CITY OF SEATTLE

ORDINANCE __________________

COUNCIL BILL __________________

AN ORDINANCE relating to surveillance technology implementation; authorizing approval of uses and accepting the 2025 updated surveillance impact report and 2025 executive overview for the Seattle Police Department’s use of Tracking Devices; and ratifying and confirming certain prior acts.

WHEREAS, on February 28, 2023, the City Council passed Ordinance 126776, adopting the original Surveillance Impact Report (SIR) for Tracking Devices technology; and

WHEREAS, subsection 14.18.020.F of the Seattle Municipal Code (SMC), which section was enacted by Ordinance 125376 and last amended by Ordinance 125679, states that "[a]ny material update to an SIR, such as to change the purpose or manner in which a surveillance technology may be used, shall be by ordinance"; and

WHEREAS, the functionality defined in the original tracking devices SIR will change pending a $250,000 Washington State Department of Commerce Law Enforcement Pursuit Technology grant that will assist local law enforcement in vehicle pursuit mitigation; and

WHEREAS, a category of GPS trackers (police pursuit management technology) is utilized to tag and track fleeing vehicles as a safer alternative to vehicle pursuits; and

WHEREAS, in accordance with RCW 10.116.060.2.d, which requires agencies to “develop a plan to end the pursuit through the use of available pursuit intervention options,” this specialized GPS tracker allows the Seattle Police Department (SPD) to track the precise location of a vehicle for which probable cause or reasonable suspicion of involvement in a crime has been established and accomplish the task of recovery or arrest without the need for initiating or continuing a vehicle pursuit; and

WHEREAS, SPD is considering a pilot for 25 SPD patrol vehicles to be equipped with GPS tracker launchers, deployed throughout the patrol operations bureau precincts; and

WHEREAS, all sworn SPD officers will be trained in the use of pursuit mitigation GPS trackers, ensuring compliance with recent state law updates regarding pursuit mitigation; and

WHEREAS, pursuit mitigation GPS trackers will be monitored by the Real Time Crime Center and information will be relayed to patrol units in the field; and

WHEREAS, no changes will be made to the previously approved requirements related to covert tracking systems; NOW, THEREFORE,

BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY OF SEATTLE AS FOLLOWS:

Section 1. Pursuant to Ordinances 125376 and 125679, the City Council approves use of the Seattle Police Department’s Tracking Devices and accepts the updated 2025 Surveillance Impact Report for this technology, attached to this ordinance as Attachment 1, and the Executive Overview for the same technology, attached to this ordinance as Attachment 2.

Section 2. Any act consistent with the authority of this ordinance taken after its passage and prior to its effective date is ratified and confirmed.

Section 3. This ordinance shall take effect as provided by Seattle Municipal Code Sections 1.04.020 and 1.04.070.

Passed by the City Council the ________ day of _________________________, 2025, and signed by me in open session in authentication of its passage this ________ day of _________________________, 2025.

____________________________________
President ____________ of the City Council

Approved /  returned unsigned /  vetoed this ____day of _______________, 2025.

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Bruce A. Harrell, Mayor

Filed by me this ________ day of _________________________, 2025.

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Scheereen Dedman, City Clerk

(Seal)