If you didn't have a chance to read my post about what Flock is and why we, on every end of the political spectrum, do not want it in Shelton, you can view it here. 

Last Tuesday, Police Chief Dan Patton gave a presentation to the City Council on Flock. He began the presentation by joking that he doesn't get anything from Flock and this "isn't a sales pitch. They don't send me a T-Shirt." He admitted that he can't go anywhere without people bringing up Flock.

He says that, due to the passing of the bill SB6002, SPD does a training session for their officers that "keeps them out of trouble"(verbatim) and tells them how to use Flock ethically. I'm sure that the 50+ officers around the country that've been caught (so far) using Flock to stalk people also got trainings, but I digress.

The Police Chief said that the Flock cameras "basically just scan license plates" but then went on to say that their AI system does a lot more, including: noting the make, model, and color of your vehicle. It also gathers descriptive information like a roof rack. He admitted that there is a Premium Subscription of Flock access that they can pay for that includes additional detailing, such as stickers on the vehicles and such. Which means the flock devices are gathering this data, but won't share it with SPD unless they pay more. It's still gathering the data and storing it on the Cloud. Patton said that they keep track of time-and-location of your vehicle, wherever it is around town, and keep that on file for 21 days. Which maps your daily activities around town. He said that certain agencies can share this information with each other. So Shelton PD can share with Olympia PD, etc. He said they don't have the cameras on their patrol cars (yet).

Patton insists that it's a "lead generator and not a person-identification system". He said that they on average have 50-60,000 cars passing in front of these cameras, and it takes 3 photos that they store for 21 days. That's a lot of surveillance tracking your whereabouts. (Later when he went onto the Flock Transparency Portal it showed that the exact number is 131,254 vehicles in the past 30 days, over double what he said). He admitted that, although it says that it doesn't do facial recognition, it's possible it could be used this way.

He insisted that Shelton Police Department does not use it to enforce immigration or help ICE in any way. Later, when questioned by Gutierrez, Patton admitted that ICE can definitely get into the system. He followed that up with saying, "If ICE does that, I hope the council will have faith in me that I will handle it." That's very vague. What would he do, submit a complaint after someone has already been kidnapped? Too little, too late. Also, he isn't the only chief, and there will be more after them. He cannot guarantee that Flock will always be used ethically.

He admitted that they've had false readings - particularly in the first year of using Flock. But he said due to "Proper Police Work" they pulled up behind the vehicle, ran its plates a second time, and discovered Flock falsely flagged it. What this tells me is that Flock is wasting taxpayer dollars by giving false readings that SPD then has to double check.

He said that yes, innocent people have been put in jail because of Flock. But then he says it's not Flock's fault, it's the officer's fault for not double checking. "it's because someone didn't double check the information. It's not because Flock gave them the wrong information."(verbatim) I disagree. It's literally because Flock gave them the wrong information, and they were incompetent. We can't trust that officers are going to use Flock competently 100% of the time.

He said that yes, Flock has been used by law enforcement to stalk their exes. He followed that up with saying, "The truth is that police have access to other tools that contain much more private information than flock contains. Your height, your weight, your social security number, very personal information. And the truth is that it's just human nature. Any time you have that kind of power you have to decide whether you violate your oath and do that. We don't remove the tool when that happens - we remove the person." Why don't we remove the tool when the tool isn't wanted by constituents, has documented evidence of misuse across the country, and has already given multiple false readings in Shelton?

"It's not either public safety or privacy. We can have both. We can have flock with the proper railguards in place and make sure our officers are certified and go through the training." Patton said. Gutierrez later said, "How can we reassure our constituents that this data is safe and protected 100%?" and the chief responded that there isn't a database on earth that's protected 100%. He said the DOL database has been hacked twice in the past year, but that doesn't mean get rid of the DOL database. This is a false equivalency. DOL is an agency and critical to government function. Not a 'tool' as Chief Patton described Flock to be.

Gutierrez later said, "But Flock is a for-profit company. How can we know for sure they're only collecting 1% of the data for their 'training modules'?" And the Chief said, "Everything we buy is from for-profit companies, Panasonic, Ford…" Again with the false equivalency. Panasonic and Ford are not taking over 300,000 photos of Sheltonians per month and storing it on their personal cloud. They can say, "Well your phone tracks everything you do!" but this is also a false equivalency. Your phone is something you CHOOSE (I believe Gilmore even mentioned this during the meeting) You can leave your phone at home if you like, you can turn off the location services, etc. Flock is not a choice. It's public surveillance without our consent.

Are we so hungry for the illusion of safety that we're willing to sell our privacy to a for-profit company? I am not. Honestly, this AI generated presentation was a sales pitch, and it was a poor one because it solidified in my mind that this is a bad thing for Shelton. You can debate how 'safe' or 'unsafe' these devices are, but the bottom line is this: Your good intentions cannot promise that every single person who has access to flock will use it ethically. You can say that it's only used for warrants, amber alerts, etc. But the reality of the situation is that you as a Public Servant are choosing to go through a 3rd party FOR PROFIT BUSINESS to spy on people. It isn't worth it. There are other tools.

City Council's Reaction:

Gutierrez - Expressed extreme dislike and encouraged the council to do a risk analysis and decide if it's worth it to keep Flock for those stolen vehicles, when the reality is that we cannot guarantee 100% to the public that it is safe and secure. At the very least, he encouraged to negotiate that Flock cannot keep 1% of the scans for themselves.

Sapp - "There is no expectation of privacy in public spaces. These are in public. So, for me, I feel like there's really no violation as long as we're following the state law, which the State has ruled it's okay to use these. I would be okay with negotiating that Flock no longer can keep the 1% of data, as mentioned by councilmember Gutierrez." She mentioned the biggest reason she likes flock is that it "helps domestic violence victims and Children." Which ones? The ones being stalked by their ex who is a cop? The children taken by ICE and abused in their facilities? Helping some, damning others.

Gilmore - Does not like how data is being stored, is against it. Said he would be happy to bring it to a vote again, but he can see that's not going to happen because he and Gutierrez are the minority.

Schirman - "Until we have a problem, I'm not going to recommend we vote on this."

Onisko - "I'm fine with it the way it is."

Blush - "Yeah I'm fine with it the way it is."

So what do we do?

This is a call to show up next Tuesday, August 18th, at 5pm, with signs and with the intent to protest prior to the council session. If you are comfortable, we will also sign up for comments and make it clear to the City Council that we do not want a renewal of Flock cameras in the City limits of Shelton. They will change their mind if enough people show up. See you there!

"A bat that came into contact with visitors near Staircase Bridge on Aug. 9 has tested positive for rabies.

Anyone who may have had contact with a bat in the area should contact a healthcare provider and their local health department promptly to determine whether treatment is needed. Rabies is a fatal but preventable disease if appropriate medical care is received promptly following an exposure.

Visitors should never touch or handle bats or other wild animals. If you encounter a bat, dead or alive, keep your distance and notify park staff."

Learn more: https://www.nps.gov/olym/learn/news/bat-tests-positive-for-rabies-at-olympic-national-park.htm

Per the Journal and the City of Shelton website, Melissa Stearns has resigned her position on the City Council. This resignation was following a ruling by the Public Disclosure Commission that Stearns failed to file her F-1 - a form that is intended to expose potential conflicts of interest and is required by State Law. She was fined $6,000 and given a 30 day notice to file the paperwork, but Stearns chose to resign instead.

This is actually great news. This means Shelton is in need of a new Councilmember - preferably a progressive one! If you've been considering it, I deeply encourage you to apply!

Applications are due by Friday, August 21 at 5:00 p.m. (Late-arriving applications will not be accepted.) To qualify, you must be a resident that's lived in the city limits of Shelton for at least one year, and must be a registered voter.

Mason County Journal Article

City of Shelton Vacancy Info

Some garage sales this weekend. Happy Thrifting!

- Follow HUGE SALE SIGNS to Beverly Blvd Shelton Washington 98584 . This Friday 7th ,Saturday 8th, Sunday 9th see you there. Huge yard sale. HUGE HUGE. DONT MISS THIS SALE. ALL NEW INVENTORY THIS WEEKEND. Motorcycle store closeout , storage war goodies, amazon merchandise, Motorcycle everything BRAND NEW STORE CLOSED SELLOUT. Shelton Washington August 7th, 8th, 9th Friday, Saturday, Sunday. FOLLOW HUGE SALE SIGNS TO BEVERLY BLVD SHELTON WASHINGTON 98584 YOU WILL NOT MISS (HUGE SALE) SIGNS. HELMETS, BOOTS, GLOVES, GEAR OF ALL KINDS , TIRES , TUBES , CHAINS, SPROCKETS, TONS OF BRAND NEW PLASTICS , OILS , LUBES , CLEANERS , PARTS, CHEST PROTECTION, TOP END KITS, ALL NEW IN BOX BATTERIES , MOTO RIMS ALL NEW FOR DIRTBIKE AND QUADS, AIR CLEANERS, OIL FILTERS, CABLES OF ALL KINDS CLUTCH BRAKE AND THROTTLE, SPARK PLUGS , HARLEY PARTS LOTS 😀. We have a 52' foot simi trailer of Amazon merchandise. Also storage war goodies. Peddle boat , tons of wooden cigar boxes all different kinds of wood styles available. Way to much to list Im putting it all out this weekend 💪. Make a list of your parts and sizes years makes models and come stock up .

- 3600 Dayton-Airport Rd. in the Green Garage separate from the house. One mile past the prison if you are coming from Hwy 101. Signs will be out. Friday - ? 10-5 daily. Cash only. No early birds please. AND rain, like last weekend, will cancel this until it stops raining. I am in the process of selling off my inventory which I had left over after I closed my store, Great Prospects Variety Mall in Port Orchard, almost a decade ago. Most items are in excellent condition. My garage is too small to display the hundred boxes I have, so this is a continuing sale with new items added daily as room is allowed. This week I have added a green depression glass set of 12 plates , more blue glass, white glass, etc. I also have 1000+ sport cards ($1.00 each), vintage 45' records, Bell & Howell vintage projectors and cameras, vintage Postcards, vintage dolls, 2 vintage fishing poles ($15 each), a Coleman Cooler ($15) 2 brand new colorful lawn chairs still in wrap, WWII Japanese Invasion Money, More Jewelry and more.

- Yard sale Friday-Sunday 7-9 August. 8am-6 pm address 1313 west cota st shelton

- 1622 S 3rd st: clothes games hammock housewares

- We have a yard sale here in Cota St. Just follow the signs. We have a bit of everything. From 8am to 3pm. Friday and Saturday. :)

- CHRISTMAS VILLAGE COMMUNITY SALE

- Garage sale. Shorecrest. 151 E Orchard Lane. 8/7 - 8/9 from 10 am to 5 pm … ish. Clothes, shoes, games, crafting stuff, hand knit/crochet items and various other items.

- HARSTINE ISLAND COMMUNITY SALE 3070 E Harstine Rd and Jared rd - 6 families will be taking part!

- Hi everyone I will be having my sale all week until Sunday. Everything is a bargain. Please stop by and find your treasure. 3511 E Johns Prairie Road Shelton.

• Harstine Island 450 E Point Wilson Rd, Shelton, WA - You'll find:  Vintage clothing  Antiques & vintage collectibles  Tools, pew items, holsters & knives  Vintage toys & games  Wedding décor, glassware, plates & lots of new-in-package items  New fishing poles, tackle boxes, waders & ammo cans  Vintage home audio, car stereos, receivers, speakers, blank tapes & CDs  Vintage computers, hardware, hard drives, programming items, cables & external drives  Double-neck guitar, saxophone, kick pedals & other musical instrument items  Lots of brand-name clothing, including many new with tags
• LAKE LIMERICK COMMUNITY SALE!
• 1591 E Island Lake Dr - Shelton Dance Team Garage Sale
• 641 E Pickering Drive: We have computer stuff(pc gaming, computer parts, computer monitor, keyboard, mouse, exc...), several desks, a TV, entertainment center, coffee table, 3D printer, high chairs, kids clothing, women's clothes, a few men's work pants, some kitchen stuff (instant pot, baking pans, exc..), fish tanks and other misc things. Come check it out!
• 4120 west Shelton-Matlock rd, Saturday and Sunday 9am to 6pm! Huge yard sale July 25th and 26th, everything from pet supplies, antique chairs, dishes and jewelry to clothing and shoes including women's plus size and y2k. And tons of other good quality items. Will post pictures day of so you can preview the goods.

That's all I could find - also there's the Farmer's Market and the Shelton Art Walk! Happy thrifting y'all!

I am not at all affiliated with the Flock Camera Info Session tonight at Callanan Park at 6pm - though the instructor is an amazing dude. This information is for folks who will not be able to attend, but are still curious about Flock cameras.

Hey Y'all!

So, the City of Shelton is renewing their Flock contract in August, and there was a post on FB the other day about Ring cameras being used by ICE (due to their partnership with Flock). I've had a few people ask me what Flock is, so I thought I might just do an informational post about something I'm pretty passionate about: Mass Surveillance in Shelton. Did you know we have quite a few Flock cameras around the City of Shelton already? You can view where they're located (and submit the locations of any Flock cameras that aren't marked on the map yet) here.  

What IS Flock?

Flock Group Inc. (DBA: Flock Safety) is an American manufacturer and operator of security hardware and software. They specialize in automated license plate recognition (ALPR), video surveillance, and "gunfire locator systems"(Ie. Microphones that record every sound in proximity to the Camera for the 'purpose of safety').  

What their tech does: Their cameras scan your vehicle and you. The license plate, the make/model, bumper stickers, color, roof rack, and even defining details like a cracked windshield. They also record your driving patterns around town every day as a heat map, and can track where you're likely to be throughout the day. They know where you shop, and where you like to go out to eat. They know where you go to church, work, school, etc. The microphone is always listening, and will record anything that it deems as illegal(people screaming, screeching tires, breaking glass - the AI decides what it will record). The AI system detects your face, clothing, and a leaked Flock patent mentions detecting "race". Then, AI software creates a profile that's provided to law enforcement (or others) when they look up your license plate. Or, if they're trying to find you, they know where to look based off your patterns in the past.

Flock Safety makes the excuse that they keep your information "for 21 days, or as long as required by applicable law or regulation, and then permanently deleted" but that information is stored within an Amazon’s Simple Storage Service, and Cities are beginning to pass laws and regulations on extending it past 30 days - the longest yet being stored for 6 months. 6 months of data on you, stored with Amazon and the Police… and who else..?

I say that because: the biggest difference between Flock and other mass surveillance companies,  is that Flock not only has its cameras on the streets, but also in HOAs, Schools, on Mobile vehicles, in Commercial businesses, and now Ring cameras. As of 2025, Flock claims to operate in 49 states, 5,000 communities, and performs over 20 billion scans per month on the civilian population. There are currently no federal restrictions on how your personal data is used, or stored. PLEASE READ THAT AGAIN - I'M SAYING THAT REGARDLESS OF YOUR OPINIONS ON POLICE/ICE, FLOCK IS STILL REALLY BAD. You never know who is watching you, or why.

Examples of Misuse:

Mass surveillance isn't just dangerous for the undocumented. Flock is also being used to limit the reproductive rights of women in certain states. We also have multiple cases where Flock was used by police to stalk exes and harass others (Note: This is an incomplete list. I gave a few examples, but there are many more instances of misuse):

• Orange City, Florida: Officer Jarmarus Brown was exposed for using the Flock database to obsessively stalk his ex-girlfriend. He ran her license plate through the system at least 69 times, her mother’s plate 24 times, and her father’s plate 15 times. He was caught when a fellow officer physically saw the ex's tracking data on Brown's cruiser screen.
• Milwaukee, Wisconsin: Former Officer Josue Ayala pled guilty to attempted misconduct in public office. He used the Flock database 179 times to track the movements of a former partner and her new boyfriend. A second Milwaukee detective, Tehrangi Chapman, was also recently hit with criminal charges for separate Flock stalking violations.Costa
• Mesa, California: A former police officer pled guilty after using Flock cameras to secretly track his mistress, her new lovers, and his own wife. He shockingly continued to access the system even after being suspended by the department.
• Other Stalking Arrests: Similar criminal charges were recently filed against Chief Michael Steffman in Georgia, Officer Renee Downer in Gwinnett County, and Officer William C. Copp in Illinois, all for searching the plates of former romantic interests.
• Pasadena, Texas: Sergeant Michael Palitz resigned from the force amid an internal probe revealing he had heavily misused the department's Flock network. The automated system itself flagged an overwhelming volume of searches on his account, which investigators discovered he was using to stalk and track a female colleague.
• In late 2025 and early 2026, when at least 60 AI-powered surveillance cameras were discovered wide open on the internet without any password or login requirements. Anyone could view and download the videos directly from the internet. Flock claimed the exposed cameras resembled "factory settings" that had failed to properly connect to secure cloud protocols.

You're going to encounter people saying, "Well I don't do anything illegal so I don't see a problem with Flock!" This is a red herring - most of the people who don't want flock around do not have a criminal record. Flock is dangerous for everyone, including law-abiding citizens. Because Flock markets its technology to homeowner associations, private businesses, and neighborhood groups, thousands of private citizens hold direct administrative access to the platform. It's giving 1984 y'all. Big Brother (and whoever else can afford it) is watching.

Flock gets worse:

NOVA Introduced in 2025 - Imagine you get pulled over for a broken tail light. The Officer scans your plate. They can already see your daily schedule and interests due to data gathered by the Flock cameras. But NOVA tells them about your family, your personal affiliations and even political affiliations. NOVA receives this information from data breaches, public records, and any publicly available information, gathered and organized by AI software for easy consumption.

“You're going to be able to access data and jump from LPR(License Plate Recognition) to person and understand what that context is, link to other people that are related to that person [...] through marriage or through gang affiliation, et cetera,” a Flock employee said during an internal company meeting, according to an audio recording. “There’s very powerful linking.”(Source).

Do you think that officer will still be focused on your broken tail light? NOVA is already being used. Yikes.

They also bought Aerodome, but I feel like I already come across as a tinfoil hat in this, so I won't get into that lol.

And now, Ring (Which, by the way, has always been used for Mass Surveillance - Cops have used Ring cameras to police people since at least 2016) has gone into agreements with both Flock and Axon (another horrible AI company).

But what can we do about it?

Well, we could follow multiple cities around Washington that have banned Flock:

• Edmonds: Voted unanimously to cancel its contract and remove its 19 cameras.
• Mountlake Terrace: Canceled its agreement with Flock.
• Olympia: Fully deactivated and hooded its 15-camera pilot program.
• Redmond: Suspended the use of its Flock cameras, keeping the devices offline pending further City Council review.
• Lynnwood: Voted unanimously to terminate its active contract and permanently end its Flock camera usage.
• More cities are fighting flock and in the process of removing the cameras. Let's join them!

If you are interested in getting more involved, there's a training tonight on Flock at Callanan Park at 6pm. I also urge you to consider making your voices heard at the City Council meeting next Tuesday, July 21st, at 6pm down at the Civic Center.

TLDR; We have a bunch of flock cameras in our town. Flock's bad for everyone. We should get the City to remove them.

Garage Sales -

- Huge multi family garage sale July 10,11,12 - Friday - Sunday @ 143 W Insels rd Shelton wa. House hold items dishes, silverware, decor, Shop items shelves, tires, Men’s shoes Women’s shoes Lots of women’s and girls clothing Y2K clothing, Baby girl clothes, Baby shoes Toys High chair And a lot more!

- Neighborhood garage sale. Friday and Saturday July 10th and 11th 9-3pm - Eaglewood Way

- Yard sale Friday thru Sunday 9-4 - Grapeview loop rd by lombard. Drones, projector, game cams, night vision binoculars, lego, speakers, smart rings, and lots more new... Storage unit stuff- name your price and take it. Sunday 12-4 fill a cardboard box for $10 on the storage unit stuff.

- HUGE Estate Sale!! 51 E Thors Lane, Shelton, WA - 7/10 & 7/11 9am to 4pm - No Holds! First come first served!

Have a fun weekend y'all!

😊

Shelton Pride's Party in the Park Costume Contest - RAINBOW EXTRAVAGANZA!

Get ready to sashay and slay at Shelton Pride's Party in the Park on Friday, June 26th, from 5:00-8:00PM at Kneeland Park! This year's theme is Rainbow Extravaganza and everyone's invited to show up in their boldest and brightest rainbow outfits. We have some amazing prizes to give out!

Our costume contest will offer separate prizes for adults 18+ and for youth 0-18 years of age - this way participants of all ages can join the fun! Prizes include gift cards, art, and even a barge cruise around Lost Lake valued at $200!

Even if you're not interested in taking part in the costume contest, we still hope to see you there. We'll have collaborative art booths, music, chalk art, balloon animals, and more. ALL FREE! So get those rainbows and your glitter out, rally your friends and family, and come on down to take part in the first event of its kind in our little town. We can't wait to see you!

Don't forget the farmer's market! It's Pride at the Market today!

This is not a complete list. Please feel free to post the garage sales you know about, too!

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- HUGE Estate Sale in Allyn 8:00 am - 5:00 pm Friday & Saturday. 2 queen bedroom sets, dining table, hutch and sideboard, desk and filing cabinets, chairs, bookshelf, bedding, clothes, kitchenware, and sooo many tools including radial arm saw, table mounted grinder, drill press, large craftsman tool chest....you name it we got it! 511 E Gills Cove Drive! (Accepting cash and Venmo)

- Many of the other 82 homes in Shadowood are having their yearly garage sale, so there will be lots to see here. Cash only

- Great Yard Sale. Lots to put out tonight still. BAND EQUIPMENT! LOCKER OVERFLOW. RECORDS AND CD'S. GREAT UNIQUE Decor. LOADS OF VINTAGE. LAKELAND VILLAGE IN ALLYN 211 E Village View Dr

- Oak Park Community Garage Sales! Lots of homes taking part!

- Yard sale !! Tomorrow and Saturday 9:00am- 4:00pm 504 Bellevue Ave Shelton

- 681 Island View Rd., Grapeview

- Great garage sale Sat. 6/13/2026 off of HWY 3 just north of Shelton at Cranberry Creek RD. near Deer creek store. (531 East Cranberry Creek Road) 8am to 4pm Saturday only cash only. Lots of good stuff including: rear tine rototiller, Echo 18" electric chain saw (brand new in the box), 2 full boxes of vintage stamps, tools, fishing rods & gear, Stanley box wood rulers, back packer dredge, and a whole lot more.See you here, don't miss it!

Happy Pride Month! 🌈🎉

Shelton has a LOT of FREE Pride events going on this month. I made this flyer on Canva, feel free to share it!

- June 2nd - The City of Shelton will be issuing a hard won Proclamation in support of our LGBTQIA+ community. You are encouraged to show up to cheer after the proclamation - or you can view it from home on the City of Shelton YouTube channel.

- June 9th - Take part in creating a Community Compassion Mural at the Shelton Civic Center!

- June 13th - Pride at the Shelton Farmer's Market!

- June 20th - join the YMCA for a fun community rainbow crosswalk paint celebrating LGBTQIA+ health, safety, and belonging.

- June 26th - Pride at the Park! 🌈 Join us at Kneeland Park for a family-friendly event! Yard games, interactive art stations, and more!

I will be posting more events in the comments - feel free to also comment on events I might've missed!

From the Forest Festival page: WE MADE IT | It's officially Forest Festival 🌲

A friendly reminder - all official information regarding dates and times will run through our social media pages and website.

We love the community's enthusiasm for the event, but we're also seeing a lot of independent posters, info ads, and even events. We can't monitor those or help share accurate information, so appreciate everyone's support in directing everyone towards our official sites!

https://www.masoncountyforestfestival.com/