The city of Stanwood will reactivate its Flock Safety license plate reader cameras after the passage of the Driver Privacy Act, which establishes statewide rules for Automated License Plate Recognition (ALPR) use. The decision reverses a previous deactivation in May 2025 due to legal concerns and public record requests.

New Legislation Enables Reactivation

Officials in Stanwood are preparing to bring the cameras back online following the signing of Senate Bill 6002, the Driver Privacy Act, by Governor Bob Ferguson. The new law aims to regulate the use of ALPR technology across the state.

Mayor Sid Roberts expressed his satisfaction with the legislation, stating, “The legislature did us a big favor, by working this through and hammering out a deal that works for everybody.”

Restrictions on ALPR Usage

The Driver Privacy Act imposes several restrictions on how ALPR systems can be used. Cameras are prohibited from collecting data near sensitive locations, including healthcare facilities, places of worship, schools, and immigration service providers.

The law also prohibits using the technology for immigration enforcement or tracking individuals accessing protected healthcare or participating in constitutionally protected activities. Law enforcement agencies must obtain a warrant before accessing ALPR data from private entities, and the sale of such data is forbidden.

Addressing Previous Concerns

Data retention periods have been reduced from 30 to 21 days. A key provision exempts ALPR data from public records requests, which was the primary reason Stanwood initially deactivated the cameras in May 2025.

The city had received extensive data requests, often from repeat requesters targeting multiple municipalities, which proved overwhelming for the small town. While the city initially prevailed in court, the new legislation provides a more comprehensive solution.

Valuable Resource for Law Enforcement

Stanwood currently has 14 Flock cameras strategically placed throughout the city. Police Chief Glenn DeWiit stated the cameras have been a “force multiplier” for the department, given limited staffing.

Chief DeWiit emphasized the cameras’ effectiveness in solving crimes, particularly those involving vehicles and individuals traveling from outside the city. They aid in identifying vehicles connected to criminal activities and supporting prevention efforts.

The department is working to relocate two cameras that currently conflict with the new guidelines regarding sensitive locations.

Chief DeWitt confirmed the department has never shared data for immigration enforcement and will adhere to the new legal framework. The city’s decision aligns with ongoing scrutiny of Flock Safety and its ALPR systems, which capture license plate images and vehicle characteristics but do not include facial recognition or video recording.

Concerns about potential data access by federal agencies or immigration enforcement have been raised, highlighted by a 2025 University of Washington study revealing instances of such access. Several other cities, including Redmond, Mountlake Terrace, Edmonds, and Everett, previously paused or terminated their contracts with Flock Safety. Seattle recently imposed a 60-day pause on ALPR and CCTV data collection.