Mayor Wilson turns off cameras in Seattle's Stadium District
Seattle turns off Stadium District CCTV cameras
Seattle has officially shut down its Stadium District CCTV cameras following the FIFA World Cup. Officials state that the police surveillance cameras will remain turned off until a thorough city audit reviews the Real Time Crime Center's data privacy policies later this fall.
SEATTLE - Mayor Katie Wilson has announced that the CCTV cameras placed around Seattle's Stadium District will be turned off now that the city's FIFA World Cup hosting duties are over.
The mayor had previously agreed to turn the cameras on, following a hotly contested debate leading up to the first of six matches that Seattle hosted for the global tournament.
Credible threats made to the safety of World Cup crowds in Seattle prompted Mayor Wilson to side with the Seattle Police Department and keep the cameras running for the several weeks of large-scale World Cup events taking over Seattle.
Now, with the final Seattle-hosted match finished, one that knocked the United States out of the World Cup on Monday, the cameras will be off once more.
USA fans gather at Western Ave and Spring St before marching to Seattle Stadium for the USA vs Belgium World Cup match. (SDOT)
Mayor Wilson speaks about the future use of CCTV cameras in Seattle
In a statement to the public on Tuesday, the Office of the Mayor said the cameras will remain off until the city is able to perform and complete analysis on an audit of the effectiveness of the cameras and impact to public privacy. The statement reads, in part:
What they're saying:
"In the fall we expect to receive the audit I announced earlier this year, which will review city policies and practices governing the use of all the cameras connected to the Real Time Crime Center, and the data they store.
At that time, we will share the audit publicly and engage thoughtfully around next steps regarding the previously planned expansion of these cameras to additional areas. As I have previously stated, the Stadium District cameras will remain off until that audit is complete and its recommendations are reviewed, and no new police CCTV cameras will be turned on.
The cameras in the Downtown Core, the Chinatown International District, and North Aurora which have been in place since last year will remain operational," said Mayor WIlson.
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