Seattle's expanding police camera network has oversight gaps
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Seattle's growing surveillance network is raising new questions about privacy and oversight, according to three city reports released in late September.
Why it matters: Seattle police can now see footage from hundreds of cameras, but city policies meant to guard against misuse have gaps.
By the numbers: Seattle's police surveillance network has grown far beyond the roughly 60 cameras initially proposed. Police can now access 427 live camera feeds, while another 893 privately owned cameras are registered for footage requests, per KIRO.
What they found: Two Office of Inspector General reports and a city auditor report identified several oversight gaps in 2025:
- License plate readers: About 47% of police database searches lacked required justifications, up from 24% in 2024. Police shut off the readers in March following a new state privacy law.
- Live and private cameras: Analysts could view live feeds without logging a case number or justification. Police also plan to accept private camera feeds citywide, despite a lack of clear rules.
- Traffic cameras: The city's transportation and police departments lacked a written agreement over police access to traffic camera feeds.
Catch up quick: In March, Mayor Katie Wilson paused expansion of police-operated cameras into additional neighborhoods.
The other side: The Office of Inspector General found no evidence of unauthorized access to the license plate database or improper sharing of surveillance footage.
What's next: SDOT plans new police-access procedures by early 2027, while SPD plans to propose private-camera rules by March, per the reports.