Federal Way neighborhood embraces license plate reading cameras

Westridge HOA is among those celebrating National Night Out on Aug. 6.

At least 33 neighborhoods around Federal Way held block parties and community gatherings for National Night Out on Aug. 6.

This year, the Westridge HOA teamed up with two others to put on their largest ever block party for National Night Out.

National Night Out is “an annual community-building campaign that promotes police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie to make our neighborhoods safer, more caring places to live. National Night Out enhances the relationship between neighbors and law enforcement while bringing back a true sense of community. Furthermore, it provides a great opportunity to bring police and neighbors together under positive circumstances,” according to the campaign’s website.

Westridge’s event also included a ribbon cutting for new license plate scanning security cameras placed around the neighborhood by security company Flock. They were installed through a partnership agreement with the Federal Way Police Department. The cameras are intended to deter crime and assist police with surveillance.

Three cameras will monitor all cars in and out of the Westridge neighborhood, which has about 215 families, according to the HOA website. One camera is directly across from Silver Lake Elementary School, 1310 SW 325th Pl.

Neighborhood resident Kristine Gray said she was grateful for the new cameras and has been advocating for changes to increase safety around the Silver Lake school for the past nine years or so. One of Gray’s biggest concerns was that drivers sometimes speed down the road in front of the school.

“It’s just gotten worse and worse,” she said. “Cars fly down this road, even during school hours. One teacher even had her foot run over.”

Gray has advocated for speed bumps and for speed cameras, and said the license plate reading cameras are even better. Seeing the new camera, she said she was “super excited that all my emails finally paid off.” She not only worked with the current and previous superintendent of Federal Way Public Schools, police and the city, but her husband would even use a drone to follow speeding cars and attempt to gauge their speed, she said.

Improving security in this way does include a higher level of surveillance, which organizations like the ACLU have decried as invasive.

This block party was the first one hosted in the neighborhood since the COVID pandemic — so Victor Martinez, vice president of the Westridge HOA, said they wanted to “go big.” The evening also featured free pizza from Fat Zack’s Pizza food truck, a bouncy house and live music from local artist Liv Rion (who is also Martinez’s daughter.) Rion recently released a debut album called WRLD CRY and lives in the neighborhood where the block party took place.

Martinez said he is happy about the cameras and encourages other HOAs to consider installing license plate scanning cameras so they can have more visibility in their neighborhoods.

When asked what inspired him to join the HOA in the vice president role, Martinez said as a “retired military guy,” he wants to spend his time being a strong part of his community and really “do it right.”

Events like National Night Out are important so that people in the neighborhood can “meet the board, meet who is making these decisions,” Martinez said.

The block party is a great chance for people to get to know their neighbors so that they can look out for each other’s safety and security, Martinez said. Martinez shared the example of seeing a neighbor’s garage door open late one night and giving him a call to let him know.

“I like to know who my neighbors are,” Martinez said.

Athena W. and Clarence Presley also live in the neighborhood and met some neighbors for the first time at the block party. Presley said that events like this are so important because “until we get to face to face, we never get to see the full benefits of our community.”

Athena said they have faced issues including having their car broken into, seeing people in their yard and more, and that she’s glad that the new cameras will bring more security.

South King Fire brought their firetruck ‘Pete’ around to multiple neighborhoods Aug. 6 during National Night Out. Kids enjoyed getting to see the truck up close.

South King Fire brought their firetruck ‘Pete’ around to multiple neighborhoods Aug. 6 during National Night Out. Kids enjoyed getting to see the truck up close.

Neighbors got to enjoy pizza, a bouncy house, conversation and more at National Night Out events Aug. 6.

Neighbors got to enjoy pizza, a bouncy house, conversation and more at National Night Out events Aug. 6.

Local singer Liv Rion performed the national anthem as well as original songs off her debut album WRLD CRY that was released a few months ago. Photo by Keelin Everly-Lang / the Mirror

Local singer Liv Rion performed the national anthem as well as original songs off her debut album WRLD CRY that was released a few months ago. Photo by Keelin Everly-Lang / the Mirror

Neighbors listen to a rendition of the national anthem from Liv Rion before the ribbon cutting ceremony for new neighborhood cameras. Photo by Keelin Everly-Lang / the Mirror.

Neighbors listen to a rendition of the national anthem from Liv Rion before the ribbon cutting ceremony for new neighborhood cameras. Photo by Keelin Everly-Lang / the Mirror.