Surveillance technology and hiring bonuses do not prevent crime, are exorbitantly expensive and divert funding from evidence-based solutions such as housing stability, food security, emergency financial assistance for those experiencing financial instability that are proven to reduce community violence.
Bills to let SPD acquire additional surveillance technologies (CCTV & RTCC) and to give cops $50k hiring bonuses are scheduled for a final vote on Tuesday October 8th at 2 pm.
Councilmembers who vote to approve more surveillance and hiring bonuses will be voting to defund ALL of the following:
- Food access,
- Worker protections,
- Eviction defense,
- Rental assistance,
- Tenant services,
- Legal counsel for homeless youth,
- Behavioral health services, and
- Programs addressing gender based violence
Mayor Harrell’s proposed budget cuts ALL of those items by $5.5M combined which is how much $50K hiring bonuses for cops and the additional surveillance technologies will cost.
If City Council chooses not to let SPD acquire additional surveillance technologies (CCTV & RTCC) and chooses not to give cops $50k hiring bonuses, it can undo all of those cuts listed above. This isn’t expanding services, it is maintaining them which is the bare minimum the city should be doing.
Take action
Email the City Council with this easy-to-use form: https://actionnetwork.org/letters/fund-community-prevention-not-mass-surveillance
Sign up for Virtual Public Comment Tuesday 10/8 @ 2 pm (sign up opens 30 minutes prior): https://www.seattle.gov/council/committees/public-comment?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_term=2024-10-06&utm_campaign=Act+Now+Tell+Council+to+Fund+Food+Access+Worker+and+tenant+protections+-+Not+mass+surveillance
Additional Information and Talking Points: https://docs.google.com/document/d/18wkkbNzJUqMdNUyhEO83rOoHKthSdleAN8rUd-jSpZk/edit#heading=h.el5rt6at7iwv
