Lynnwood terminates Flock Safety cameras due to trust and oversight issues
LYNNWOOD—The Lynnwood City Council voted unanimously on Monday, February 22, to terminate its contract with Flock Safety, scrapping a controversial network of automated license plate recognition cameras that had drawn months of fierce community backlash over privacy invasions and potential misuse for immigration enforcement. The Council’s decision was a swift reversal for a program once […]
Amid Trump crackdown, Lynnwood proposes protections for immigrants from ICE
LYNNWOOD—Amid escalating national outrage over fatal shootings and tactics by ICE in sweeping immigration crackdowns — which has deported over 540,000 people since January 2025 — the Lynnwood City Council debated a resolution on Tuesday, February 17, to shield immigrant residents from federal agents and raids. The Lynnwood police warned of legal risks if they […]
Washington lawmakers want to regulate license plate readers
OLYMPIA [Jake Goldstein-Street]—Washington state lawmakers next year hope to rein in law enforcement’s use of automated license plate readers amid revelations federal immigration authorities are using the data. The readers are mounted everywhere from street poles to police patrol cars. They take pictures of vehicles and use artificial intelligence to analyze the data. Police can […]
Lynnwood PD suspends Flock camera system amid concerns over ICE access
LYNNWOOD—The Lynnwood Police Department (LPD) has temporarily paused use of its Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) system, known as Flock Cameras, to address community concerns about data privacy and system access. “Flock cameras have already proven to be an invaluable investigative tool in solving crimes and keeping our community safe,” said Police Chief Cole Langdon. […]
Lynnwood’s Flock Cameras Under Fire: Boosting Public Safety or Eroding Privacy in the Fight Against Crime?
LYNNWOOD—The Lynnwood Police Department on Friday, October 24, issued a statement to clarify and “address potential misconceptions” of its use of Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) technology in response to a recent report by the University of Washington Center for Human Rights. The report titled, “Leaving the Door Wide Open: Flock Surveillance Systems and Immigration Enforcement in Washington State,” […]
Lynnwood Police Department addresses concerns over ALPR camera data use
LYNNWOOD—The Lynnwood Police Department on Friday, October 24, issued a statement to clarify and “address potential misconceptions” of its use of Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) technology in response to a recent report by the University of Washington Center for Human Rights. The report titled, “Leaving the Door Wide Open: Flock Surveillance Systems and Immigration […]
New Flock Safety cameras delivering immediate results for Mill Creek
MILL CREEK—Just one week after the installation of Flock Safety license plate recognition cameras, the Mill Creek Police Department (MCPD) is already seeing powerful results. The system has generated multiple hits on stolen vehicles, resulting in the recovery of one stolen car and a stolen license plate — all within days of going live. “We […]
Everett City Council approves Drone First Responder Program
EVERETT—Everett becomes the first city in Snohomish County and the second following Redmond in Washington state, to launch a Drone as a First Responder (DFR) program reducing response times on by up to 63 percent—to just under 90 seconds! The council voted 5-1, with Councilwoman Liz Vogeli dissenting, to officially approve the pilot program in partnership with […]
New: First Responder Drones coming soon to Everett
EVERETT—During an emergency, every second matters. The average response time within the City of Everett for priority one calls—the most urgent and life-threatening situations—in 2024, according to Everett Police, was four minutes, or 240 seconds. The Everett Police Department will be deploying two cutting-edge first responder drones, a first in Snohomish County and the second […]
Automatic License Plate Recognition cameras coming to Lynnwood
LYNNWOOD—For almost 20 years, photo enforcement cameras have been used to improve traffic safety in Lynnwood; now, Automatic License Plate Recognition (ALPR) cameras will be added to the city’s arsenal to combat rising motor vehicle thefts. At its Monday Business Meeting, the City Council approved the Lynnwood Police Department to enter into a two-year agreement […]
