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Renton Police pause Flock ALPR access after state law change; department says cameras remain valuable for investigations
Summary
Renton Police told council they paused access to automated license‑plate reader (ALPR/Flock) data after Senate Bill 6002 reduced retention, limited uses to serious crimes, and tightened disclosure; police said the pause protects privacy while they update policies, training, audits and vendor software, but it temporarily limits investigative access to data.
Chief Schult of the Renton Police Department told council that the department has paused ALPR (automated license‑plate reader) access and use following the signing of Senate Bill 6002. The law shortens data retention from 30 days to 21 days, restricts queries to certain serious crimes (felonies and gross misdemeanors), limits public‑disclosure access and creates penalties for improper use; the chief said the department is updating policy and training and awaiting vendor software updates before restoring access.
Schult told council that although some vendor systems (including third‑party Flock cameras) may still collect data, Renton Police currently lack authorized access. He described the pause as necessary to ensure compliance with new state auditing and reporting requirements and to prevent inadvertent violations that could expose officers or the agency to criminal or licensing penalties. The department said it will relocate one fixed Flock camera whose field of view touches a statutorily defined sensitive area; that camera is already turned off. In‑car and parking enforcement cameras are also paused for ALPR functionality until mobile geofencing and policy clarifications are in place.
Council members pressed staff on how long the pause will last and how the change affects urgent investigations. Schult called ALPR a “game‑changer” for certain investigations and cited a recent homicide outside city limits where plate data would have aided investigators; the department said it wants the system back online but could not set a timeline and will restore use only after policies, training, auditing and vendor updates are completed.
Eric Perry, the city’s government affairs manager, described Senate Bill 6002 as a negotiated compromise that adds privacy protections while preserving investigative uses in narrowly defined circumstances. Perry said stakeholders remained divided through the legislative process, but the final measure balances privacy with public‑safety needs.
No formal action was taken at the meeting. Police leaders said next steps include finalizing departmental ALPR policies, staff training, establishing required audit/reporting mechanisms and coordinating vendor updates before restoring ALPR access and use.
