Seattle Police Accept 15 NYU Recommendations on Surveillance, Reject Two

The Seattle Police Department (SPD) has responded to a review by New York University’s Policing Project, announcing that it will adopt 15 of the 19 recommendations concerning the department’s Real Time Crime Center (RTCC) and surveillance systems.

The recommendations address privacy protections, data retention, camera access, public reporting, and oversight. Among the planned changes, SPD will strengthen rules for accessing footage related to protests, improve procedures for handling video requests, and establish additional auditing measures.

SPD also plans to launch a public data dashboard by December 1, 2026. It is expected to provide monthly information about RTCC activity, including the types of incidents supported and the department’s use of surveillance technology.

The department will not adopt two recommendations as written. One calls for warrants in most cases involving retrospective tracking of individuals across multiple camera locations. SPD says it will follow existing law and monitor future legal developments. The second recommendation concerns putting the five-day retention period for public-space camera footage into written policy. SPD says its existing policy allows retention of up to 30 days, while actual periods vary by camera system and operational requirements.

Two additional recommendations concern other Seattle city departments and will require their responses.