Everett authorizes legal action over Flock ALPR records after police defend program
Loading...
Summary
After a briefing from Everett Police about its Flock automated license-plate-reader program and council concerns about data sharing and oversight, the city authorized filing a declaratory-judgment action on disclosure of Flock camera images following a closed executive session.
Everett City Council on Nov. 19 heard a detailed presentation from the Everett Police Department on its Flock Safety automated license-plate-reader (ALPR) system and, following a closed executive session, authorized city attorneys to file a declaratory-judgment action about whether images from the system are disclosable.
The police presentation described how ALPR data have aided investigations — including establishing timelines in a recent homicide and reducing reported stolen vehicles from roughly 3.5 per day in 2023 to fewer than one per day after camera deployment — and stressed that the City of Everett owns its ALPR data and requires in-state agencies to sign a user agreement limiting use. The chief said the department uses both manual audits and a newly developed AI-assisted review to flag searches for human review and can revoke another agencys access if misuse is identified.
Council members pressed on privacy and cross-jurisdictional access, asking how Everett prevents other agenciesdata practices from effectively "daisy-chaining" to Everett records. Council member Ryan said he was concerned that outside entities might not honor Everetts privacy commitments; the chief said the AI audit can surface incomplete or questionable search narratives for follow-up and that access can be terminated for misuse.
Deputy City Attorney Rammerman had earlier asked the council to convene a 15-minute executive session to discuss potential litigation under the statute cited in the record ("42 31 10 sub 1 sub I"). After the session, the council voted to authorize the city to file a declaratory-judgment action concerning the disclosability of Flock camera images.
The action follows media and public scrutiny in Washington state about ALPR data access. During the briefing, the police representative emphasized that Everett posts its ALPR policies publicly, does not share data nationwide, and intends to monitor legal developments and public concerns about the technology.
Next steps: city attorneys will file the requested declaratory-judgment action; the council did not vote on any changes to ALPR policy during the meeting.
