(The Center Square) – Nearly two months after Seattle launched its crime prevention technology pilot program, city leaders are calling it a success with plans for expansion.
Since the Real-Time Crime Center, or RTCC, launched on May 20, it has been utilized to investigate 600 reported incidents across the city and is currently supporting 90 active criminal investigations.
Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes said the center has exceeded his expectations.
“That’s real results and real impact – and we’re just getting started. We look forward to growing the RTCC in partnership with our city government partners, businesses, and the community.”
The RTCC software functions as a single access platform to view and analyze various sources of existing and proposed Seattle police data such as video and audio feeds, officer dispatch information and location, 911 calls, and police records.
Currently, RTCC cameras are being used along Aurora, Third Avenue, and the Chinatown-International District. Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell is proposing legislation to expand the cameras to the Garfield and Nova High Schools neighborhood, the Capitol Hill Nightlife District, and the SODO Stadium Area.
The legislation would also authorize the RTCC to view and record Seattle Department of Transportation’s traffic cameras at select intersections and along major arterial roads in the city.
The crime prevention pilot was approved by Harrell in October 2024. The city allocated $3.1 million toward the RTCC as part of its 2025-2026 budget.
In a press release, the city noted one recent example of RTCC being used for an investigation in which gun violence occurred near Aurora Avenue North. RTCC analysts used CCTV cameras to observe the shooting suspect and send an image of the suspect to responding patrol officers. Analysts then advised officers of the escape route that the offender was taking.
Before the pilot program was approved, local organizations voiced opposition of the technology with concerns that the use of the new surveillance technologies could allow for circumvention of Washington’s sanctuary protections, such as the Keep Washington Working Act and the Washington Shield law.
RTCC Commander and Seattle Police Captain James Britt said the center is “conscious of the privacy concerns that technology can raise,” and that “our team is reminded at all times that we must use these systems responsibly.”
The RTCC currently operates daily from 8 a.m. to 3 a.m., with plans to expand to 24/7 in 2026.
