By Kiara Doyal, The Seattle Medium
Last week, the City of Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell announced the next steps for his proposed Crime Prevention Technology pilot, a component of his framework to ensure everyone in every neighborhood is safe and feels safe.
According to Harrell, the pilot will deploy closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras on Aurora Avenue North, the downtown Third Avenue corridor, and the Chinatown-International District (CID), which are neighborhoods that suffer from a disproportionate amount of criminal activity. In addition to CCTV cameras, the pilot program will also feature a new real-time crime center (RTCC) software technologies integrating multiple data sources for improved analysis and investigations.
The CCTV and RTCC technologies will be paired with a comprehensive crime-prevention approach, including increased police patrols, continued investments in community-based initiatives, and enhanced lighting and cleaning at specific locations where crime is concentrated. This pilot project will help ensure neighborhoods see the biggest positive impact while responsibly working within the City’s projected budget deficit.
“We are proposing smart investments in targeted neighborhoods of the city where we can, and must, do more to address gun violence, human trafficking, and other persistent felony crimes,” says Harrell. “This package balances the need for action, expert advice, and the City’s budget reality to make a positive impact today and prepare us to do more in the future.”
“Putting the Technology Assisted Pilot program in the CID will be a great test for the city, as well as a great benefit to the CID,” says Gary Lee, Chinatown-International District Public Safety Council Co-Chair. “Due to the density of offices, businesses, residents and the boundaries (geographic shape) of the CID, and the characteristic of the CID being a small, self-contained city in itself with multiple parks, gathering spaces, as well as concealed and no-so-visible spaces, the test data will have foreseeable benefits and invaluable to the CID community.”
In addition to the CCTV and RTCC, the city will also expand the use of Automated License Plate Readers (ALPR). This combination of new technologies, according to city officials, will help provide near-term improvements to deter crime with public awareness of the cameras, address serious crimes, and collect evidence in the pilot areas to hold offenders accountable.
Studies have shown that since May 23, 2024, gun violence incidents in Seattle have increased by 13.4% compared to the same period last year. With police citing a strong link between gun violence and stolen vehicles in the city, expanding ALPR to be used in all police vehicles with dashcams will not only help recover missing vehicles but also will help with solving active investigations.
“Adding more crime prevention tools to areas of the city that have called out for more public safety measures is a welcome step,” says Jon Scholes, President, and CEO of Downtown Seattle Association. “The ability to respond faster or increase efficiencies is especially important as the department tries to remedy severely depleted staffing levels.”
To ensure the use of the technologies are effective and deliver the expected results, the City’s Office of Inspector General for Public Safety will retain outside academic subject matter experts to develop and manage an implementation and evaluation plan. The first part of the evaluation will likely be completed after year one of the pilot, and the final evaluation after year two.
“Seattle needs more options in our public safety toolkit, and this pilot will add proven, evidence-based solutions and technologies to help communities,” says Harrell.
