Residents urge review of Renton’s Flock Safety ALPR program; Public Safety Committee to consider policy

At the April 27 Renton City Council meeting, multiple residents urged the city to reassess its use of Flock Safety automated license-plate readers (ALPRs), raising concerns about privacy, data sharing and risks to vulnerable populations.

Kim Caldwell, who identified herself as a Renton resident, told the council she reviewed the city’s ALPR logs and said that in a 30-day review there were “89 searches with meaningful reasons” and that “32 were listed have the words homicide or death.” She asked the council to impose stronger boundaries and safety guards, saying, “We are putting our vulnerable…people at risk by not having that wrapped up better.”

Chris Colwell, who identified himself as Caldwell’s husband and a long-time Renton elementary teacher, supported her request. He said he had not done the same level of research but urged the council to consider a pause or convene a commission to review what information is shared and with whom, saying the city has “a real chance to stand up and be leaders” on protecting immigrants and other vulnerable residents.

The meeting’s administrative announcements note that the Public Safety Committee will meet May 4 at 5:00 p.m. to discuss an automated license-plate-reader policy. Council members did not take formal action on the public comments at the meeting; the comments were made during the public-comment period and were directed to the council as a whole.

Why it matters: ALPR systems collect license-plate data that can be used for crime investigation and traffic enforcement but can also reveal movement patterns. Citizens at the meeting linked concerns about data sharing to risks for immigrants and asked for clearer limits on searches and disclosure. The scheduled Public Safety Committee discussion provides the council an opportunity to address those policy questions.

What to watch: The Public Safety Committee meeting on May 4 is expected to discuss the ALPR policy; residents requested clearer reporting, limits on retention or sharing, and oversight mechanisms.