Renton, WA — The Renton City Council voted unanimously Monday night to refer the city’s use of Flock Safety license plate reader cameras to the Public Safety Committee, with discussion focused on potentially pausing their use while legal and legislative questions are reviewed.
Councilmember Kim-Khánh Văn made the motion, which was seconded by Councilmember Carmen Rivera. The council later voted to amend the referral so the matter would go directly to the Public Safety Committee rather than staff. The amended motion passed unanimously.
During discussion, Văn said the issue was “long overdue.” She also referenced a recent court case in Everett that determined Flock camera data is considered public record under Washington law, expressing concern about how that data could potentially be accessed.
“Any slim chance of ICE getting our data is something I cannot continue to support,” Văn said, noting that she previously supported the system as an investigative tool.
Rivera raised concerns about how publicly accessible license plate data could be misused, including by individuals seeking to track or monitor others.
“These are public records,” Rivera said. “If you have a routine… we are putting our residents in a vulnerable place.”
Eric Perry, Government Affairs Manager for the City of Renton, addressed the council regarding Senate Bill 6002, which he described as establishing “guardrails around usage of Flock” and creating a statewide framework for how law enforcement may access the technology’s data.
According to Perry, the bill would limit the use of the technology by law enforcement to felonies. He also noted that current amendments are adding public records protections and exploring whether certain additional misdemeanors would qualify for law enforcement use.
As of March 3, SB 6002 is in the House Rules Committee. Perry told the council there are approximately ten days remaining in the current legislative session and described the bill as a priority measure he believes is likely to pass. State Sen. Bob Hasegawa, who represents the 11th Legislative District — which largely includes Renton — is listed as a sponsor of the bill.
Flock Safety systems use automated license plate readers to capture images of vehicles and store associated data for investigative purposes. The discussion in Renton follows broader statewide conversations about how such data is classified and accessed under Washington’s public records law, and national concerns about data sharing with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The referral means the Public Safety Committee will take up the matter for further discussion. No final action to permanently discontinue the program was taken Monday night. The Public Safety Committee is expected to review the matter at an upcoming meeting.
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