Days after some of Seattle’s largest venues and organizations called on Mayor Katie Wilson to reactivate and expand the city’s surveillance camera network, members of the Seattle City Council moved in the opposite direction — voting to redirect money intended for cameras toward community-based “violence interruption” programs.
A divided council committee voted 3-1 to move $250,000 previously allocated for CCTV expansion on Capitol Hill into funding for “community violence interruption ambassadors,” according to FOX 13 Seattle. Councilmember Rob Saka abstained. The proposal now heads to the full council for a final vote next week.
The move comes as Seattle City Hall faces mounting pressure over public safety and its decision to keep the camera program on hold…