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Lake Stevens police defend Flock camera use after audit finds out-of-region access; city tightens sharing
Summary
Deputy Chief Dean Thomas and the police chief told city council that prior to July some out-of-region and federal lookups occurred through a system toggle; the department said staff didn’t give agencies access, turned off nationwide sharing and now runs monthly audits and a public transparency portal.
Deputy Chief Dean Thomas and the police chief told Lake Stevens City Council on Nov. 18 that the city’s Flock vehicle‑recognition cameras have helped local investigations but that system sharing had unintentionally allowed out‑of‑region access before July. During a demonstration, officers showed how the system returns license plates, photos and mapped vehicle movements when a qualifying hot‑list entry or search is made.
The department said it found a backend “toggle” in July that enabled statewide and national lookups. "We didn't give them that information," said City Attorney Greg, referring to federal…
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