Issaquah council indefinitely postpones license‑plate reader policy after public privacy concerns

The Issaquah City Council voted unanimously on July 20 to postpone indefinitely any further council action on automated license‑plate reader (ALPR) technology, following a long public comment period and a staff briefing on state law and local policy options.

Mayor Mark Mullen opened the meeting and turned the agenda bill over to Dale Markey Crimp, assistant to the city administrator, who presented staff findings and three policy approaches: (1) defer to the statewide floor under ESSB 6002, (2) adopt stronger local protections (shorter retention, enforceable vendor cybersecurity and audit controls, tighter sharing rules), or (3) ban ALPRs locally. Crimp said the administration currently recommends further developing option 2 but told the council that an on‑premises, city‑hosted server — a frequently requested alternative — is “technically possible, but operationally infeasible” with the city’s current IT staffing and operating model.

The presentation underscored that Washington’s new statewide ALPR law sets baseline protections — including limits on placement, retention, and sharing — but leaves room for local governments to add stricter controls. Crimp told the council the staff review included outreach to technical experts, public‑safety staff, community members and vendors and cautioned that no vendor currently offers the precise mix of technical safeguards the city was asking be enforceable by contract.

Public commenters pressed the council to require an on‑premises or closed‑loop option rather than cloud‑hosted storage, citing privacy and security concerns. “You can’t ensure that web‑based anything, cloud‑based storage, is going to be 100% secure,” said Sarah Ryder, who identified herself as an Issaquah resident, citing prior documented leaks from commercial systems. Several speakers referenced a petition of roughly 200 signatures calling for stronger limits on retention and remote access.

Council discussion focused on two questions: whether Issaquah has an operational need or major crime problem that justifies adopting ALPRs now, and whether staff time should be spent developing local policy while a city resolution currently restricts purchases. City Attorney Rachel Turpin confirmed that the June resolution requires an ordinance before the city could spend public funds on ALPRs, meaning the present status effectively prevents purchases absent a future ordinance.

Council Member Joe moved to postpone action indefinitely; the motion was seconded and approved unanimously. The council’s indefinite postponement keeps the existing resolution and funding pause in effect. Crimp and staff said the administration will not pursue procurement or expenditure while the resolution and pause remain.

What’s next: The action removes ALPR rulemaking from near‑term council work. If the administration or police department presents new evidence of need or technologies that meet the community’s security expectations, the council may revisit the issue in the future.