Federal Agencies Accessed Washington Police Camera Data Without Consent

A report from the University of Washington Center for Human Rights revealed that federal agencies, including U.S. Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, accessed automated license plate reader data from 18 local law enforcement agencies across Washington. The data was collected via Flock Safety cameras, and in 10 cases, federal agencies gained access without the knowledge or authorization of the local departments.

In eight instances this year, U.S. Border Patrol directly consulted these networks for purposes including immigration enforcement. Researchers identified a "national lookup" feature in the Flock system as a likely vulnerability, allowing agencies nationwide to search networks if a single checkbox is enabled. Following the report, police departments in Auburn, Renton, and Lakewood adjusted their settings to block federal access. The Spokane County Sheriff's Office denied that its system is accessible to federal or out-of-state agencies, and the City of Spokane stated it does not operate Flock cameras.

These findings suggest a potential violation of the 2019 Keep Washington Working Act, which prohibits local law enforcement from cooperating with federal civil immigration enforcement. Researchers noted that legal loopholes may still exist regarding the sharing of networks with out-of-state agencies that might then conduct searches on behalf of federal authorities.