HomeMy WebLinkAboutReg 2025-12-15 Item 8 - Handout Distributed at Meeting - Flock Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) FAQThomas McLeod, Mayor
Police Department - Eric Dreyer, Chief
MEMORANDUM
To: Tukwila City Council
From: Chief of Police Eric Dreyer
Date: December 15th, 2025
Subject: Flock ALPR — Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Council,
As discussed at the previous Council meeting, the Police Department put together an FAQ to
help address concerns and outstanding questions related to Flock ALPR's.
Please feel free to communicate any questions you may have that are not addressed in the FAQ,
and we will add them.
Additionally, we understand that there were additional emails with questions/statements made to
Council over the weekend regarding Flock. We will be prepared to answer any questions that
you may have regarding these communications. We will also add them to the FAQ with
explanations. We just did not have time to do so before sending this communication.
Ourt goal is to publicize a complete FAQ to the community after tonight's discussion.
Tukwila, Justice Center • 15005 Tukwila International Boulevard Tukwila, WA 98188 • 206-433-1808
Tukwila City Hall • 6200 Southcenter Boulevard • Tukwila, WA 98188 • 206-433-1800 • Website, TukwilaWA.gov
FAQ:
Q: What is Flock?
A: Flock is an automated license plate reader (ALPR) system. It captures vehicle -only data
related to all vehicles that pass through the camera's detection field.
Q: Besides license plate number, what other vehicle details do Flock license plate reader
cameras capture?
A: Vehicle Fingerprint — standard on all Flock LPR cameras — uses machine learning to
analyze captured footage to identify key details that traditional LPR cameras can't,
including:
• Make
• Body type (sedan, SUV, pickup truck, etc.)
• Color
• Plate state
• Type of plate (standard vs. temporary)
• Missing plate
• Other identifiers (roof rack, window stickers, toolbox, and more)
Q: Do Flock license plate reader cameras capture personal or facial data?
A: No. Flock LPR cameras only capture vehicle data. They do not collect personal
information, facial recognition, or anything tied to individuals.
Q: Who owns the data captured by Flock license plate readers?
A: Ownership, title, and interest in Tukwila data belong to and are retained solely by Tukwila.
Flock maintains a limited license to access the customer data for the sole purpose of
providing our services. Flock does not own customer data and, as a result, does not
maintain records of Tukwila data after the retention period.
Phone: 206-433-1800 • Email: Mayor@TukwilaWA.gov • Website: TukwilaWA.gov
Q: Does Flock sell or share the data to any entity not authorized by its customers (law
enforcement agencies)?
A: No. The data is owned by the customer (law enforcement agency).
Q: Has Flock ever had a data breach by an unauthorized hack/attack on their system?
A: No. Additionally, they are legally (contractually) required to notify agencies in the event of
a breach.
"if Flock reasonably believe Services are being used for malicious, unlawful, or otherwise
unauthorized use; (d) there is a threat or attack on any of the Flock IP by a third party; or (e)
scheduled or emergency maintenance ("Service Interruption"). Flock will make
commercially reasonable efforts to provide written notice of any Service Interruption to
Customer, to provide updates, and to resume providing access to Flock Services as soon
as reasonably possible after the event giving rise to the Service Interruption is cured."
Q: How long is the data retained?
A: 30 days, unless retained as evidence by Tukwila for investigative purposes.
Q: Does Flock retain any LPR data beyond the 30 days separate from Tukwila.
A: No. Flock has access to the information to support search queries for agencies granted
authority by Tukwila for the 30 days of retention, but then no longer store the information
after that.
Q: Who has access to Tukwila Flock data?
A: Only agencies that are granted authority by Tukwila PD - currently only Washington
agencies that are bound by the Keep Washington Working Act. Any agency that indicates
that they will allow access for assistance to Federal agencies for Immigration Enforcement
will have their access to Tukwila data removed. Adams County SO access has been
revoked as of 12/15/25.
Phone: 206-433-1800 • Email: Mayor@TukwilaWA.gov • Website: TukwilaWA.gov
Q: Has ICE or any Federal agency been granted access to Tukwila's Flock data?
A: No.
Q: Will Tukwila PD ever release Flock data to ICE or other Federal agencies?
A: Yes. However, only after Tukwila PD has confirmed that the data being requested is for
investigating crimes that are not associated with Immigration Enforcement. (ie. Homicide,
Drug Crimes, Interstate -Fraud, other violent crimes)
Q: Can the Federal Government Subpoena Flock data directly from Flock?
A: Yes; however, it must be for evidentiary reasons, not for just obtaining data. To date, Flock
has been subpoenaed only once by a federal agency, and it was for non -immigration
enforcement evidentiary reasons.
Q: Does Tukwila PD Audit Flock data searches?
A: Yes. We audit searches of Tukwila Flock data to determine who has been searching our
data on a daily basis.
Q: Is Flock viewed live?
A: You cannot view cameras real-time. All data is after the fact. Although, cameras will send
out a notification to TPD when it hits on stolen vehicles, warrants, or amber alerts.
Q: Did the University of Washington Report on Flock indicate that Federal Agents had gained
access to Tukwila's Flock data?
A: No.
Phone: 206-433-1800 • Email: Mayor@TukwilaWA.gov • Website: TukwilaWA.gov
Q: Tukwila's Transparency Portal indicates that it allows access to Tukwila Flock data by
agencies that are listed in the UW report as having provided access to their Flock data to
ICE. Does this allow ICE access to Tukwila's Flock data through another agencies portal?
A: No. Tukwila would have to provide authority in our system access for ICE to gain access
through Flock to our data.
Q: The University of Washington Report indicated that Tukwila PD released Flock data to the
Unites States Postal Inspectors Office (USPIO). Why did TPD release information to the
USPIO?
A: The USPIO made a request of the Flock data held by Tukwila to assist them with a criminal
Robbery case. TPD vetted the request and determined that the federal agency was
conducting a legitimate criminal investigation that was not related to immigration
enforcement and released the information.
Q: The Tukwila Transparency Portal references that data will be released for Homeland
Security. Does this include releasing information for Immigration Enforcement?
A: No. "Homeland Security" in the transparency portal relates to terrorism and gang activity,
not immigration.
Q: What happens if someone tries to do a search in Flock for immigration Enforcement
Purposes?
A: The Flock System has key word triggers that will automatically filter out and deny searches
for these purposes. This is automatically applied to all agencies in WA.
Q: What agencies in Washington State have temporarily suspended use of Flock?
A: Redmond, Olympia, Lynwood, Stanwood, Sedro-Woolley, and Skamania County, Walla
Walla
(WA State has 39 counties and 281 incorporated cities and towns.)
Phone: 206-433-1800 • Email: Mayor@TukwilaWA.gov • Website: TukwilaWA.gov
Q: What agencies in our area operate Flock cameras?
A: Seatac, Port of Seattle, Renton, Kent, Des Moines, Auburn
Q: Can a request for Flock data through a public disclosure request allow someone to track
an individual?
A: No. The data provided will indicate that a vehicle passed a camera location at a specific
date and time, but cannot be used to track a vehicle's location. Again, there is no
personally identifiable information collected.
Q: What information can a public disclosure request obtain?
A: Photo of the vehicle and its plate, time, date, location of camera.
Q: Flock has responded to agencies regarding the use of Public Disclosure Requests to gain
access to data and has made changes to the data that is available from a public disclosure
request. What changes were made by Flock?
A: Flock changed how the audit logs are viewed, requiring a "searcher" to reach out to the
agency with the data to gain access to the information they are seeking. In which case,
only a photograph of the car nd plate are released. Below is the letter Tukwila received
from Flock:
To our customers,
Flock was founded on the principle of promoting public safety, while partnering closely with
law enforcement agencies across the country to bring clarity and allow accountability,
which helps to maintain public trust.
That commitment to transparency remains unchanged, but the environment around us has
changed dramatically. We cannot let those abusing our transparency compromise officer
safety and the safety of our community.
To that end, we are making an important update to how Flock's Network Audit Logs display
information. As a reminder, Network Audit logs are the breadcrumbs for reciprocal sharing
on Flock's National Lookup tool.
Effective this week, Network Audit Logs will now only include:
• A unique alphanumeric search identifier
• Searching agency name
Phone: 206-433-1800 • Email: Mayor@TukwilaWA.gov • Website: TukwilaWA.gov
• Date of search
• Timeframe
• Number of networks searched
• Offense Type or free text search reasons
To protect officer safety and active investigations, Network Audit Logs will no longer
include:
• Officer names
• Specific plates searched
• Vehicle fingerprint information
These changes ensure agencies retain visibility and accountability while preventing the
misuse of sensitive operational data. And all the details will be preserved with and visible to
the originating agency. If agency B wants to understand more details in a Network Audit,
they can simply contact the originating agencyA and reference the unique alphanumeric
search identifier to cross-reference the specific information they require.
Your Organization Audit Logs, the audit trait for your agency's own users, wilt remain
unchanged. You will continue to have full access to all details you previously retied on.
Additionally, our new required Offense Type field, which is rolling out to all customers this
month, wilt bring unprecedented consistency and clarity to search reporting. By
standardizing intent across all Flock searches, we eliminate subjective or inconsistent
entries white strengthening compliance and public accountability.
Once the required Offense Type drop -down is live for a customer, we wilt replace the Free
Text search reason in the Network Audit with the Offense Type.
We remain deeply committed to transparency and democratic oversight. But when
transparency is weaponized to harm officers, derail investigations, and embolden criminal
networks, we have a responsibility to act. These updates help us strike the right balance:
maintaining clear, consistent auditability while ensuring no sensitive information can be
exploited to jeopardize your work or your people.
For any questions related to these updates, we've already shared details directly with
Chiefs and Sheriffs where we have contact information. We recommend coordinating with
your department leadership, who can work with us directly or through your local Flock
team.
If you have questions that are not listed in this FAQ, please reach out to include your question.
Phone: 206-433-1800 • Email: Mayor@TukwilaWA.gov • Website: TukwilaWA.gov