OLYMPIA, Wash. — This story was originally published on MyNorthwest.com
A bill aimed at regulating the use of automated license‑plate readers — most notably Flock cameras — will get its first hearing Tuesday in the state Senate.
The so‑called Driver Privacy Act, Senate Bill 6002, is scheduled for a hearing before the Senate Law & Justice Committee at 8 a.m.
The proposal would limit how long police agencies can retain data from license‑plate readers, reducing the window from the current 30 days to 72 hours.
Supporters, including the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Washington, say shorter retention is a critical privacy safeguard.
“The strongest way to protect data from falling into the wrong hands is to ensure that it is deleted regularly and as soon as possible,” the group said.
But the Association of Washington Cities (AWC) warns that a tighter timeframe could hinder some criminal investigations.
“AWC urges cities that have been using this tool to share how important it is for public safety and solving crimes with your local legislators and through public comment during the committee hearings,” the association said in a press release.
A companion bill, HB 2332, is also scheduled for a hearing Tuesday morning before the House Committee on Civil Rights & Judiciary at 10:30 a.m.
City of Auburn condemns use of Flock cameras
Last October, the City of Auburn condemned U.S. Border Patrol’s use of its Flock camera system after it discovered agents used it without permission.
The Auburn Police Department (APD) and the City of Auburn announced that U.S. Border Patrol gained direct access to the Flock system.
City officials emphasized that the surveillance happened without their knowledge.
“We want to state clearly: this access occurred unknowingly to us,” officials stated in a social media post. “The City of Auburn has not knowingly allowed, nor will we allow, direct access to our Flock system by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), U.S. Border Patrol, or any other federal immigration enforcement agency.”
Officials underlined that the Flock system is used strictly for criminal law enforcement and public safety — not immigration enforcement.
“While Flock’s national network allows agencies across the country to share information, Auburn has not intentionally or knowingly granted access to any agency directly affiliated with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) or engaged in immigration enforcement activities,” the City of Auburn wrote.
After learning of the unauthorized access, officials said APD leadership immediately turned off Flock’s “National Lookup” feature, which may have allowed access through a shared national network.
APD also implemented enhanced monitoring protocols, where every month the department conducts reviews of Flock usage data.
“If any agency is found to be using Auburn’s Flock data for immigration enforcement purposes, its access is immediately and permanently revoked,” city officials stated.
Redmond City Council requests deactivation of Flock system
The following month, the Redmond City Council asked the mayor and police chief to deactivate the Flock camera system immediately.
The council later made it official with a unanimous vote the following week.
The city had learned that the U.S. Border Patrol improperly accessed Auburn’s Flock system.
“To the community that was caught off guard by the implementation of the license plate readers, I hear you,” Councilmember Melissa Stuart said.
Mountlake Terrace residents push back on security cameras
Earlier in the year, Mountlake Terrace residents pushed back against the city’s plan to install new security cameras.
Residents feared the Flock Safety cameras, approved in a 5–2 vote on June 5, could be used by ICE to track people, The Everett Herald reported.
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