CITY OF SEATTLE
ORDINANCE __________________
COUNCIL BILL __________________
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AN ORDINANCE relating to surveillance technology implementation; authorizing approval of uses and accepting the 2025 updated surveillance impact report and 2025 executive overview for the Seattle Police Department's use of Closed-Circuit Television Camera Systems.
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WHEREAS, on October 8, 2024, the City Council passed Ordinance 127110, adopting the original Surveillance Impact Report (SIR) for Closed-Circuit Television Camera Systems (CCTV); and
WHEREAS, the purpose of the CCTV camera program is to prevent crime, collect evidence related to serious and/or violent criminal activity, hold offenders accountable, and in conjunction with the Real-Time Crime Center, provide visual information to analysts in real-time that can assist officers in responding to calls; and
WHEREAS, subsection 14.18.020.F of the Seattle Municipal Code (SMC), which section was enacted by Ordinance 125376 and last amended by Ordinance 125679, states that "[a]ny material update to an SIR, such as to change the purpose or manner in which a surveillance technology may be used, shall be by ordinance"; and
WHERAS, the CCTV pilot deployment areas authorized in the 2024 SIR were Aurora Avenue North, Belltown, and the Downtown Commercial Core; and
WHEREAS, the City Council increased the budget by $200,000 General Fund (2025), with an endorsement for $16,000 General Fund (2026), to expand the Closed-Circuit Television pilot on Aurora to extend the pilot site further south to 85th Street and further north to 145th Street; and
WHERAS, the majority of the cameras have been deployed in the Chinatown-International District, Aurora Avenue North, and Downtown Core; and
WHEREAS, the material update adds the Stadium District, Garfield High School, and the Capitol Hill Nightlife District to the list of eligible CCTV deployment areas and clarifies the retention policy to 30 days after date of recording, or until determined that no security incident has occurred before being deleted; and
WHEREAS, the new website seattle.gov/cctv is available to see the locations of the CCTVs and provides answers to the public regarding frequently asked questions about the CCTV program; NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY OF SEATTLE AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Pursuant to Ordinances 125376 and 125679, the City Council approves use of the Seattle Police Department’s (SPD) use of Closed-Circuit Television Camera Systems and accepts the updated 2025 Surveillance Impact Report (SIR) for this technology, attached to this ordinance as Attachment 1, and the Executive Overview for the same technology, attached to this ordinance as Attachment 2, provided that, within the area surrounding Garfield High School as
specified in Section 4.3 of the SIR, SPD shall only install cameras on the principal arterial street of 23rd Ave, and minor arterial streets of S. Jackson St. and E. Cherry St.
Section 2. The Seattle Police Department (SPD) shall include in the annual report required by Ordinance 127110 whether a warrant, subpoena, or court order that includes a non-disclosure order, has been used to obtain Closed-Circuit Television Camera Systems (CCTV), Real Time Crime Center (RTCC), Automated License Plate Recognition (ALPR), or other protected data from a contracted vendor. The report shall indicate how SPD will prevent future disclosure of data, including steps that might be taken to discontinue collecting certain data and whether to pause or end the CCTV pilot program. Upon receipt of this report, the Council might consider passing an ordinance to pause or end the CCTV program to prevent third parties from accessing Seattle’s protected surveillance data.
Section 3. This ordinance shall take effect as provided by Seattle Municipal Code Sections 1.04.020 and 1.04.070.
Passed by the City Council the ________ day of _________________________, 2025, and signed by me in open session in authentication of its passage this ________ day of _________________________, 2025.
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President ____________ of the City Council
Approved / returned unsigned / vetoed this ____day of _______________, 2025.
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Bruce A. Harrell, Mayor
Filed by me this ________ day of _________________________, 2025.
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Scheereen Dedman, City Clerk
(Seal)
Attachments:
Attachment 1 - 2025 Surveillance Impact Report: Closed-Circuit Television Camera Systems
Attachment 2 - 2025 Surveillance Impact Report Executive Overview: Closed-Circuit Television Camera Systems