Sunnyside ends Flock Safety mobile trailer contract

1 September 2026. [AI first draft. Verify every fact against the source before publishing.]

The Sunnyside city council voted on September 1, 2026, to terminate its contract with Flock Safety for a mobile license plate reader trailer. The decision came after residents and council members raised questions about data security, privacy protections, and the scope of access to information collected by the camera system.

The trailer-based automated license plate reader (ALPR) system had operated in Sunnyside as part of the city's law enforcement infrastructure. The contract termination reflects a broader wave of public scrutiny directed at Flock Safety and similar ALPR technology across the United States, with municipalities reconsidering the balance between public safety tools and privacy safeguards.

With the contract ended, residents can now review city council records and meeting minutes documenting the debate over the system's operation and data handling practices. Public records requests may be filed to obtain any impact assessments, usage reports, or correspondence between city officials and Flock Safety regarding the system's deployment. Residents in other communities can examine their own city council agendas and vendor contracts to determine whether similar license plate reader systems are in use, what data retention policies exist, and whether renewal or termination votes are scheduled.

Read the original reporting: Sunnyside Sun.