Legislature wants to expand use of traffic cameras

BY Chris Sullivan  on January 23, 2013 @ 5:15 am (Updated: 8:29 am - 1/23/13 )

Nicole Westbrook
The key to solving Nicole Westbrook's murder might have been found in video from a nearby red light camera, but state law prevented police from accessing the footage. (Image courtesy Seattle Police) | Zoom
It's been nine months since 21-year-old Nicole Westbrook was gunned-down at random in Pioneer Square, and police still have no suspects. All they have is bad surveillance video from a nearby business showing the killer's car driving away.

The key to solving her murder might have been found in video from a nearby red light camera, but state law prevented police from accessing the footage.

It's too late to use that footage to help find Nicole Westbrook's killer, but a bill in Olympia would give police the ability to use traffic cameras to help catch the next killer.

"They believe with this bill if they could have accessed the footage and used the footage in the trial they could have actually solved Nicole Westbrook's murder," state representative Cathy Dahlquist said.

The Republican from the 31st District put the bill forward at the request of prosecutors across the state. Right now, traffic cameras, like red light cameras or speed zone cameras, can only be used to write tickets.

"They don't have the ability, with a search warrant, to access that footage," Rep. Dahlquist said. "We're funding these red light cameras with public dollars, right, with public tax dollars. I think for public safety purposes they can be used to solve a crime, granting that access to prosecutors and police so they can bring someone to justice is really a wise use of the equipment and taxpayer dollars."

But privacy advocates worry this bill will push Washington closer to a "surveillance society." They are worried that this change would open the door to allowing camera footage to be used for other purposes.

Dahlquist doesn't believe it will. "It's not an invasion of privacy when you have to obtain a search warrant," she said, and she wants opponents to put themselves in the shoes of a crime victim. "When you're the victim of a crime, any accessible information that can be legally obtained to solve that crime, you're going to want to have happen."

This bill has its first public hearing in the legislature Wednesday afternoon.

Chris Sullivan, KIRO Radio Reporter
Chris loves the rush of covering breaking news and works hard to try to make sense of it all while telling stories about real people in extraordinary circumstances.
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Comments (13)


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  • Cameron wrote...
    So the State is commissioning a Study to bill drivers by the mile
    January 23, 2013 5:22 am
    Yet they will not allow access to red light cameras to solve a murder? You can have camera records used to write you a ticket and give you a fine at a red light or on a toll bridge, but you will be fine if you just perfromed a drive-by shooting. Welcome to Wshington
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  • imanegro wrote...
    As predicted
    January 23, 2013 5:46 am
    This case will push it along and as predicted, the information will be available to our Dear Leaders. Red-light cameras will soon be in Big Brothers arsenal, as the drip drip drip of eroded freedom and liberty continues.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Rick W7PSK wrote...
    One step at a time
    January 23, 2013 5:47 am
    A little freedom here and a little there taken. OF COURSE its for your safety.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • CH wrote...
    Roadblocks -
    January 23, 2013 6:29 am
    if you to make the USA the USSR then roadblocks is the way to go. Then we could do away with the Legislature.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • CG58 wrote...
    Am I the only one...
    January 23, 2013 6:38 am
    who remembers the cops and other government officials testifying they would never use red light cameras for anything but red light enforcement (same thing with the Seattle drone testimony). I said then that would change and now it comes to fruition, it's "1984" and more. Ever since the Supreme Court decided that the government needs no warrant to wiretap U.S. citizens' personal phone calls, any impression that the U.S. is the 'home of the free' is just an illusion. Lenin would have loved to have the internal spying power that the U.S. gov has now.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Fuego wrote...
    So the camera's
    January 23, 2013 7:07 am
    are recording all the time? I thought they only were active when someone ran a red light? Orwell only missed it by 29 years.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Dapperduck wrote...
    Use of Camera Data
    January 23, 2013 7:48 am
    As far as I am concerned as long as the authorities have a search warrant to access the video let them have the information. Law enforcement agencies need any and all tools to solve crimes. I would draw the line at criminal investigations and civil cases that have the potential of criminality, I.e., giving testimony under oath that could be disproven with video evidence.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • froggy wrote...
    Something happens and many of you say...
    January 23, 2013 8:47 am
    where are the ==== cops when you need them. So now there is technology available that can be brought to bear to help in identifying criminals and all you can do is complain about your privacy. Well, it isn't on a wall in your home, it would be out in the open in "PUBLIC" areas. What would be the difference if we could afford to have a cop on every corner to watch what was going on? We allow idiots to protest in masks so they won't be identifiable when they commit vandalism and then crucify the cops when they can't catch the vandalizers. With the technology available, I wish that all of it would be brought out and used in our public areas. I'm not out there to purposefully do something wrong so I won't have a worry about it. However, it could also make it so, if perhaps, I was similarly looking to a criminal, I'd be eliminated as the crook. It could be pretty handy if you find yourself falsely accused. And also, since many of you want the police held accountable, wouldn't this add another way to keep track? Really, the only objectors of this, has to be those drivers that can't keep from picking their noses.
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  • Ron_Spins wrote...
    Survey says...
    January 23, 2013 9:51 am
    Nicole's killing in cold blood was a gang initiation.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • uralnutjobs wrote...
    Rep. Dahlquist
    January 23, 2013 10:27 am
    red light cameras shouldnt be publically funded at all. if you need them them make the tickets generated from them pay for them.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • It's me! Ha ha! wrote...
    Roadblocks -
    January 23, 2013 10:54 am
    ch your Dear Leader is attempting to do this at this very moment!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
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