Video Security Applications

Responsible Executive	Vice Chancellor–Administration
Responsible Office	UC Police Department
Contact	Administrative Captain 642-1133

Issued	1/17/2011
Effective	1/17/2011
Supersedes	None, New Policy

Policy Summary

The University of California, Berkeley Police Department (hereafter UCPD) reserves the right to review and approve any proposed or existing installation of video security applications on properties owned, leased, or controlled by the campus. All video security applications must conform to federal and state law in addition to University policy. Video security applications must conform to standards established by the UCPD so recorded data are easily retrievable. Although video monitoring will not be used to view or record personal living areas, nothing in this policy prevents the use of video monitoring or surveillance in connection with an active criminal investigation or specific court order.

Who Is Affected by This Policy

Any campus unit that uses video for the purpose of safety or security.

Who Administers This Policy

The UC Police Department (UCPD)

Why We Have This Policy

The UCPD is charged with reviewing, recommending, approving, and managing proposed and existing video security applications. Video security applications serve two purposes:

If an area is posted as being under video monitoring or surveillance, video security applications can be a crime deterrent.
Once a crime has been committed, the video security applications can assist in the identification of the responsible parties.

To ensure the ability to use the data, the systems need to be standardized and made easily accessible to the UCPD. Historically, there has been no comprehensive list of video security applications on campus and no standard way to access the data. There has been no consistent maintenance of systems or mechanism to periodically reassess the need for a particular system. This leads to lost opportunities for apprehension and prosecution of criminal suspects.

This policy addresses video applications not covered by existing rules or by policies related to academic research. Any video application related to research must also be approved pursuant to applicable research policies, such as those administered by the Committee for the Protection of Human Subjects (http://cphs.berkeley.edu).

Responsibilities

UCPD:

Reviews, approves, and oversees the installation, servicing, and management of video security applications at locations dictated by this policy.
Monitors developments in relevant laws and in the security industry to assure that video monitoring on University property is consistent with the highest standards and protections.
Maintains a list of all University-owned or -controlled camera locations.
Receives all requests for the release of recordings obtained through video security applications.
Releases video security applications data upon authorization by the Chief of Police or designee. No other campus unit may release data obtained through video security applications.
Documents the release of any video security applications data.
Periodically reviews this policy and updates it as necessary.

Capital Projects:

Works with the UCPD to install video security applications in new construction. Capital Projects may not install a video application that has not been reviewed and approved by the UCPD.

Campus Departments:

Departments with existing video security applications must have their applications reviewed by the UCPD.
Departments that wish to install new video security applications must submit their plans to the UCPD for review.
Department heads or their designees charged with overseeing video security applications must arrange for UCPD management of their video security applications.
Departments should carefully consider who may be viewing video monitoring as judgment and ethical behavior are important relative to individual privacy concerns.

Procedures

Information obtained through video security applications will be used primarily for security and law enforcement purposes. However, the University may also use it in support of disciplinary proceedings against faculty, staff, or student(s), or in a civil suit against person(s) whose activities are shown on the recording and are the basis for the suit.
Video monitoring for security purposes will be conducted in a professional, ethical, and legal manner. Personnel involved in monitoring will be appropriately trained and supervised in the responsible use of this technology. Violations of the procedures for video monitoring referenced in this policy will result in disciplinary action consistent with the rules and regulations governing University employees.
The UCPD will not approve camera positions with views of residential spaces, with the exception of the use of video monitoring for criminal investigations. The focus of cameras used in video surveillance will not cover areas where there is an expectation of privacy. This does not preclude monitoring the exterior of buildings or building lobbies.
Camera control operators and/or managers of video security applications will monitor based on suspicious behavior, not individual characteristics. Monitoring will be conducted in a manner consistent with all existing University policies, including the NonDiscrimination Policy, the Sexual Harassment Policy, and other relevant policies. Camera control operators will not monitor individuals based on characteristics of race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, or other classifications protected by the University’s Non-Discrimination Policy.
Camera control operators and/or managers of video security applications will not seek out or continuously view people being intimate in public areas.
Camera control operators and/or managers of video security applications will not view private offices or living areas.
Camera control operators will be trained in the technical, legal, and ethical parameters of appropriate camera use. Camera control operators and/or managers of video surveillance applications will receive a copy of this policy and will provide written acknowledgement that they have read and understood it. Failure to provide written acknowledgement does not excuse violation of the policy.
Information obtained in violation of this policy may not be used in a disciplinary proceeding against a member of the University’s faculty, staff, or student population.
UCPD is authorized to use still cameras or video equipment to record events where there are likely to be violations of University rules, regulations, policies, or violations of law. Cameras may be operated either overtly or covertly depending on the circumstances. In the case of demonstrations, protests, and similar situations, use of cameras will be generally overt, partly as a means of deterring illegal acts. Cameras may be permanently mounted or operated from either remote locations or by automated devices.
The following signage may be required by the UCPD at public locations monitored by video surveillance.

“THIS AREA IS SUBJECT TO VIDEO RECORDING: For more information, contact UCPD at 642-6760”

An exception to this recommendation would be if announcing the use of video surveillance would undermine its purpose.

Dummy cameras should NEVER be used, as they could lead the viewer to a false sense of security that someone is monitoring the cameras.
Campus units approved by UCPD to operate and manage video surveillance systems will make available to UCPD the recorded videotapes or permit access to their application via the campus network for maintenance, auditing, and police investigations.
Recorded images will be stored in a secure location with access by authorized personnel only. Designated police personnel from the Criminal Investigation Bureau, Crime Prevention Unit, the Office of the Chief of Police, and patrol officers conducting preliminary criminal investigations will have access to the video tapes/digital recordings.
Recorded images will be stored for a period of no less than 21 days and no more than 365 days and will then be erased, unless retained as part of a criminal investigation or court proceeding (criminal or civil), or other use as approved by the Chief of Police or designee.
Only the UCPD may release data produced by video security applications.
Each campus unit with video security application must provide the UCPD with a list of people who can be contacted about the application during business hours and after hours.
Installation of video security applications are the financial responsibility of the requesting unit. This responsibility includes the cost of IP addresses, service, and maintenance. Fees are subject to approval by the campus recharge process.
At least five business days’ notice must be provided to UCPD prior to changing an IP address for a video system.
To maintain an informed University community, UCPD will periodically disseminate written materials describing the purpose of video monitoring and the guidelines for its use. The location of outdoor video cameras will be published in the Annual Security Report (Safety Counts).
All existing uses of video monitoring and recording will be brought into compliance with this policy within 12 months of the policy’s effective date

Glossary

Camera Control Operator: anyone who operates, views, or reviews video security application images. Typically this will be a UCPD employee or a UCPD designee.
Video Security Application: any device or component that captures images (with or without sound) for the purpose of deterring unlawful behavior or identifying the perpetrators of unlawful behavior. Images may be viewed immediately and/or kept on a storage device. Examples of video security applications include closed-circuit television (CCTV), video cameras, web cameras, and still cameras.