Internal records reveal the Seattle Fire Department bypassed mandatory surveillance oversight to implement an AI system that has analyzed every medical emergency call since late 2023.
Public records and recent disclosures have revealed that the Seattle Fire Department (SFD) has been utilizing artificial intelligence to monitor and analyze every 911 medical call since December 2023. The deployment of the system, developed by the firm Corti, occurred without the public notification or formal oversight typically required for surveillance technology in the city. Under Seattle’s municipal code, a Surveillance Impact Report is mandatory for any technology that observes or analyzes identifiable individuals in a manner that raises civil liberties concerns. However, the SFD’s use of Corti AI appears to have bypassed this process entirely, leaving no public paper trail for a tool that listens to the most vulnerable moments of citizens’ lives.
The system functions by listening to emergency calls in real-time, providing prompts to dispatchers, and in some instances, routing callers to a nurse-staffed call center located in Texas. While the department maintains that dispatchers retain final authority over all decisions, the lack of transparency regarding the data’s storage and secondary use has sparked criticism. This lack of disclosure is particularly notable given the city’s robust surveillance ordinance, which was designed to prevent the administrative state from adopting intrusive tools in the shadows. The SFD has reportedly been using the tool on all medical calls for over six months before the extent of the implementation became public through investigative reporting.
This trend of expanding digital surveillance and automated systems without traditional accountability is being met with increased enforcement actions elsewhere as agencies struggle to keep pace with technological overreach. In India, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) filed a formal prosecution complaint on June 15, 2026, following an investigation into a $20 million cryptocurrency fraud. Records show the suspects utilized fake websites mimicking the Coinbase platform to harvest credentials. This case highlights the growing necessity for document-grounded investigations in the digital age, as the ED’s Shimla office conducted extensive searches to recover evidence of the credential theft and financial diversion.
Simultaneously, the Ahmedabad Cyber Crime Police busted two separate networks targeting students. On June 15, authorities arrested a 19-year-old student from Bihar for allegedly hacking approximately 350 NEET-UG 2026 accounts. According to police records, the suspect targeted accounts with weak passwords to divert refund money. A second case involving two men from Rajasthan involved a scam spread through Telegram, falsely promising leaked exam papers for ₹1.5 crore. Although no genuine papers were recovered, the paper trail of suspicious transactions led to the arrests. These incidents prompted the National Testing Agency to implement two-factor authentication, a move that underscores how administrative failures often only receive fixes after a breach is documented.
International law enforcement agencies are also formalizing information-sharing agreements to address the lack of digital accountability. On June 15, the Philippines’ National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) signed a memorandum to share resources against online illegal activities. This collaboration is intended to create a more transparent framework for tracking cybercriminals who exploit the anonymity of the web.
In the Seattle case, the absence of a documented Surveillance Impact Report remains the primary point of contention for those advocating for government transparency. Without the public hearings and legislative approval mandated by city law, the SFD has effectively integrated an automated listener into the private lives of its residents. For a department tasked with public safety, the decision to bypass the ‘show me’ approach of the city’s own transparency laws suggests a preference for bureaucratic expediency over constitutional accountability. As the public records catch up to the technology, the city may face a reckoning over its failure to follow the very laws designed to protect its people from unvetted surveillance.
Ben Taylor serves as the Senior Correspondent and Investigations Lead for Just Right News, where he anchors the network’s commitment to government transparency and institutional accountability. With a career defined by a relentless pursuit of the facts, Taylor spearheads the acclaimed feature series “The Paper Trail,” a deep-dive investigative column that prioritizes primary source documentation over political rhetoric. Based in the heart of the nation’s capital, he has earned a reputation as one of the most formidable investigative journalists in Washington, D.C., known specifically for his mastery of public records and the Freedom of Information Act.
Taylor’s approach to journalism is deeply rooted in his upbringing in Kansas City, Missouri. Growing up in the “Show Me State,” he developed a healthy skepticism of centralized power and a profound respect for the common-sense values of the American heartland. This Midwestern foundation informs his reporting today, as he bridges the gap between the complex machinations of federal bureaucracy and the everyday concerns of citizens across the country. For Taylor, investigative reporting is not about chasing headlines; it is about ensuring that the government remains answerable to the people it serves.
As an African American man working within the conservative media landscape, Taylor brings a principled perspective to his beat. He views the Constitution and the right to information as the ultimate equalizers in a free society. His work often highlights how bureaucratic overreach and lack of transparency disproportionately affect individual liberties. By focusing on the “paper trail,” Taylor strips away the spin of partisan talking points, instead providing Just Right News readers with the raw data and internal communications that reveal how their tax dollars are spent and how policy decisions are actually made.
In his role as Investigations Lead, Taylor oversees a team dedicated to uncovering the stories that mainstream outlets often overlook. Whether he is auditing federal spending, investigating regulatory overreach, or exposing inefficiencies within the administrative state, his methodology remains consistent: follow the evidence wherever it leads. His presence in Washington, D.C., allows him to maintain a constant watch over the halls of power, yet he remains steadfastly connected to his roots, ensuring his reporting reflects the clarity and directness of his Missouri home.
Throughout his tenure at Just Right News, Taylor has become a vital voice for those who demand integrity in public office. He believes that a well-informed electorate is the strongest defense against government overreach, and he has dedicated his career to providing the public with the tools they need to hold their leaders accountable. Through “The Paper Trail” and his broader investigative work, Ben Taylor continues to set the standard for rigorous, document-driven journalism that champions the values of transparency, individual responsibility, and the rule of law.