Auburn Police cut off feature after report of Border Patrol camera access

Auburn officials confirmed that they did not intentionally grant federal immigration agencies access to their Flock camera system. The U. S. Border Patrol reportedly accessed data via the “National Lookup” tool, which enables data sharing among various agencies. Upon realizing this potential breach, the city swiftly disabled the feature to prevent further access.

Mayor Nancy Backus emphasized the non-negotiable integrity of public safety systems and community trust. The Auburn Police Department will now conduct monthly reviews of the Flock system's usage data, pledging to revoke access for any agency misusing data for immigration enforcement. Auburn has not granted access to U. S. Border Patrol or ICE, reinforcing their commitment to lawful policing.

The city also contacted University of Washington researchers for further clarification on the findings. Officials are dedicated to maintaining transparency and accountability in their policing technology.