputy City Manager Caroline) was asked to return at the July meeting with: 1) a proposed definition of “periodic” for DEIC or advisory check-ins (for example quarterly or bi-monthly); 2) a proposed audit schedule and the police command staff auditing protocol; and 3) sample MOUs from other jurisdictions for comparison. Commissioners expressed support for forming a community advisory committee to work alongside — but separate from — DEIC, and they asked that DEIC retain the ability to review and comment on MOUs before the city signs interlocal agreements. There was no vote taken on any advisory structure at the meeting.

The commission’s discussion also flagged system features and operational practices the city will need to document publicly if it wishes to maintain community trust: which data fields are visible on the public transparency portal, how user-access logs and anonymization work, how long downloads are retained locally, the commander’s greater visibility for operational purposes, and the city’s ability to restrict searches that could target protected classes. Staff confirmed the police department will provide quarterly updates to council that include Flock usage metrics; commissioners asked to be given direct access to audit results and to meet with the commander on a defined schedule.

Caroline closed the discussion by noting staff would capture the commission’s requested clarifications and return in July with the proposed audit cadence and MOU language for review. The commission will not vote on policy changes until it has reviewed that information and until the advisory committee’s scope is defined.