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Gig Harbor won’t install license plate-reading cameras

Gig Harbor will not install license plate-reading cameras after the city council voted against the proposal on Monday.

A grant from the Washington Auto Theft Prevention Authority would have paid for installation and one year of service for the cameras, operated by Atlanta-based Flock Group, Inc. The grant expires in June.

License plate-reading cameras

The cameras would “greatly assist the police department in identifying stolen or wanted vehicles, as well as vehicles associated with missing persons,” Gig Harbor Police Chief Kelly Busey wrote in his request to the council.

Data from the cameras would have been stored for 30 days via Amazon Web Services.

A large crowd filled the Civic Center council chambers for a long City Council meeting on Monday, March 24. Photo by Julie Warrick Ammann

Many people – including nearly a dozen who expressed opposition during the meeting’s public comment period and more than 40 who wrote to the city – worried that the cameras would be an invasion of individuals’ privacy. Five council members agreed.

Fox Island resident Philip Craven was concerned about potential misuse of the camera system.

“There are people who would lie to get information,” Craven said. “I know people from Guatemala who are skilled, hard workers. I’m deeply worried that someone could be willing to lie — saying that they’re ‘trying to find a missing person,’ and he could be ripped away from his family. We’re up against a very clever and uninhibited government right now.”

Like several other commenters, Craven suggested that the council should “hold off for a year or more” before considering the cameras.

Privacy concerns

Tom Tomlinson noted that the city is already having budget problems and wondered if it was worth adding another $30,000 to the city’s budget to purchases the cameras.

Christian Cole of Gig Harbor comments about automated license plate readers during the Gig Harbor City Council meeting on Monday, March 24, 2025. Photo by Julie Warrick Ammann

Christian Cole of Artondale said he works in data analytics. “Data is our most valuable asset,” Cole said, “and it can be manipulated. Flock data is available to foreign countries and the (Amazon Web Services) cloud has already seen some massive data breaches.”

Only two people spoke in support of the cameras. Jeff Rose of Belfair said Gig Harbor is a “main hit place” for organized theft, “because those people know” the town doesn’t have Flock cameras.

Chelsea Tower, who works in an industry that identifies retail theft areas, said that the cameras’ impact on reducing crime “is significant.” She said that she has never had a request from any national organization for information gathered from the cameras.

Council comments

Councilmember Roger Henderson expressed concern about the “potential for misuse and abuse” of Flock-gathered data.

“I can’t trust that some nearby city won’t share our data,” Henderson said. “And who starts to define who’s a bad guy?”

He added that cameras could have a “chilling effect” on public behavior. “When you know you’re being monitored, it undermines our freedom of speech.”

Councilmember Reid Ekberg said he is certain that the GHPD “won’t abuse this. It’s a powerful tool.” He added that he personally doesn’t “fear the risks, but I understand those fears” in other people. He also voted against use of the cameras.

Councilmember Em Stone noted that several Washington cities have canceled Flock subscriptions. “I think there is a real threat to survivors (of domestic violence because) it threatens their emotional and physical security.”

Councilmen Le Rodenberg and Seth Storset voted for the cameras. “I do support this 100%,” Rodenberg said. “If it can save one child who’s been kidnapped or one senior who took off in his daughter’s car not knowing where he was,” it’s worth the money for the cameras.

Gig Harbor City Council members Le Rodenberg, left, and Jeni Woock during a meeting on Monday, March 24, 2025. Photo by Julie Warrick Ammann

Comprehensive plan

The council heard public comment on an update to the city’s comprehensive plan and land-use map.

The council recommended several changes to the draft following a public hearing in which more than a dozen people asked that the city not change the zoning density of a property near Henderson Bay Estates west of Highway 16. Current zoning allows a maximum of six homes per acre, while proposed new zoning allows up to 32 units per acre.

The council will approve the comp plan update at its April 14 meeting.

Other business

The council also approved Creative Endeavor grants for the following organizations. The city Arts Commission sponsors the grants:

• Local Makers: $1,500 for the 2025 Spring Market and Festival
• Gig Harbor Open Studio Tour: $2,500 for marketing
• Peninsula Hands On Art: $2,000 each for “Hanging with Calder” and “The Magic of Molas” programs
• Waterfront Alliance: $3,000 for Chalk the Harbor
• Peninsula Youth Orchestra: $3,200 for the String Summer Camp
• Narrows Music Society: $2,000 for Harbor Winds Concert Band Spring concert
• Gig Harbor Peninsula Civic Orchestra: $2,800 for music purchase, website enhancement and facility costs
• Harbor History Museum: $3,500 for “Return of the Chum”
• Simler Group: $2,000 for Fly and Float
• Peninsula Art League: $2500 for Open Juried Exhibition
• Spectrum Choral Academy: $3,000 for Gig Harbor Sings!