Council committee passes Saka proposal to study Alki/Harbor Avenue for possible future surveillance cameras

(Reader photo after Harbor Avenue shootings in June)

“The lawlessness on Alki and Harbor Avenue … has to stop.”

District 1 City Councilmember Rob Saka made that declaration at this morning’s meeting of the council’s Public Safety Committee, as he proposed an addition to the bill authorizing a Seattle Police surveillance-camera pilot program currently only intended for other areas of the city (explained here). Members of the committee – for which Saka serves as vice-chair – also heard from Alki/Harbor residents including Steve Pumphrey, who spoke of the “clear and present danger” of ongoing disorder in the beach area, including unsolved shooting deaths such as the killing of 22-year-old Luis Solis Lara in June; gunfire that night also pierced the walls and windows of nearby residences including his (photo above). Committee members unanimously approved Saka’s amendment, which added this language (updated 8:18 pm with second sentence added in final version of amendment):

The Seattle Police Department shall, as part of the planned outcome evaluation of the Closed-Circuit Television Camera Systems pilot project, conduct a study reporting on the appropriateness, feasibility, and cost of additional potential future Closed-Circuit Television Camera deployments in areas of the city beyond those in the current pilot project, including but not limited to the Alki and Harbor Avenue areas of West Seattle. This study shall also evaluate the potential use of Closed-Circuit Television Cameras for a range of public safety concerns beyond those specific crimes identified in the SIR for purposes of the pilot.

That potential camera program is different from the possible cameras discussed by the previous council in relation to street racing, authorized but to date not funded. Today’s amendment authorizes only a study, not (yet) cameras, which the pilot will only place in four areas – downtown, Aurora, Belltown, and Chinatown/ID. The proposal goes to the full council for final approval. (Seattle Channel has just posted video of this morning’s meeting here.)

BACKSTORY: The camera-study commitment comes three months after Saka hosted an Alki community meeting about the public-safety crisis; most of the action taken since then has involved speed-cushion installation.

CarDriver September 24, 2024 (2:04 pm)

Cameras that catch illegal activity are MEANINGLESS unless there is an arrest and conviction. My concern is that the city will say “yep, we saw that illegal activity, but we don’t have the resources-or desire to do anything about it”.

K September 24, 2024 (2:08 pm)

A few different groups, including the surveillance advisory group required by city ordinance, spoke against the cameras, citing decades of research showing no correlation between video surveillance and improved crime rates. Another waste of taxpayer money.

Jason September 24, 2024 (2:45 pm)

No one asked for this. So giving Harrell his slew of sycophants, now basically gives him King like powers. The citizens of Seattle did not vote for this council to do whatever it wants when they’re bored. We did not ask for rights to be violated with a mass surveillance state that will only be used by police, with a police union that openly supports Trump and far right republicans. This is a joke!!! There’s no proof that these ACTIVELY help stop crime. Only passively. And even then, it doesn’t do anything to help a conviction. Why give up rights? I knew I was going to regret voting for Saka. And now I wish I hadn’t. Still has not answered a single email of mine either.

HawkMan17 September 24, 2024 (3:00 pm)

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What’s the purpose of having a security guard? They don’t have powers to arrest. It’s because if someone is watching, you’re less likely to commit a crime
- Jason September 24, 2024 (3:44 pm)
  
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  Then criminals will just go where they aren’t… so… it’s pointless. These are only ever used AGAINST you and not FOR you.
- MacJ September 24, 2024 (3:59 pm)
  
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  You’d think many condo buildings with big windows full of well-to-do folks would be enough people watching.
K September 24, 2024 (3:55 pm)

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They don’t passively stop crime either, Jason. There is literally no benefit to these, except massaging the feelings of middle-class white homeowners. Who care a lot about taxes except when taxes are spent on this crap.
Seattlite September 24, 2024 (5:42 pm)

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Jason…European countries like Germany have massive camera surveillance for early detection of terrorist attacks and other crimes. The UK has about 4 to 5 millions surveillance cameras for the same reasons as Germany. If crime is increasing and there is a police officer shortage, what would be your suggestions to protect individuals, families from criminal activity and keeping in mind that Seattle has a revolving-door criminal system?
- bill September 24, 2024 (7:33 pm)
  
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  Europe and the UK have a long history of terrorist attacks from dedicated organizations — the IRA, the Bader-Meinhoff gang, the Red Army Faction, to name a few easy ones. In the US terrorists are largely isolated one-off right-wing incel wackos. Europe and UK are far more tolerant of invasive government surveillance. What Alki is dealing with is punks resorting to casual gunplay, like on Tee Vee where the bad guys can’t shoot straight, not dedicated terrorist organizations. European-level surveillance will not fly here. And the low quality video repeatedly published here on WSB is not good enough to identify perps in 99% of the cases. Have the videos of fools burning donuts in the Junction led to any arrests? Hmm?
  - 1994 September 24, 2024 (10:29 pm)
    
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    They gotta try something! And camera’s do identify the perps. For example, remember the older gentleman Tommy Joe who was run down at 15th & Roxbury with the driver leaving him to die?? That guy was caught by camera images of his car. Hordes of US citizens love to visit Europe and don’t seem to think twice if they are being surveilled by the EU…..
  - Ispy September 25, 2024 (1:59 am)
    
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    Great points bill,
    save that all of those groups IRA, Beider Meinoff and Red Army Faction ceased operations in the late 90s.
    That is far before the institution of widespread video surveillance.
    
    Here in the USA we had SLA , Weather Underground back in the day.
    
    We now have dozens of active terrorist groups with attacks by KKK, JDL, Earth Liberation Front, CSA, Atomwaffen Division, Aryan Nations, Army of God, Animal Liberation Front, Phineas Priesthood, just to mention a few of the easy ones.
    Besides the issue of video surveillance is moot due to the proliferation of private video surveillance.
    As seen daily here on WSB, video surveillance is now a fact of life for anyone venturing out of their home.
    Police constantly seek private and business video surveillance for apprehending and convicting criminals.
  - Scarlett September 25, 2024 (7:06 am)
    
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    There is state-sanctioned terrorism as well. Terrorism is usually defined by those who commit it.
    - 1994 September 25, 2024 (10:57 pm)
      
      What? Those 2 sentences don’t make sense next to each other.
simpleSolution September 25, 2024 (9:55 pm)

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I asked for this. Refuted your statement.

AK September 24, 2024 (3:13 pm)

NO!!!

J September 24, 2024 (3:15 pm)

I have no problem with having cameras in public places. It’s another tool the police can use to find out what happened when a crime is committed. We are all on multiple cameras every day when waking or driving. The more the better in my opinion.

Breaking news Alki is a hub for criminal activity September 24, 2024 (3:21 pm)

Saved taxpayers the cost of that pointless study. Now use those funds to actually deter and prosecute crime. Saka, the least worst of the bunch but nevertheless a disappointing representative so far. At this point I wonder if electing the Amazon puppet would have been better off. Does anyone actually care about helping the residents who live by the rules or do people forget about others’ problems and just fund pointless studies and meetings?

Steph September 24, 2024 (4:26 pm)

Was it a decade ago that the city started putting up the cameras along Alki and the majority of people opposed it so vociferously that they stopped. I didn’t understand that because there was a lot of theft in parking garages and storage under the condos as well as street crime. How times change.

WSB September 24, 2024 (8:34 pm)

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Very different times. There were a lot of different circumstances, too, such as that the cameras were installed without notice, and had only been mentioned opaquely in a city council vote about accepting a federal grant – they were supposed to be “port security” cameras but turned up on poles nowhere near the port. We broke the news about them (thanks to readers who spotted the installations) and covered the situation extensively, as archived here
https://westseattleblog.com/category/seattle-police-surveillance-cameras
starting with the first report in January 2013.

Train Transit Lover September 24, 2024 (8:50 pm)

Lol, SPD just announced the other day they won’t respond to alarms without additional evidence anyways. Why would we assume that any cameras do anything anyways? SPD is just simply a drain on the budget of the city

Al King September 25, 2024 (6:07 am)

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LOL. 96% of alarm responses found nothing-false alarms. You don’t think that’s an issue? Why? I’m sure the criminals agree with your anti SPD rant. The rest of us don’t.

Rara September 24, 2024 (9:36 pm)

Well, something needs to be done. There have been too many bullets going thru homes and cars down there. It’s not just a neighborhood area. It’s a beach. It’s not just the residence who are there. It’s many many people from outlying areas that are trying to enjoy all of it. And it’s a target for criminal activity. So I’m all for cameras. Just like locks are for honest people. If you’re doing no wrong you need not worry. If it gives our police detectives 1 thing of evidence I’m for it. If these dummies know they are on cameras, they’re less likely to do stupid things. It’s a deterrent. Nothing is 💯

Marcus September 24, 2024 (10:57 pm)

To all the nay sayers, bunk, bunk. Get the closed circuit cameras installed and crime will be reduced in that area. It works in every community, every city and every country. Some people have accepted the falsehood that crime is a part of society and all enforcement is abusive and detrimental to freedom.

star 55 September 24, 2024 (11:11 pm)

I saw bring it on!!!! No one wants to be a witness, so much happens after hours.

Alki resident September 25, 2024 (6:51 am)

Thank you Saka! Cameras DO work to deter crime. There’s evidence from major cities from all over the globe, as some previous comments have mentioned. Anything that will help deter and prosecute crime is welcome, and I’m glad Saka is willing to do something about it (unlike his predecessor).

simpleSolution September 25, 2024 (9:57 pm)

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Agreed 100%

Runner September 25, 2024 (7:47 am)

Yes please, we want the cameras!

ltfd September 25, 2024 (8:20 am)

YES!!!

Alki Jack September 25, 2024 (10:57 am)

Yes for cameras, anything that will help reduce the illegal activity on Harbor and Alki Avenues. I’ve read where they also detect noise, that will really help with the loud banging and popping exhaust, Harley’s with altered exhaust or straight pipes. Thank you Bob Saka, Mike Gain and the Harbor-Alki Neighborhood Group”.

Rhonda September 25, 2024 (12:50 pm)

I’m VERY disappointed in Saka for pushing for government surveillance cameras to spy on residents. Turning Alki into North Korea is un-American and won’t stop crime. England has had state-run surveillance cameras EVERYWHERE for decades now, but crime in London, Manchester, and Liverpool is worse now than ever. I hope the ACLU and other civil rights groups get involved in this.

WSB September 25, 2024 (1:05 pm)

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An ACLU rep, speaking against the overall proposal, was among the other public commenters (my report is only focused on the West Seattle study, not the entire proposal nor the others who commented on it, both pro and con). The Seattle Channel video of the entire meeting is linked toward the end.