Washington Cities Challenge Ruling on Flock Camera Records

Sedro-Woolley and Stanwood seek to overturn court decision that license plate reader images are public records.

Apr. 6, 2026 at 9:21pm

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A cinematic, nostalgic painting of a solitary street lamp casting warm, diagonal light and deep shadows on an empty urban sidewalk, evoking a contemplative mood around the debate over government surveillance and public records.As cities wrestle with public access to automated license plate reader data, the debate over privacy and transparency in government surveillance continues.Mount Vernon Today

The cities of Sedro-Woolley and Stanwood in Washington state are asking a Skagit County Superior Court judge to vacate a November 2025 ruling that images obtained through automated license plate readers are public records. The cities argue that a new state law, Senate Bill 6002, passed in March 2026, provides that in most cases these images are not subject to public records requests.

Why it matters

This case highlights the ongoing debate over privacy and transparency around the use of automated license plate readers by law enforcement and local governments. The cities' motion to overturn the previous court ruling could set an important precedent for how these types of surveillance technologies are regulated and the public's access to the data they collect.

The details

In April and May 2025, the cities of Sedro-Woolley and Stanwood received public records requests for images from their Flock Safety automated license plate reader systems. In response, both cities turned off their camera systems. However, after the Washington state legislature passed Senate Bill 6002 in March 2026, the cities are now arguing that the new law exempts these types of license plate reader images from public records requests in most cases. The cities are asking the Skagit County Superior Court judge to vacate the November 2025 ruling that had deemed the images to be public records.

  • The Skagit County Superior Court judge issued a ruling in November 2025 that license plate reader images are public records.
  • The Washington state legislature passed Senate Bill 6002 on March 10, 2026.
  • Governor Bob Ferguson signed Senate Bill 6002 into law on March 30, 2026.

The players

Sedro-Woolley

A city in Washington state that has Flock Safety automated license plate reader cameras, which it turned off after receiving public records requests in 2025.

Stanwood

A city in Washington state that also has Flock Safety automated license plate reader cameras, which it turned off after receiving public records requests in 2025.

Skagit County Superior Court

The court that issued a November 2025 ruling that license plate reader images are public records, which the cities of Sedro-Woolley and Stanwood are now seeking to overturn.

Senate Bill 6002

A new Washington state law passed in March 2026 that the cities argue exempts license plate reader images from public records requests in most cases.

Bob Ferguson

The Governor of Washington who signed Senate Bill 6002 into law on March 30, 2026.

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What’s next

The Skagit County Superior Court judge will decide whether to vacate the November 2025 ruling that license plate reader images are public records, in light of the new state law passed in March 2026.

The takeaway

This case highlights the ongoing tension between privacy concerns and government transparency around the use of automated surveillance technologies like license plate readers. The outcome could set an important precedent for how these systems are regulated and the public's access to the data they collect.