Issaquah residents urge council to reject 'Flock' license‑plate readers; council schedules May 11 review

Dozens of Issaquah residents told the City Council on April 20 that the city should reject any plan to install Flock automated license‑plate readers (ALPRs), citing privacy risks, vendor security failures, possible federal access to data and long‑term costs.

Nicholas Herang, who identified himself as a "lifetime Issaquah resident," said Flock cameras “pose a risk to the security and privacy of residents” and told the council he opposed implementation within city limits. Alistair Brewer warned that federal agencies have “routinely obtained Flock data through subpoenas and bench warrants” even when cities declined to share, and framed ALPR networks as “the kind of persistent surveillance” courts have warned about.

“I urge the council to reject Flock cameras and choose a path that protects both public safety and civil liberties,” Brewer said. Other speakers—Karen Ellis, Ren Liss, BJ Olum and a Bellevue‑area security professional—told the council they feared the systems would make vulnerable people easier to find, would create ongoing contract and licensing expenses after any one‑time grant expires, and would erode trust between residents and local government.

City staff said the funding deadline tied to the federal grant would run through Sept. 30 and that the city is also awaiting the hire of a new police chief before finalizing equipment decisions. Assistant to the City Administrator Dale Marky Crimp told the council staff could provide a public timeline and noted that any reporting or verification of federal activity will necessarily rely on community‑reported 911 calls and police follow‑up, not on a comprehensive data feed from federal authorities.

Council Member Walsh moved to direct the administration to place the congressional community‑appropriations grant and the proposed ALPR camera program on the Committee of the Whole agenda May 11 for a full staff briefing and council discussion. After extensive debate about timing, legal constraints, vendor practices and the incoming police chief’s role in implementation, the motion passed 5–2.

City Attorney Rachel Turpin clarified during debate that the city’s federal grant award totals $452,000 and that the appropriation can be applied to a range of equipment types submitted in the original application; she said the precise grant agreement and any restrictions will be set in the forthcoming federal grant contract.

What happens next: the council will hold a Committee of the Whole meeting May 11 where staff will present the grant application the city submitted, the administration’s current plan for proposed equipment and available cost estimates. Council members said they expect multiple public meetings before any final approval of specific purchases or installation plans.

Why it matters: residents and many council members said the question is not only whether cameras can help solve property crime but whether the technology will meaningfully reduce harm without creating disproportionate surveillance of immigrants, people of color and other vulnerable groups. The May 11 briefing will give the council and the public an opportunity to review the application and to ask staff to identify alternatives and constraints before a final decision.