Renton, WA Flock cameras on hold as city plans virtual town hall
Renton, WA Flock cameras on hold as city plans virtual town hall
Renton’s Flock ALPR cameras remain turned off after a split city council vote while officials attempt to renegotiate contract terms before November. Critics cite privacy and surveillance risks, while police defend the technology as a crucial tool for investigating regional crime.
RENTON, Wash. - A contentious debate at Renton City Hall has left the future of automated license plate reading (ALPR) cameras in question, but residents will soon have a chance to weigh in directly.
Following a split city council vote, Renton’s Flock Safety cameras remain powered down as city officials scramble to negotiate a new contract before the current agreement expires in November. In response to mounting public interest and concern, the Renton Police Department announced it will host a virtual community town hall to explain the technology, outline privacy safeguards, and address public feedback.
Debate over privacy and police capabilities
What they're saying:
Local protesters and advocacy groups have pushed the city to "De-Flock" entirely, citing concerns over mass surveillance and civil liberties.
"I don’t doubt that police have found Flock useful in investigations, but finding someone after a crime has happened is not the same as preventing that crime," said one resident during the August 17 Renton City Council meeting. "A system can be useful to an investigation while still creating extreme risks for people whose movements are being recorded."
Renton, WA protesters demand cancellation of Flock camera contract
Protesters gathered at Renton City Hall demanding the city cover its Flock license plate cameras and end its contract with the company.
The controversy centers heavily on privacy, local control, and compliance with Washington’s Senate Bill 6002, a state law that strictly regulates data handling and restricts sharing information with out-of-state or federal agencies.
Renton Police leaders maintain that ALPR technology is an essential investigative tool for tracking suspects across city lines. FOX 13 captured exclusive video during a ride-along with police in December 2025 when officers chased down and arrested a stolen vehicle suspect.
"When we have crimes committed to people who live in our community, often times that suspect does not stay here and they may not even live here. So, having access to data in the greater area helps us to locate, investigate and apprehend those individuals," said Renton Police Commander Denis Moynihan during the city council’s Public Safety Committee meeting on Monday.
"We’ve been proponents for the technology, but understand the concerns of the community," said Renton Police Chief Jon Schuldt during the committee meeting. "If there’s some way to find ground where we could still have the ability to use this system, but address those concerns, that would be excellent."
Navigating data ownership and contract terms
Department leadership clarified that under the current agreement, the City of Renton owns all surveillance data it generates. Software updates implemented by Flock have also blocked the system from sharing data outside of Washington state.
"We can’t share with any federal organization at this point. We can’t share with anybody in Oregon or Idaho," explained Moynihan. "It has to be a sheriff’s department or police department within the state."
Despite those updates, protestors, community members and some city council members argued the current contract terms remain too vague, particularly regarding Flock's backend access to diagnostic data and the length of time images are stored.
"That’s what I’m uncertain about because that’s too broad for me. That’s not specific enough, and that to me is really disturbing because that sums up a lot of the concerns right there," said city councilmember Carmen Rivera.
Should the police department choose to renegotiate with Flock, opponents said they want the contract to reflect Renton’s specific needs, and to shorten data retention to align strictly with state’s new law.
What's next:
For now, the camera network stays off after the city council narrowly rejected a motion to reactivate them. Chief Schuldt said the department plans to send a draft contract amendment to Flock Safety while preparing for the upcoming virtual community town hall.
The discussion is scheduled for Thursday, August 27 at 6:00 p.m. via Zoom.
Residents interested in participating or submitting questions in advance can access the submission form and event link directly through the police department’s website.
The Source: Information for this story came from original reporting by FOX 13 Seattle.
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