Today, Councilmember Maritza Rivera (District 4) released the following statement on Mayor Katie Wilson’s announced audit of the City’s Real Time Crime Center CCTV camera program. The pilot program is a tool used by Seattle Police for evidence gathering in criminal investigations

“I appreciate Mayor Wilson’s understanding of the value of the existing CCTV cameras, and the Real Time Crime Center, and is keeping most of these public safety tools in place. As someone who always favors accountability and transparency, I support the idea of conducting a credible audit on the use of, and protections around, CCTV.

“However, we need to ensure that this audit is prioritized and completed — and additional cameras like the ones at the stadiums are operational — before the start of the World Cup.

“CCTV cameras are an important tool used by many large cities in the U.S., including San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta, New York and Washington, D.C. Seattle should also be using this tool to assist in criminal investigations and keep our residents safe. I look forward to seeing the results of the Mayor’s audit as soon as possible.”

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