Although currently paused, our Police Department has the ability to use ALPR (Automated License Plate Readers) technology to capture objective evidence without compromising on individual privacy.
ALPR technology has proven to be valuable in solving and preventing serious crimes. Retroactive searches allow officers to solve crimes after they've occurred; additionally, real time alerting of "hotlist" vehicles allow officers to capture wanted criminals. Please see links to our policies and the transparency portal at right.
In Renton, Flock cameras are only allowed on state highways, and data from the system can only be accessed for serious crimes such as violentContinue reading
Although currently paused, our Police Department has the ability to use ALPR (Automated License Plate Readers) technology to capture objective evidence without compromising on individual privacy.
ALPR technology has proven to be valuable in solving and preventing serious crimes. Retroactive searches allow officers to solve crimes after they've occurred; additionally, real time alerting of "hotlist" vehicles allow officers to capture wanted criminals. Please see links to our policies and the transparency portal at right.
In Renton, Flock cameras are only allowed on state highways, and data from the system can only be accessed for serious crimes such as violent crimes, felonies, or gross misdemeanors.
What Flock ALPR Technology Does
Flock ALPR cameras are a public safety tool that has shown to be an important asset in solving several investigations in Renton. They capture a snapshot (not a video) of license plate information and vehicle characteristics as cars pass by the fixed camera locations. The system helps officers:
- Identify vehicles connected to felony or gross misdemeanor investigations
- Locate missing persons or endangered individuals when a vehicle is involved
- Respond more quickly to in-progress crimes
- Provide investigative leads in cases where no suspect information is available
- Corroborate timelines or vehicle movements in major incidents
What Flock ALPR Technology Cannot Do
The system cannot:
- Track people — it only captures vehicles and license plates
- Be used for minor offenses — Renton PD may only access data for felonies and gross misdemeanors
- Be used for immigration enforcement — SB 6002 prohibits sharing ALPR data with federal immigration agencies
- Be used by out-of-state agencies — information stored in our records is not available to out-of-state or federal agencies
- Provide real-time surveillance of individuals — it is not a live video system
- Be used arbitrarily — all users must be trained and authorized under the updated policy
There is also a common question about stolen vehicles. While the system can generate alerts for stolen plates, officers must meet the legal threshold for accessing historical data under the new law.
What the Renton Police Department Updated
To comply with SB 6002 and strengthen community trust, the department implemented several key changes:
- Revised ALPR policy to reflect all new state requirements
- Enhanced data governance to ensure proper retention and access controls
- Improved audit procedures for both internal and public-facing systems
- Restricted access to only trained and authorized personnel. All authorized users have been retrained to align with the updated policy
- Mandatory documentation for every search
- Reinforced accountability measures to ensure compliance and transparency
Data Deletion - Is the data truly deleted after 21 days?
Yes. The deletion is enforced by Amazon Web Services (AWS), not by Flock. Our LPR data is stored in AWS and automatically deleted at the end of our retention window (21 days, per Washington state requirement).
- The deletion is executed by an AWS S3 lifecycle rule that runs continuously, with no manual step that anyone at Flock can skip, pause, or override.
- Every deletion is logged in AWS CloudTrail with a tamper-proof, cryptographically validated timestamp, and AWS CloudWatch shows the corresponding drop in stored data in real time.
- Once data expires, it cannot be recovered by anyone — including AWS engineers — by design.
- The underlying AWS environment is independently audited against the leading security and compliance frameworks relevant to public-sector data.
Data Security - is the a federal "backdoor"?
No. There is no federal backdoor. There is no API, no standing access, and no mechanism by which a federal agency can reach into our data on its own.
Our data is encrypted in transit and at rest, hosted in a secure AWS environment aligned to the standards relevant to public-sector data, and every search of our data is logged, tied to a specific named user, and reviewable through the audit tools in our account.
Specific to Washington (SB 6002) specific changes were made in the Flock platform
- All Washington agencies were removed from the National (nationwide) Lookup network, and we blocked re-entry. Washington agencies cannot be added back, intentionally or by mistake.
- Sharing with federal agencies has been revoked and blocked for all Washington agencies in the platform. New federal sharing relationships cannot be created, and Washington agencies are not visible to federal users.
- Automatic search filters block any attempt to query Washington data for immigration- or reproductive-care-related reasons. Blocked searches return no data.
- Automatic private-to-law-enforcement camera sharing has been disconnected, consistent with the warrant requirement in the law.
These are enforced by the platform, not just by policy, to conform to state law. We retain 100% ownership and control of our data. In order for other (in-state) agencies to view our data, we need to opt them in.
Council adopts motion to pause ALPR system.
Committee of the Whole was updated by Police Chief Schuldt regarding the pause of system access until the department updated policies, practices, and systems to be in compliance with the new laws established by WA legislature.
Dear Council,
I do not want ALPR cameras in our community, and believe they diminish the privacy of every citizen and it is not worth this cost.
These 24/7 surveillance devices provide far too much data, which absolutely can be abused for tracking purposes. It should be noted that not all of this additional data processing happens directly with Flock. I am greatly concerned that Flock prides itself on sharing its data with third-party companies to share public safety data. While we can focus on the controls Flock provides, the reality is this data is directly shared with other systems, including those by Axon which the Renton police have contracts with, and could theoretically be misused in ways that while may be unintentional, can be misleading if we focus purely on what Flock states for their search portal. It's not about the individual data points. It's about the collection.
Additionally, even while the systems were enabled, the Flock-provided "transparency report" still does not give citizens full transparency. There is far more information that is available, that you could ask Flock to enable, but have not. Case numbers as one example, and the full text searches the officers used. The current report being provided by Flock is greatly lacking the real transparency we deserve.
Additionally, as I write this on May 19th, the FBI is putting out proposals for Statements of Works, to be able to gain access to ALPR systems, in near real time. There is significant speculation that Flock will be competing for some of these government contracts. This is a prime example for the opportunity you are providing others to attempt to get this data in the name of "public safety": https://sam.gov/workspace/contract/opp/33a5c6f72cdd41e7bf5b6504e4ab8fbd/view While of course our federal government says they respect state laws, we have seen the abuses of the current administration, and their bending of the laws and rules, typically stating "national security". The fact this is plausible is a testament to the fact this technology is far too abusive, and can easily get out of our control. Even if we learn about this after the fact, that would be after our Renton citizen data is exposed.
While I support the work of police in trying to make us safe, an important part of safety is knowing when not to engage in actions where the risks outweigh their harms. This is one of those moments where the risks are far too great, and we should end our contract with Flock, and remove the ALPR cameras from our city.
Text of e-mail sent to Renton City Council May 18, 2026:
Dear Renton City Council and Mayor Pavone,
I am writing regarding the decision to once again suspend the Renton Police Department’s Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR/Flock camera) program.
I’m somewhat conflicted, as I don’t particularly like the idea of “Big Brother.” However, public safety should remain a top priority for the city. There is concern that certain state and local policies - such as the decriminalization of some offenses, inconsistent accountability, and underreporting of crimes like shoplifting due to lack of prosecution - have contributed to increased criminal activity and reduced deterrence. In this environment, tools like ALPR/Flock technology serve a clear purpose in helping law enforcement solve crimes, recover stolen vehicles, locate suspects, and support victims.
Every reasonable tool should be available to help identify perpetrators and hold them accountable. I know I would want that if a loved one or friend became the victim of a crime such as a kidnapping, hit-and-run, or vehicle theft.
From what has been shared publicly, these cameras are not being used for mass surveillance. They do not use facial recognition, do not identify drivers or passengers, and do not continuously track individuals. The data collected is limited, protected under state law, and deleted after a short retention period if it is not tied to a criminal investigation.
I understand that privacy concerns are important, but there must also be balance and common sense.
Washington State has already established safeguards and legal restrictions governing how ALPR systems can be used, including penalties for misuse. This oversight should provide reassurance that the technology can be used responsibly while still improving public safety.
Please reconsider the pause on this program and continue supporting the responsible use of ALPR/Flock cameras in Renton.
If the cameras remain in use, access should be applied consistently and without discrimination among law enforcement agencies when appropriately requested. While current state law restricts access for certain federal agencies, those limitations should not come at the expense of justice. Crime victims in Renton and communities near and far deserve every available resource to help solve serious offenses, regardless of which agency has jurisdiction. Denying access based on agency affiliation undermines the broader goal of public safety and accountability.
Please do what is right for the City of Renton and its residents. Holding criminals accountable matters, and this technology can help achieve that.
Thank you for consideration.
I am dismayed to hear that the city has jumped on the propaganda and alarmist bandwagon that these cameras violate privacy and are/will be used in unlawful ways. I would much rather that our law enforcement have access to this tool to keep us safe.
Look at the statistics nationwide where these cameras are in use and tell me that they have not been helpful in keeping the public safe.
What we as citizens do on public roads and in.pyblic spaces is not private and there is no legal expectation of privacy.