SPD expanding ‘Connect Seattle’ program to offer real-time ‘integration’ for business security cameras

We’ve reported before on the Seattle Police “Connect Seattle” program, in which you can register your home security camera(s) so that police know you have one if they are investigating something in the area. Today we have word from Southwest Precinct crime-prevention coordinator Jennifer Satterwhite that the program is expanding to offer – also voluntary – “integration” for businesses’ camera systems, which would allow police to tap into their real-time streams – here’s the announcement aimed at businesses:

Did you know you can give SPD access to your business security camera to increase safety in your area?

Camera sharing allows the Seattle Police Department access to your camera feeds of publicly accessible areas in case of an emergency near your location. All your cameras or some of them. You set your preferences.

To share your cameras, all you need is a small FususCORE device that plugs into your camera system. Once it’s set up, it enables camera sharing based on your settings without impacting your network.

More information can be found on this webpage: communityconnectseattle.org/camera-integration

If you are ready to take the next step, please contact our Integration Coordinator – Alexis Bourland – abourland@axon.com

The added background information notes, among other things, that businesses interested in participating have to pay for the device connecting their cameras to the SPD system; those start at $350 and are detailed on this page.

K to the F August 17, 2026 (3:38 pm)

Just say “no” to this, local businesses. As Flock camera investigative reporting has shown us, bad actors within departments will make personal use of this. We don’t need more unabated “Big Brother” style surveillance.

Actualperson August 17, 2026 (4:54 pm)

K to the F. Don’t forget homeowners who have ring cameras. Their surveillance is just as evil, right? Also, those that have dashcams and those who take pictures or video with their cell phones. They’re evil bad actors also aren’t they?

K August 17, 2026 (8:45 pm)

Yes, sharing personal video– from a business, from a home, or from a dashcam– allows bad actors to access the video. Which is why you shouldn’t do it. K to the F stated that pretty clearly.
Gibby August 17, 2026 (10:22 pm)

It’s one thing individuals having their own videos. It’s another sharing live streams with police. That’s just insane. Why would you do that without a warrant?

K August 17, 2026 (6:27 pm)

Regardless if you are a homeowner or business, using Ring or other cameras, please don’t allow SPD to “tap into” your camera streams. They cannot be trusted, and this goes for other law enforcement agencies as well.

Hammer in Hammer August 17, 2026 (9:52 pm)

Cameras are everywherebanks, grocery, Home Depot you name it. I say light the up and get tough on crime let’s use all the tools in the war chest

1994 August 17, 2026 (9:53 pm)

Remember the Menashe jewelry story robbery in the Junction? Cameras helped put the lead guy in jail….right where he belongs.

k August 18, 2026 (6:11 am)

Right. Private security cameras whose footage was shared with police upon request for that individual incident.

You don’t need always-connected video stream sharing with SPD in order to solve crimes. And then there’s no ability for bad actors to use that access to your business’s cameras to stalk ex-girlfriends and all of the other things police have been caught doing with surveillance equipment.

Thank you for illustrating so well why this is not needed.

22blades August 18, 2026 (5:18 am)

If you want to know how these camera systems including Flock go bad, “The Drive” &”Jalopnicj” have a good reads. Abhorrent practices of these companies with your data. Flock instigated an armed arrest of a journalist’s family due to a low-tech clerical error. A California town had an accuracy rate of just 29%.Flock admits to an abuse problem in Law Enforcement entities.https://www.jalopnik.com/2237694/roseville-california-flock-license-plate-cameras-only-29-percent-accurate/

k August 18, 2026 (6:18 am)

City Council needs to enact an ordinance requiring businesses to disclose when they are sharing camera feeds with SPD, just as they disclose when CCTV is in use, just as the city has signage where municipal video recording is in use.

People who have experienced domestic violence or other abuse from police officers have the right to know where they are safe, and which businesses will enable their abusers to find and track them. I don’t want to stop shopping at every business that uses cameras at all. I like supporting brick-and-mortar stores. It would be helpful if one could selectively avoid the problem ones.

Jeff S August 18, 2026 (9:40 am)

We have to stop with the cameras. Someone in MA just abused them to stalk her ex girlfriend. There’s ZERO oversight on this nonsense. End Flock now. https://www.kcra.com/article/new-bedford-police-officer-on-leave/73434678