Seattle mayor expands police surveillance
The gist
Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson authorized police cameras in the Stadium District, Central District and Capitol Hill.
The reversal follows an audit finding gaps in city surveillance policy.
How it unfolded
- 2025 -09Seattle City Council voted 7-2 to expand the police surveillance pilot proposed by then-mayor Bruce Harrell, adding cameras to the Stadium District, parts of Capitol Hill and streets around Garfield High School.
- Mar 19, 2026Mayor Katie Wilson announced a pause on planned police cameras near Garfield High School and Capitol Hill, with an exception for stadium-area cameras before the World Cup; existing cameras stayed on except one near a clinic offering reproductive health services.
- Jun 2026Wilson briefly turned on the 22 stadium-area cameras during the World Cup, citing credible threats reported by law enforcement, and said they would go off after the tournament.
Key terms
- Real Time Crime Center
- A law-enforcement hub that centralizes technology such as live camera feeds and mapping to give officers instant information.
- Office of Inspector General
- An investigative official within a civil or military organization.
Source: Wikipedia