(Added: Seattle Channel video of today’s Public Safety Committee meeting, including Saka’s call)
11:48 AM: With the first FIFA World Cup match in Seattle now less than three weeks away, the city’s surveillance-camera policy is back in the spotlight. District 1 City Councilmember Rob Saka wants Mayor Katie Wilson to change her mind about what to do, and not do, with cameras in the Stadium District as the matches approach, and has sent this news release:
Today, Councilmember Rob Saka (District 1), Vice-Chair of the Public Safety Committee, called for Mayor Wilson to allow the Seattle Police Department’s Real-Time Crime Center to turn on its closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras in the Stadium District ahead of the World Cup. Councilmember Saka’s request comes after the Mayor’s announcement on March 19 to willingly not use the installed cameras unless there was a “credible threat.” The Stadium District is in Councilmember Saka’s district.
“Security cameras play a critical role in the investigation of crimes, including unthinkable mass casualty events. I know this firsthand as a runner in the 2013 Boston Marathon. I had just crossed the finish line waiting at the family meetup location two blocks away when the planted bombs exploded,” said Councilmember Saka. “Ultimately, it was security camera footage and the technology that allowed investigators to quickly trace the attackers’ movements and catch them before they could strike again with another mass casualty event.”
“We have this same technology available in Seattle today. In May, we were able to use cameras to arrest suspects in a savage beating of a 77-year-old man downtown – suspects who could’ve gotten away and done it again. I strongly urge Mayor Wilson to turn on existing cameras in the Stadium District for the upcoming World Cup events. Activating these cameras could help deter attackers by showing that Seattle Police Department can identify them, while empowering authorities to quickly investigate if an incident occurs. With Seattle on the world stage, lives are at stake. Our city should not vacillate over some murky and confusing “credible threat” standard, which could do more harm than good even if properly implemented. Mayor Wilson must do the reasonable thing and use this existing tool with robust safeguards and privacy controls that are among the best in the entire nation,” concluded Councilmember Saka. …
Here’s our report on what the mayor said about these cameras (and others) on May 19. After receiving Councilmember Saka’s news release today, we asked the mayor’s office for her response, and will add whatever we hear back. The first Seattle match is scheduled June 15th.
Also of note, safety/security during the World Cup events in Seattle is one of the topics announced for Thursday’s Southwest Precinct Advisory Council community meeting, 5 pm (May 28) at Delridge Community Center (4501 Delridge Way SW).
5:13 PM: For the record, the mayor’s office has acknowledged our request for comment, but hasn’t yet provided the response.
9 AM WEDNESDAY: The response came in this morning via mayor’s-office spokesperson Jonah Spangenthal-Lee:
Mayor Wilson continues to consult public safety officials regarding circumstances that might warrant use of the expanded set of cameras during the FIFA World Cup. We appreciate councilmembers’ perspectives, and those will be part of ongoing discussions.
With regard to credible threats: Identifying a credible threat involves multiple experts from federal, state, and local agencies monitoring and assessing various streams of information. In collaboration with one another, they weigh incoming intelligence and jointly recommend whether to elevate security operations. Mayor Wilson’s decision whether to activate the Stadium District cameras will be informed by this group’s recommendation.
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