We must continually look for ways to improve this tool’ Today Councilmember Bob Kettle (District 7), chair of the City Council’s Public Safety Committee, released the following statement after Mayor Katie Wilson’s announced audit of the Seattle Police Department’s Public Space Cameras (CCTV) program. “I welcome the audit and policy review of the CCTV program....
Tag: kettle
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Councilmember Kettle applauds new state legislation aimed at easing toxicology backlog
Passage comes after two years of collaboration and support of Seattle officials Today, Councilmember Bob Kettle (District 7), who serves as chair of the Public Safety Committee, issued the following statement in response to Governor Bob Ferguson signing Second Substitute Senate Bill 5880 into law. The legislation provides local jurisdictions with the authority to utilize...
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Council passes restrictions on staging for federal immigration enforcement actions
Bill is another key component of Seattle’s effort to protect residents Today the City Council passed Councilmember Bob Kettle’s (District 7) amended legislation that prohibits the use of City-owned or City-controlled properties for federal civil enforcement staging operations, commonly associated with federal law enforcement, specifically Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The bill complements other actions taken by the Council and Mayor’s Office to push back against the federal government’s unprecedented escalation of detentions and deportations. Council Bill 121164 goes further than similar legislation that has been passed in other jurisdictions. It applies...
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Public Safety Chair Kettle: Setting the record straight on misconceptions about technology used by Seattle Police Department for crime prevention
Ahead of Tuesday’s Public Safety Committee meeting Councilmember and committee Chair Bob Kettle (District 7) released this statement following recent news coverage about technology used by the Seattle Police Department (SPD) for purposes of community safety and crime prevention. These issues relate specifically to Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) technology, SPD’s Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) public...
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Public Safety Chair Kettle on second shooting death by federal agents in Minneapolis: ‘Stand-down at once’
By: Councilmember Bob Kettle, District 7 City Councilmember Bob Kettle (District 7) shared the following thoughts on the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis, Minnesota. “A second tragic killing in three weeks by federal law enforcement in Minneapolis, and their indiscriminate heavy-handed operations against citizens and non-citizens alike, demand the need for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to...
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Public Safety Chair Kettle condemns ICE tactics, ongoing conduct of raids in Seattle
Today Councilmember Bob Kettle (District 7), issued the following statement after Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) actions this week in Seattle, the shocking killing of a bystander in Minneapolis by agents, and nationwide demonstrations last night in response to the agency’s unprecedented tactics. “Yesterday’s tragic killing by an ICE agent highlights our worst fears and...
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Councilmember Kettle statement on Seattle’s enforcement of public drug use laws
Discussion is an ‘opportunity’ to improve ordinance Today Councilmember Bob Kettle (District 7) released the following statement on erroneous reports that the City of Seattle was no longer making drug-related arrests beginning in 2026. The Mayor’s Office and Seattle Police Department responded to members of the media and online activists this morning stating that “there...
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Chair Kettle: Maintaining collaborative approach critical to continued public safety success in 2026 and beyond
As the final Public Safety Committee meeting of 2025 concluded today, Councilmember Bob Kettle (District 7), the Committee’s chair, offered reflections on the City’s coordinated work over the past two years. In 2023, Seattle voters sent a clear message to City Hall: public safety needs to be a priority. Nearly two years later, I’m proud...
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Reclaiming Seattle: Public safety progress is no accident
By: Councilmember Bob Kettle, District 7 In 2023, Seattle voters sent a clear message to City Hall: public safety needs to be a priority. The city returned to its basic charter responsibility of “protecting and enhancing the health, safety, environment, and general welfare of the people.” Nearly two years later, I’m proud to say we’ve...
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Councilmember Kettle secures funding for key District 7 and public safety priorities in 2026 budget
Today Councilmember Bob Kettle (District 7), chair of the Public Safety Committee, announced a number of critical public safety priorities included as part of Seattle’s 2026 budget, adopted by the City Council. “Our work on this budget cycle has wrapped up, but my strategic priorities remain steadfast: advancing public safety, port and maritime investment, and advocating for constituents,”...