Rinck seeks five council votes to block Capitol Hill and Central District camera rollout until SPD addresses risks

City Councilmember Alexis Mercedes Rinck is calling for support for her budget proviso that would pause the expansion of Seattle’s Real Time Crime Center police cameras until recommendations from the Office of the Inspector General are satisfied.

The move follows Mayor Katie Wilson’s decision to lift her pause on the expansion as Seattle Police officials say they are working to respond to a privacy audit of the system identified constitutional risks, technological shortfalls, and policy gaps. Recent reviews under the Office of Inspector General made similar findings.

Saying she has “deep concerns about surveillance technology from civil rights implications, policy oversight gaps, and the efficacy of this technology,” Rinck said Wednesday that the proviso is supported by South Seattle Councilmember Eddie Lin and Rinck’s fellow citywide representative Dionne Foster but requires five votes to pass.

“Final votes in budget start on Friday. Now is the time to make your voice heard,” Rinck posted in her social media statement on the proposal.

The Office of Inspector General recommended that the Seattle Police Department implement case numbers and formal justifications within the Axon Fusus software before analysts can view camera feeds to prevent unauthorized or proactive surveillance. It also urged the department and city leaders to establish clear policies and privacy safeguards for integrating privately owned security cameras, including geographic boundaries, protocols to avoid monitoring non-public spaces, and retention limits, while enforcing stricter search logging and civil liberty controls across stored surveillance databases like Automated License Plate Readers.

The Seattle City Council is wrapping up the city’s long budget season with final adjustments to the mayor’s 2027-2028 budget plan including tapping $31 million in JumpStart payroll tax reserves and cutting $22 million in pension transfers to reverse cuts proposed by the mayor to address a looming budget deficit.

CHS reported in March as Wilson followed up on campaign promises and stopped an expansion of the city’s police camera system to the stadium district, Capitol Hill’s nightlife areas, and 23rd Ave in the Central District citing concerns about how law enforcement and federal authorities might access the technology and data.

The cameras for Capitol Hill — budgeted but never installed — would cover Broadway from Capitol Hill Station to Pike/Pine and the core of the Pike/Pine nightlife zone.

In the Central District, the camera system will be centered around safety at Garfield High School with boundaries running from a block north of the school along E Cherry all the way to S Jackson. The western edge has been planned to include 20th Ave and the eastern edge would extend along 26th Ave.

The Capitol Hill system is estimated to cost around $400,000 to install and $35,000 a year to operate. The Central District installation has a budget of $425,000 and also an estimated $35,000 in “ongoing annual costs.”

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