FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
LYNNWOOD, WA (October 24th, 2025) -
The Lynnwood Police Department is committed to protecting the privacy of its residents while responsibly leveraging technology to enhance public safety. In response to the recent University of Washington Center for Human Rights report, “Leaving the Door Wide Open: Flock Surveillance Systems and Immigration Enforcement in Washington State,” the department wishes to clarify key facts, address potential misconceptions, and reaffirm our responsible use of Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) technology.
The report references Lynnwood under the category of “side-door” searches, suggesting that ALPR data connected to the City may have been accessed for immigration-related queries. This reference appears to stem from nationwide searches conducted by two law enforcement agencies located in Pennsylvania and Florida. These agencies were not granted permission by Lynnwood to access our data, and at no time did the City knowingly authorize such access.
As Lynnwood’s ALPR system was being phased into operation, our staff closely monitored the rollout to ensure full compliance with policy and community expectations. The first phase of the system came online on June 29, 2025. Two days later, on July 1, staff detected that two agencies, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office (PA) and the Jacksonville Police Department (FL), appeared to have access without authorization. Lynnwood immediately began working with our vendor, Flock Safety, to determine how this access occurred.
By July 8, we learned that enabling a “nationwide search” feature, designed to allow agencies to search license plate data beyond their state, created reciprocal access for any other participating agency nationwide. Importantly, we confirmed that no federal law enforcement agencies accessed Lynnwood’s ALPR data during this period (June 29–July 8).
Recognizing that this nationwide feature was inconsistent with our intent and values, Lynnwood took swift corrective action:
- July 9: The nationwide search feature was disabled, halting all out-of-state access.
- July 10: Access was further restricted to only Washington State law enforcement agencies that have signed Lynnwood’s user agreement
- Since July 10, only agencies with signed agreements have had access to Lynnwood’s ALPR data.
“We take the concerns raised in the UW report seriously, but it’s important to clarify that Lynnwood has not shared ALPR data with federal immigration enforcement,” said Lynnwood Police Chief Cole Langdon. “Our team acted quickly and decisively to close unintended access pathways and ensure our system aligns with state law and community expectations.”
ALPR technology plays a vital role in Lynnwood’s public safety efforts. It has been instrumental in:
- Recovering stolen vehicles and property
- Assisting in AMBER Alerts and missing person cases
- Supporting investigations into violent crimes
- Enhancing officer safety by alerting to known threats
These tools help officers respond more effectively and efficiently while reducing reliance on broad surveillance or profiling. The system is operated under strict policies, with oversight and a commitment to transparency.
Lynnwood remains committed to continually reviewing and strengthening its ALPR policies, vendor contracts, and privacy safeguards to ensure responsible, lawful, and ethical use of technology in our community.
Commander Joe Dickinson
LPDMedia@LynnwoodWa.Gov
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