Surveillance and Monitoring Technology

 

Purpose

To regulate the use of surveillance cameras and monitoring or recording to protect the legal and privacy interests of the college and the college community.

 

Statement

This policy applies to all college personnel, centers, divisions, and departments in the use of surveillance cameras on college facilities and the conduct of surveillance monitoring or recording. This policy does not apply to the use of surveillance cameras or the conduct of surveillance monitoring or recording, or any type of monitoring, covert or otherwise, by the Public Safety Office during criminal investigations, or in legitimate academic uses of a surveillance camera that have been approved by the college’s president or vice presidents.

The purpose of surveillance monitoring or recording of college facilities is to deter crime and to assist the Linn-Benton Community College Public Safety Office and the college in protecting the safety and property of the college community. The college’s use of surveillance cameras for \monitoring or recording shall be in a professional, ethical, and legal manner. Surveillance cameras shall only be installed with the advance approval of the Vice President of Finance and Operations and the Surveillance Review Panel described later in this rule. Only authorized personnel, as determined by the Vice President of Finance and Operations and the panel will be involved in, or have access to, surveillance monitoring or recording results.

Definitions

Surveillance Camera

1. A surveillance camera means any item, system, camera, technology device, communications device, or process, used alone or in conjunction with a network, for gathering, monitoring, recording, or storing an image or images of college facilities and/or people in or around college facilities.
   Images captured by surveillance cameras may be real-time or preserved for review at a later date. Such devices may include, but are not limited to, the following:
   1. closed circuit cameras;
   2. closed circuit television;
   3. web cameras;
   4. real-time surveillance systems;
   5. computerized visual monitoring; and
   6. cell phones or other devices with cameras.
2. Surveillance Monitoring or Recording
   Surveillance monitoring or recording is the use of a surveillance camera to observe, review, or store visual images to deter crime and protect safety and security.
3. College Facilities:
   College facilities mean all college areas on college-owned, leased, or controlled property, both internal and external. They include offices, common spaces, labs, and all other areas, except restrooms, locker rooms, or areas officially provided for changing attire.
   
   

Procedures

Installation and/or placement of surveillance cameras in college facilities must be pre-approved by the panel and the Vice President of Finance and Operations. Only college personnel designated by the Panel and the appropriate college vice president shall have access to the images captured by surveillance monitoring or recording. The designated personnel shall be appropriately trained in the responsible use of this information and technology through a training program offered by the LBCC Safety and Loss Prevention Department. A specific supervisor will supervise the designated personnel, and the panel will perform periodic reviews. Violations of these procedures may result in disciplinary action under the policies, contracts, rules, and regulations governing college employees.

The conduct of surveillance monitoring or recording and the use of surveillance cameras shall be in a manner consistent with all college administrative rules and limited to uses that do not violate a person’s reasonable expectation of privacy, as defined by law.

The process to add surveillance to an area will include a request through the Director of Safety and Loss Prevention to the Surveillance Review Panel.

Network connectivity for surveillance monitoring or recording shall comply with Information Services procedures.

Retention and Release of Information

Images obtained through surveillance monitoring or recording shall be retained by the Public Safety Office which operates the centralized, authorized surveillance system for a length of time deemed appropriate for monitoring, but not to exceed 90 days, unless such images have historical value or are being used for a criminal investigation. Any questions regarding the retention of these images should be directed to the Panel.

Information and results obtained through surveillance monitoring or recording will only be released when authorized by the Panel or Panel’s designee.

All requests from sources external to the college for the release of information and results obtained through surveillance monitoring or recording shall be submitted to the Vice President of Finance and Operations or their designee for approval before release.

Information inappropriately obtained in violation of this policy shall not be used in any disciplinary proceeding against any college employee or student.

Any use of surveillance recordings in a student discipline process must be retained as a part of the student’s education record under student records retention policies. Similarly, any use of surveillance recordings for employee misconduct must be initiated and approved by the Human Resources Director and any such recordings would become part of the employee record.

Surveillance Review Panel

1. A Surveillance Review Panel comprised of the following members will be established:
   1. Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs;
   2. Vice President of Finance and Operations;
   3. Executive Director, Human Resources;
   4. Director, Chief Information Officer ;
   5. Director, Safety and Loss Prevention (Chair);
   6. Director of Facilities;
   7. One faculty member selected by the Faculty Association;
   8. One part-time faculty member selected by the Part-Time Faculty Association; and
   9. One classified member is selected by the Classified Association.

Before the purchase and/or installation of surveillance cameras, new requests for surveillance cameras must be submitted in writing to the Panel (through the Director of Safety and Loss Prevention) for approval.

The Panel will review existing or new surveillance camera locations to ensure that the placement of fixed-location surveillance cameras conforms to this policy. Temporary locations or casual monitoring outside of covert or investigatory monitoring by Public Safety must be approved in advance by the Panel.

The Panel will review complaints regarding surveillance camera locations and determine whether the policy is being followed. The Panel will consider all relevant factors including, without limitation, whether the potential benefit in community security outweighs any possible infringement of individual privacy and the benefits and implications of monitoring guests, college students, faculty, and staff.

The Panel shall provide guidelines for signs with standard language for placement in those areas where surveillance monitoring or recording is done, as appropriate.

The Panel shall review emerging surveillance technologies to determine their applicability within the college environment.

The Panel shall review all requests from various college entities to release recordings obtained through surveillance monitoring or recording. Such requests must be submitted to the panel through the Public Safety Office.

 

 

---