City of Olympia, WA

11/07/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 11/07/2025 17:20

11/07/2025 - Statement from Olympia Police Department Interim Chief Shelby Parker

Statement from Olympia Police Department Interim Chief Shelby Parker

On Wednesday, federal immigration agents conducted an enforcement action in Olympia during which a community member was detained. This was a shocking and distressing event, and our thoughts are with the family of the detained individual, our community members who witnessed the incident, and everyone whose sense of safety was affected.

The Olympia Police Department (OPD) was not notified of or involved in this enforcement action. By state law, city resolution, and department policy, OPD does not cooperate or coordinate with federal immigration enforcement. A call to 911 was received 30 minutes after this incident, so when OPD officers were dispatched to the area, all parties had already left. Follow-up verification later confirmed that the detention was conducted by federal immigration agents acting under federal authority.

Olympia is a sanctuary city, and OPD upholds that principle in both practice and policy. Federal immigration authorities do not have access to OPD systems or data, including the Flock Safety camera network.

Olympia's Flock program is configured with the strictest data privacy and security safeguards available under Washington State law. In May 2025, the City strengthened its Flock contract through an amendment that legally prohibits any data disclosure without the City's express written consent or a valid legal order. Olympia retains exclusive control of all Flock data.

If community members witness or suspect an enforcement action by unknown or masked individuals, please call 911 immediately so officers can respond to the scene as quickly as possible. OPD officers will work to verify whether those involved are legitimate law enforcement. If officers verify the incident involves legitimate law enforcement, OPD cannot intervene. Officers will, if possible, remain in the area and our Crisis Response Unit (CRU) will respond to support families and individuals impacted by these incidents.

Olympia's strength lies in our community's compassion and vigilance. We thank the community members who reported this incident and who continue to look out for their neighbors. Your actions reflect our shared values.

To further promote transparency and understanding, OPD will present a public briefing on the City's use of Flock Safety cameras and data protections during the City Council Study Session on December 2, 2025. Community members are encouraged to attend in person or view the session online to learn more about how OPD safeguards privacy while protecting public safety.
Contact
Shelby Parker, Interim Chief
Olympia Police Department
360.753.8300
[email protected]
City of Olympia, WA published this content on November 07, 2025, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on November 07, 2025 at 23:21 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]