Nov 11, 2025 – Federal ICE agents detain a man in downtown Olympia, sparking public scrutiny over local surveillance tools potentially serving as back‑doors for immigration enforcement and prompting city officials to consider remedial action [7].

Dec 3, 2025 – Olympia city council orders the temporary hooding of 15 active Flock Safety cameras to block license‑plate data capture while awaiting full removal, noting that removal requires Flock Safety’s approval and that the police department had no role in the ICE arrest [7].

Dec 3, 2025 – Mayor Donate Payne publicly supports removing the cameras, stating the city cannot guarantee that Flock cannot share data with federal immigration authorities [7].

Jan 9, 2026 – A University of Washington Center for Human Rights report links a Renton immigration arrest to a license‑plate data pull via the state ACCESS system and identifies at least seven similar cases, illustrating how rapid data retrieval enables on‑the‑spot enforcement [6].

Jan 9, 2026 – The UW report notes that on Nov 4, 2025, a driver named Sanchez is arrested after agents use ACCESS/Nlets to retrieve his information, highlighting ongoing concerns despite the Department of Licensing’s claim that ICE access was shut off [6].

Jan 13, 2026 – Lawmakers open the 2026 legislative session prioritizing immigration enforcement; Rep. Chris Stearns calls the effort to block federal data access a “whack‑a‑mole” tactic, emphasizing the need for state action to protect residents [5].

Jan 13, 2026 – The Department of Licensing and Washington State Patrol assert they are not violating state law by sharing driver data, while House Speaker Laurie Jinkins schedules the first hearing on a face‑covering ban for law‑enforcement officers, framing it as a transparency measure [5].

Jan 13, 2026 – A hearing on safeguarding Flock ALPR data is set for the following Tuesday, indicating legislative momentum to address privacy concerns surrounding the technology [5].

Jan 15, 2026 – A proposed bill would sharply limit Flock camera use, banning deployment outside hospitals, schools, food banks and churches, prohibiting immigration‑enforcement queries, and restricting public‑record requests to academic researchers, as Olympia shuts off its own Flock cameras amid debate [1].

Jan 15, 2026 – A Skagit County judge rules that nearly every image captured by ALPR cameras is a public record, intensifying privacy debates and prompting civil‑liberties criticism [1].

Jan 15, 2026 – Spokane County Sheriff John Nowels defends the Flock system as “revolutionary,” saying it saves hundreds of investigative hours, reduces auto thefts and aids prosecutions, while acknowledging vulnerability concerns [1].

Jan 15, 2026 – Investigative reporting by 404 Media reveals audit trails showing police nationwide searching ALPR records for immigration enforcement; Spokane County subsequently stops allowing such nationwide searches [1].

Jan 15, 2026 – A University of Washington study finds at least eight Washington law‑enforcement agencies have given U.S. Border Patrol access to Flock images, underscoring tensions between local transparency laws and federal immigration enforcement [1].

Jan 21, 2026 – Lawmakers hold public hearings on two ALPR regulation bills that would restrict data access and set retention limits, reflecting a push for privacy guardrails as usage expands across more than 80 jurisdictions, including Centralia [4].

Jan 21, 2026 – The UW Center testifies that federal agents accessed Flock data to pull over immigrants, energizing advocacy groups to demand cameras be taken offline [4].

Jan 21, 2026 – Law‑enforcement leaders argue a 72‑hour data‑retention window is too short for investigations and propose longer periods with strict audits, while privacy advocates push for the shorter limit [4].

Jan 28, 2026 – Lynnwood disables 30 Flock cameras after a University of Washington investigation reveals federal immigration agents accessed local feeds without city consent, leaving the system offline pending legislative outcome [3].

Jan 28, 2026 – During its brief trial, the Lynnwood system helped police locate a driver allegedly pointing a gun, make multiple arrests and recover eleven stolen vehicles, which Chief Cole Langdon cites as proof the technology is “an extremely valuable tool in solving crime and fighting crime” [3].

Jan 28, 2026 – Senate Bill 6002, co‑sponsored by Republican Sen. Jeff Holy, proposes limiting Flock use to felony or missing‑person investigations, banning immigration‑status queries, capping data storage at 21 days and requiring full license‑plate entries, aiming for a bipartisan compromise [3].

Feb 5, 2026 – The Washington State Senate approves an ALPR reform bill 40‑9, sending it to the House for consideration after Feb 17; the legislation would restrict federal agencies from obtaining Flock data and mandate deletion of raw images after a set retention period [2].

Feb 5, 2026 – The bill includes an amendment extending the maximum data‑retention window to 21 days, a change praised by Senate Republican Leader John Braun but still leaving some Republicans uneasy about the balance of privacy and investigative needs [2].

Feb 5, 2026 – A University of Washington study cited in the Senate debate confirms that at least eight local agencies shared ALPR data with Border Patrol and that Border Patrol accessed data from ten additional agencies without formal agreements, highlighting the breadth of federal data exposure [2].

Feb 5, 2026 – Over 80 municipalities, six counties and three tribal governments contracted Flock and other ALPR vendors in 2025, illustrating the technology’s extensive footprint across the state and underscoring the urgency of statewide regulation [2].