Seattle Mayor Reviews Draft Audit of World Cup CCTV System

Seattle officials are evaluating a draft report that could determine the future of a surveillance system installed for a major international event. The cameras, which monitored Pioneer Square and the Stadium District during the FIFA World Cup, were shut down once the tournament concluded. City leaders must now decide whether to reactivate the network or dismantle it entirely.

The NYU Policing Project delivered the independent evaluation to the mayor's office last week. Mayor Katie Wilson confirmed on Tuesday that city staff and the Seattle Police Department are currently reviewing the findings. Wilson stated that the team is working to ensure every detail in the document is factual before it goes to the public. "We have a draft, and we are going back and forth right now, especially with SPD, to make sure that we are dotting all the I's and crossing all the T's," Wilson said.

City officials declined to release the preliminary document immediately. Wilson emphasized that public distribution will wait until the internal review is complete. "Once we complete that, then we will be releasing that report to the public," Wilson said. "So, no, you cannot have a copy today."

Under the contract, the city has up to 30 days to provide input on the initial findings. NYU officials said the university cannot release the draft without that city feedback, though it retains final editorial control over the finished report. Both the mayor's office and the university denied media requests to view the draft before the process concludes.

Community groups are already taking sides on the next steps. Area business associations have urged the city to turn the cameras back on, citing safety concerns. Conversely, community activists have pushed for the permanent removal of the hardware and the redirection of funding to other priorities. The debate has intensified in the affected neighborhoods, where residents weigh the benefits of surveillance against privacy concerns.

The exact date for the final report's public release has not been announced. The camera network remains offline while the review process continues.