Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Surveillance Alpr topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Mount Vernon council votes to turn off and cover Flock license-plate cameras after public outcry
Summary
After an extended public-comment period in which residents raised privacy, data-sharing and public-records concerns, the Mount Vernon City Council voted by voice to turn off and cover the city's Flock license-plate reader cameras and move into executive session on potential litigation.
The Mount Vernon City Council voted on June 24 to turn off and cover the city's Flock automated license-plate reader (ALPR) cameras following an extended public-comment period in which residents urged termination or suspension of the contract.
Dozens of local residents told the council the system raises privacy, data-retention and civil-liberties risks and that local taxpayers should not fund an ALPR subscription that can share data with other agencies. Andrea, speaking for a petition of more than 430 signatories, told the council: "We are urging council to do the right thing and end the warrantless mass surveillance of the people of Skagit County." Lindsay Kitchen said the $68,000'$70,000 annual cost could fund other services and asked for concrete data showing the cameras' crime-reduction benefits in Mount Vernon.
Speakers cited investigations and reports by civil-rights organizations and national press alleging misuse of ALPR systems, questioned data-retention and deletion practices, and warned that Flock data can be accessed by other law-enforcement agencies. Karen Russell, a data analyst, raised technical and public-records concerns and asked whether deleted records remain accessible to vendors or administrators.
On the council floor, members debated process and timing before taking the motion. One council member said the city "owes it" to residents to discuss whether to turn the cameras off; others argued absent colleagues should participate. Councilmembers ultimately approved the motion by voice vote to "turn off and cover" the Flock cameras. The motion was moved and seconded on the record; the transcript records a voice vote in which the motion passed, but it does not list a roll-call tally.
The mayor then asked the city attorney to call the council into a 15-minute executive session to discuss potential litigation and enforcement matters under state law. The meeting adjourned at about 8:08 p.m.
What happens next: Council members and staff said the topic will also appear at a Public Safety Committee meeting next week for further discussion and to gather additional information before any long-term procurement or policy decisions. The council did not publish a detailed implementation timeline in the meeting record.
Quotes used in this article come from public commenters and council remarks recorded in the official meeting transcript.
