Washington state municipalities have ceased using license plate reader (ALPR) cameras following a court decision granting public access to the data collected by the technology.
Police departments in Stanwood and Sedro-Woolley deactivated their cameras prior to the November 6th ruling by the Skagit County Superior Court. Subsequently, Redmond, Lynnwood, and Skamania County also turned off their cameras. This action follows a legal challenge spearheaded by Jose Rodriguez, a tattoo artist, who sought access to ALPR photos and data from approximately 50 public agencies across the state.
Rodriguez argued that the use of ALPR cameras constitutes an unwarranted tracking system. Judge Elizabeth Neidzwski ruled that the images, generated by Flock Safety cameras, are considered public records because they are used to advance governmental objectives and are funded by the cities to prevent disclosure. Flock Safety maintains that privacy concerns regarding its technology are unfounded, asserting that the cameras capture images of vehicles on public roads where there is no expectation of privacy.
The controversy highlights broader concerns about mass surveillance. Research from the University of Washington Center for Human Rights revealed that 18 Washington police agencies had accessed Flock Safety databases in 2023, with investigations conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Instances, such as a wrongful detention in Redmond due to a mistaken alert generated by a Flock camera, have further fueled criticism of the technology’s accuracy and potential for misuse.