SEATTLE — Today, Mayor Katie Wilson announced her administration will continue with the planned expansion of the RTCC CCTV pilot while also increasing safeguards to protect privacy and civil liberties. These locations include the area around Garfield High School and the Capitol Hill nightlife district, where cameras will be purchased, installed, and activated in the coming months, and in the Stadium District where cameras were already installed prior to the World Cup and will be activated immediately.
These additional camera locations were identified by SPD and approved in 2025 by Seattle City Council. The mayor’s decision follows the completion of NYU Policing Project’s audit of Seattle’s Real Time Crime Center, which the mayor initiated when she paused the expansion earlier this year. Read the audit here.
“When I paused the expansion of CCTV, I did so because I believed we needed to ask some hard questions about data security and the protection of civil liberties, especially in the context of a federal administration that is targeting vulnerable communities and violating civil rights,” said Mayor Wilson. “After reviewing the evidence, the recommendations, and the safeguards available to us, I believe there is an important and responsible role for the RTCC within Seattle’s public-safety system. Today, I am announcing steps toward making Seattle safer by using cameras in a targeted way in tandem with nation-leading safeguards. We can gather evidence to hold those who commit violent acts accountable and protect our neighbors targeted by federal overreach.”
Mayor Wilson paused the expansion of Seattle’s surveillance pilot in March 2026 in response to significant community concerns and questions. Before any additional expansion, the mayor wanted to identify any gaps in safeguards and ways to increase transparency, accountability, and protections. The pilot expansion was approved by legislation passed by City Council in 2025, and the pause allowed time for additional research and reviews like the audit, to ensure it was done responsibly.
The review found that the RTCC and accompanying CCTV systems are increasingly common across the country, that they can offer potential benefits to public safety, and that there are real vulnerabilities and risks to guard against. The NYU Policing Project team identified that important gaps in SPD governance remain and offered several recommendations to increase safeguards, ensure we have transparent policies, and mitigate risk of improper usage.
“The Seattle Office of Inspector General has broad authority and ordinance obligations for oversight of the SPD Real-Time Crime Center. OIG welcomes the NYU Policing Project report assessing privacy concerns and risks with this program and has worked collaboratively with the NYU team to ensure the collective efforts of OIG and NYU provide a comprehensive approach to understanding the risks and benefits of the RTCC, and how meaningful oversight can best be achieved,” said Lisa Judge, Inspector General, Seattle Office of Inspector General. “OIG looks forward to working with SPD, the Mayor’s Office, and other stakeholders to implement recommendations and fold them into ongoing OIG audit and oversight work. In 2027, OIG plans to add periodic, unscheduled “spot checks” to our overall audit strategy for the RTCC.”
NYU Policing Project recommendations include clarifying and limiting the usage of RTCC data, limiting unnecessary data retention, and being more transparent with the public about the use of the system and the policies governing that use.
SPD agrees with most of the review’s recommendations and many of them are currently underway including publishing a data dashboard and finalizing their omnibus surveillance policy. SPD continues to work with Axon, their vendor, to restrict certain features and strengthen auditing capabilities. The Mayor’s Office will convene an advisory group with privacy, technology, and surveillance experts to help develop RTCC usage policies before sending them through the accountability process, ensuring our city’s surveillance systems are as safe as possible.
The advisory group will include representatives from the City’s Community Police Commission, IT Department, City Council Central Staff, SPD, Community Surveillance Working Group and potentially others. They will be meeting over the next few months to make recommendations that will then go through SPD’s policy development process.
“I want to thank Mayor Wilson and the NYU Policing Project for their thoughtful analysis of the Real Time Crime Center and the CCTV system. This analysis was a critical and necessary first step before mapping out how to move forward safely and thoughtfully with expansion of the program,” said Interim Chief Andre Sayles. “Keeping the public safe is my number one priority, but we must insure people’s privacy rights and civil liberty concerns are addressed. We do not take the public’s trust in the Seattle Police Department for granted and will always continue to take steps to safeguard it.”
The Mayor and SPD will ensure that the City implements the majority of recommendations of the audit, including:
- SPD will complete and publish a public dashboard to report on RTCC usage.
- SPD will complete its omnibus surveillance technology policy that will address internal processes for technology approval and procurement.
- SPD will clarify and strengthen its policies and practices around permissible uses, access criteria and logs, data retention periods, requests from outside agencies, regular internal audits, and more, as recommended by the audit.
- SPD and the Mayor’s Office, with guidance from the advisory group, will work to develop additional policies around private camera integration, usage of the RTCC during large-scale events, protests and other First Amendment activity, and criteria guiding any future CCTV camera placements.
The adoption of criteria and safeguards for integrating privately owned cameras was also recommended in September by OIG. The City will prioritize this request, and at the same time SPD will work with Seattle Center to lay the foundations for integration of cameras operated by tenants and area businesses who, following the Bite of Seattle shooting, are interested in the Connect Seattle program.
OIG also recommended requiring RTCC analysts to provide a case number or justification each time they view CCTV footage; while SPD follows this in practice, SPD is working with the vendor to make this a requirement of system operation.
“The decisions I have announced today were not taken lightly. I’ve heard from Seattle residents who strongly oppose the use of these cameras, and I understand why. Government surveillance raises legitimate civil-liberties concerns. I’ve also heard from residents, workers and small-business owners in neighborhoods experiencing persistent shootings, trafficking and serious crime who are asking city government to use every responsible tool available to help keep them safe, said Mayor Wilson. “I am dedicated to making Seattle the safest big city in the country – safe from gun violence and serious crime, and safe from authoritarianism from the federal government. That is why I ordered this audit months ago, and why I am taking these steps today toward the safety that everyone in our city deserves.”
What People Are Saying
Councilmember Rob Saka
“I applaud Mayor Wilson for heeding the community’s call and activating the Stadium District CCTV cameras. These Major-Event Safety Cameras are common sense tools for places where thousands gather and the public safety stakes change. They can help deter crime, strengthen investigations, and prevent one of our busiest destinations from becoming a public safety blind spot. With clear privacy protections, limited access, and strong oversight, Seattle can improve safety while protecting civil liberties. The World Cup showed that major crowds and strong security can go hand in hand. This decision balances the needs of all communities and offers a responsible model for safeguarding the places where Seattle comes together.”
Lisa Howard, executive director, Alliance for Pioneer Square
“The Alliance for Pioneer Square is pleased that Mayor Wilson has taken this commonsense step toward making our city safer. Addressing crime while protecting our communities from federal overreach requires a thoughtful, balanced approach. Safety measures like these can help foster neighborhoods that are safe, welcoming, and accessible to everyone. We are proud to stand with Mayor Wilson in support of this effort.”
Gabriel Nueman, Greater Seattle Business Association
“Public safety and the protection of civil rights must go hand in hand. We recognize that CCTV technology can play a role in supporting public safety in Seattle, but its use must be guided by clear, community-centered policies that prioritize privacy, transparency, and accountability. For LGBTQ+ people and other historically marginalized communities, safeguards against misuse and inappropriate surveillance are particularly important to ensuring that public safety efforts do not come at the expense of individual freedoms or community trust. We believe the steps Mayor Wilson has highlighted can build a foundation for the future of Seattle’s public safety infrastructure. Incorporating feedback from trusted community partners like the Community Police Commission can shape auditing processes and overall guidelines to ensure strong safeguards are established, and clear policies governing data collection, retention, access, and oversight are publicly adopted. When implemented responsibly, with community trust at its foundation, technology can be part of a broader approach to creating a safer and more welcoming Seattle for everyone.”
Appollonia Washington, business owner, Central District Resident & Founding Member of Central District Public Safety Accountability (CDPSA)
“As a longtime Central District resident of over 40 years, business owner, and founding member of Central District Public Safety Accountability (CDPSA), I understand firsthand the importance of creating safer communities. Having experienced gun violence that directly impacted our learning center, I believe street cameras can serve as an additional tool to support public safety, assist law enforcement in investigations, and provide greater accountability.” Our children, families, seniors, and local businesses deserve to feel safe in their own neighborhood. While cameras alone won’t solve every challenge, they can be an important part of a broader commitment to community safety, transparency, and prevention.”