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New poll finds strong support for CCTV cameras in Seattle
A new poll found 3/4 of Seattle voters support the use of cameras after a 911 call to assist in an active investigation, while the other quarter opposes it.
SEATTLE - Calls to keep Seattle’s surveillance cameras off over fears of a growing surveillance state are colliding with a new push to turn them on.
The Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce is pointing to new polling that shows broad voter support for the technology, as privacy advocates warn about who could ultimately gain access to the footage.
Members of the Community Not Cameras Coalition gathered on the steps of Seattle City Hall Monday, calling for the city to disable cameras and dismantle its Real Time Crime Center.
"We are incredibly concerned with public safety and mass surveillance is a threat to public safety," said Leah Salerno with Seattle Solidarity Budget.
Coalition raises concerns about access to camera footage
What they're saying:
The coalition worries federal agents could gain access to CCTV footage shared in the cloud, potentially putting immigrant communities or people seeking gender-affirming care at risk.
"The surveillance state itself is a threat and everyone intuitively knows this," argued Salerno. "The only thing mass surveillance is good for is control and making certain business interests and shareholders a lot of money."
The concerns come as Seattle city leaders weigh how surveillance cameras should be used moving forward.
In a statement, the mayor’s office said the city commissioned an independent audit earlier this year to review how camera data is collected, stored and shared and to provide recommendations. The city expects the findings this fall.
"We will share what we learn with the public and use it to shape our path forward," said a spokesperson for the mayor’s office.
Chamber CEO points to public support for cameras
The other side:
Across town, Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce CEO Joe Nguyen offered a different perspective.
"This idea of just no on cameras or you have to have mass surveillance. That’s not real," said Nguyen.
Nguyen pointed to a newly published public safety study that found three-quarters of Seattle voters support using cameras after a 911 call to assist in an active investigation, while one-quarter oppose it.
"It’s pretty obvious that the people of Seattle want this. They want more public safety," said Nguyen.
A CCTV camera in Seattle's Chinatown-International District. (FOX 13 Seattle)
Nguyen believes the debate over cameras requires more nuance, arguing cameras in public spaces such as Seattle Center do not use AI or facial recognition.
"This is not mass surveillance," stressed Nguyen.
He also pointed to recent shootings as examples of where camera footage could help investigators.
"The Pioneer Square shooting that happened literally last night was in an area where there are cameras that were turned off," pointed out Nguyen. "So it would be harder for us to catch the shooter because the cameras were turned off."
Nguyen also noted that following the Bite of Seattle shooting, people have been asked to provide cellphone footage and other documentation that could help identify the person responsible. He argued additional camera footage could provide investigators with more evidence in cases like it.
"It’s easy to get caught up in the vitriol online and you see kind of the rhetoric that happens," said Nguyen. "When you ask regular people what they care about. How they feel? The story looks a lot different."
Downtown Seattle Association weighs in
Downtown Seattle Association President and CEO Jon Scholes also pointed to the survey findings as evidence of support for the technology.
"Strong public support for modern safety technology isn’t surprising," said Scholes. "Seattleites deserve to feel safe in their city, their neighborhoods and when they’re at large events."
Scholes argued cameras and other technology are particularly important while Seattle Police Department staffing levels remain low.
"Seattle is a bit of an outlier with fewer cameras per capita than major cities throughout the country," argued Scholes. "It’s time for our city to embrace a more modern approach to combating crime."
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New Seattle poll shows high CCTV support
A new poll shows a large majority of Seattle voters support public safety cameras and regular police patrols while expressing low confidence in city leadership's handling of public safety.
The Source: Information for this story came from original reporting by FOX 13 Seattle.
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