A big controversy is gripping many Washington towns right now: automated license plate readers.

Flock Safety, a technology and surveillance company, operates cameras in cities and counties across the nation. 

Those license plate readers take pictures of vehicles and their license plates – pictures that can be used by police to solve crimes. 

But questions about who has access to the cameras is leading several jurisdictions to turn off their automated licence plate readers.

GUESTS:
KUOW producer Hans Anderson
Flock Safety chief legal officer, Dan Haley
Phil Neff, a research coordinator at the University of Washington Center for Human Rights
Redmond Police Chief Darrell Lowe
Beryl Lipton, a senior investigative researcher at the Electronic Frontier Foundation

RELATED LINKS:
Washington Court Rules That Data Captured on Flock Safety Cameras Are Public Records - Electronic Frontier Foundation
Redmond turns off Flock Safety cameras after ICE arrests - The Seattle Times
Immigration agencies accessed WA law enforcement license plate data, report finds - KUOW

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network

A big controversy is gripping many Washington towns right now: automated license plate readers.
Flock Safety, a technology and surveillance company, operates cameras in cities and counties across the nation.&nbsp;
Those license plate readers take pictures of vehicles and their license plates &ndash; pictures that can be used by police to solve crimes.&nbsp;
But questions about who has access to the cameras is leading several jurisdictions to turn off their automated licence plate readers.
GUESTS:
<ul>
<li>KUOW producer Hans Anderson</li>
<li>Flock Safety chief legal officer, Dan Haley</li>
<li>Phil Neff, a research coordinator at the University of Washington Center for Human Rights</li>
<li>Redmond Police Chief Darrell Lowe</li>
<li>Beryl Lipton, a senior investigative researcher at the Electronic Frontier Foundation</li>
</ul>
RELATED LINKS:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/11/washington-court-rules-data-captured-flock-safety-cameras-are-public-records">Washington Court Rules That Data Captured on Flock Safety Cameras Are Public Records - Electronic Frontier Foundation</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/law-justice/redmond-turns-off-flock-safety-cameras-after-ice-arrests/">Redmond turns off Flock Safety cameras after ICE arrests - The Seattle Times</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.kuow.org/stories/immigration-enforcement-agencies-accessed-wa-law-enforcement-license-plate-data-report-finds">Immigration agencies accessed WA law enforcement license plate data, report finds - KUOW</a><a href="https://www.kuow.org/authors/gustavo-sagrero-alvarez"></a></li>
</ul>
Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to <a href="http://kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes">kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes</a>
Soundside&nbsp;is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network

Soundside

Flock license plate readers take pictures of vehicles and their license plates – pictures that can be used by police to solve crimes.   But questions about who has access to the cameras is leading several jurisdictions to turn off their automated licence plate readers.

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