Seattle presses Homeland Security on $1.1M reimbursement for counterterrorism gear

(The Center Square) – Seattle still does not have federal funding for equipment used for major event safety planning, despite the release of some U.S. Department of Homeland Security funding.

Earlier this month, Seattle joined a lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security, or DHS, over stalled counterterrorism funding that City Attorney Ann Davison says is essential for protecting FIFA World Cup fans in 2026.

The funding comes from DHS’s Securing the Cities (STC) counterterrorism program, which funds equipment the city uses for major events.

Seattle is set to host four to six FIFA World Cup matches next year with an anticipated 400,000 to 750,000 visitors to the city. The city's police and fire departments have been training to detect radioactive threats and other signs of terrorist attacks. According to the city attorney’s office, the STC program funds the equipment and personnel used for this training.

On June 25, DHS reimbursed the Seattle Police Department approximately $103,757 under the STC program. However, $1.1 million in procurement of radiation detecting equipment is still on hold, according to Seattle City Attorney Ann Davison’s office.

“We are pleased that, following our entry into the litigation, DHS released the funds for our city’s pending reimbursements – but this is just one part of what Seattle has depended on,” Davison said in a statement. “We need funding restored for critical equipment purchases as well. Next steps are under consideration.”

According to Davison’s office, no additional safety planning purchases can be made by the city until the $1.1 million in procurement is released.

DHS first launched the STC program as a pilot in 2007 to reduce the risk of terrorism attacks.

Other plaintiffs in the lawsuit include the cities of Chicago and Boston, as well as the consolidated city-counties of Denver and San Francisco.

DHS did not respond to The Center Square’s request for comment.