City says safety concerns prompted pause as lawmakers debate shielding license plate data from disclosure.
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EVERETT, Wash. — The City of Everett has shut down its entire network of Flock license plate reader cameras after a Snohomish County judge ruled the footage those cameras collect qualifies as a public record.
The decision came after a Washington man filed public records requests seeking access to data captured by the cameras.
Jose Rodriguez of Walla Walla, represented by attorney Tim Hall, requested the footage from multiple jurisdictions in Washington state, to see what information the automated license plate reader system was collecting.
“He started noticing that the cameras were everywhere — he wanted to see what kind of data they collect,” Hall said.
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, moved to block the request, the case went to court.
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