Everett shuts down Flock camera network after judge rules footage public record

Source: Hacker News

Background

The City of Everett shut down its entire network of Flock license plate reader cameras after a Snohomish County judge ruled that the footage they collect is a public record.

The case began when a Washington resident filed public‑records requests to obtain data captured by the cameras in multiple jurisdictions. The requester, represented by attorney Tim Hall, wanted to see what information the automated license‑plate reader system was collecting.

The requests revealed that Flock cameras continuously capture thousands of images, regardless of whether a vehicle is linked to a crime. When several cities, including Everett, attempted to block the requests, the matter went to court.

Court ruling

On Tuesday, a Snohomish County judge determined that footage captured by Flock cameras qualifies as a public record under Washington law, meaning members of the public can request access to the data.

City response

Everett Mayor Cassie Franklin said the city disagrees with the ruling and is concerned about who could obtain the footage.

“We were very disappointed. That means perpetrators of crime, people who are maybe engaged in domestic abuse or stalkers, they can request footage and that could cause a lot of harm.”

Following the ruling, Everett temporarily turned off all 68 of its Flock cameras. The city clarified that it is not dismantling or removing the cameras; they remain offline pending further action.

Franklin added that if legislation is passed allowing cities to shield Flock data from public disclosure, Everett would consider turning the cameras back on.

“Should we get a fix in Olympia that allows us to protect the data from public disclosure, then we can make the decision to turn them back on.”

Legislative debate

At the same time, lawmakers in Olympia are debating a bill that would exempt Flock footage from public‑records law. Supporters argue that public access could create safety risks, including the possibility that federal immigration agents might obtain footage through disclosure requests.

Hall pushed back on those concerns, noting that public‑records requests are typically a lengthy process and unlikely to be useful for real‑time tracking.

“As somebody who has made hundreds of public records requests myself, and represented many, many people in public records lawsuits, it’s generally a lengthy process. Same would be true for ICE. They’re going to get data from where you were three months, two months ago.”

The bill that would set guidelines for Flock data has already passed in the Senate and is moving through the Legislature.

Next steps

For now, Everett’s Flock camera network remains offline while the debate over transparency, privacy, and public safety continues in the Washington State Legislature.