[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Selectmen of the Town of
Islesoboro 12-17-2014. Amendments
noted where applicable.]
In order for public locations and facilities under the Town's
jurisdiction to be safe and secure, the use of electronic systems
for routine video monitoring may be necessary. The purpose of this
policy is to ensure that their use is consistent with federal and
state law, and reasonably balances privacy concerns with personal
safety and responsible stewardship of publicly owned assets.
A.
Installation approval. Placement at Town facilities or buildings,
such as the Town Office, the Health Center, public parks, public docks,
open space areas or other public locations requires approval by the
Town Manager.
B.
Approval criteria. When seeking Town Manager approval, department
heads will address the following issues and concerns in supporting
their request:
(1)
Objectives for implementing the system.
(3)
Other deterrence or detection measures that were considered, and
why video monitoring is the best solution.
(4)
Any specific, verifiable reports of incidents of crime or significant
safety concerns that have occurred in the location to be placed under
video monitoring.
(5)
Possible effects of the proposed video monitoring system on personal
privacy, if any, and how they will be mitigated.
(6)
Appropriate consultation with stakeholders, including the public;
or reasons why this is not necessary.
(7)
Signage strategy advising the public that video monitoring is occurring.
(8)
Approach to installing and maintaining the system.
(9)
Fiscal impact and availability of funding.
C.
Location and direction of video monitoring equipment.
(1)
Permanent, fixed-mounted cameras will not be placed in areas where
a reasonable expectation of privacy is standard, such as inside changing
rooms or restrooms.
(2)
Cameras located internally will not be directed to look through windows
to areas outside the building, unless necessary to protect external
assets, provide for the personal safety of individuals or deter criminal
activity from occurring.
(3)
Cameras will not be directed to look into adjacent, non-Town-owned
buildings.
(4)
Placement of cameras will also take into consideration physical limitations
such as availability of power, cell reception and reasonable mounting
facilities.
D.
Notification procedures.
(1)
The Board of Selectmen and affected Town employees will be notified
in advance, in writing or via e-mail, of the placement of any video
monitoring system in a Town-owned facility or building.
(2)
Clearly written signs will be prominently displayed at the perimeter
of video monitoring areas advising the public that video monitoring
is occurring.
(3)
On a case-by-case basis, as approved by the Town Manager, a decision
may be made to eliminate public signage or employee notification in
order to support crime prevention or investigative activities.
E.
Responsibility for oversight of video monitoring systems. The Town
Manager is responsible for overall oversight of all video monitoring
systems and for implementation of this policy.
F.
Intended use of video monitoring information. Any information obtained
from video monitoring systems will only be used for the purposes set
forth in this policy.
B.
Retention and destruction of routine video monitoring records.
(1)
All records derived from routine video monitoring will be retained
for as long as required by federal or state law. Video records that
have not been accessed for any purpose shall be automatically erased
by the system at least every 21 days. Video records that have been
accessed will be subject to a separate retention period as appropriate
under federal and state law.
(2)
In the event that records are evidence in any claim filed or any
pending litigation, they will be preserved until the pending litigation
is resolved.
(3)
Destruction requires the written consent of the Town Manager, in
consultation with the Town Attorney.
(4)
Records will be securely and permanently disposed of in a manner
appropriate to their storage media.
C.
Placement and viewing of video monitors and reception equipment.
Video monitors will not be placed in locations that facilitate public
viewing. Video reception equipment shall be located away from the
public, in restricted access areas, preferably in locked rooms with
keyed access.
D.
Access and use of recorded information.
(1)
Only those personnel authorized by the Town Manager in writing will
have access to information acquired through routine video monitoring.
(2)
Recorded information will never be sold, and will not be publicly
viewed or distributed in any other manner, except as provided for
by this policy and applicable federal and state law.
The Town Manager will review the Town's use of video monitoring
systems and adherence to this policy at least every two years. These
reviews will include an inventory of video monitoring installations,
date of installation, summary of their purpose, experience in implementing
the policy and any proposed policy changes. The results of each review
will be documented and provided to the Board of Selectmen, which may
periodically amend the policy pending the outcome of the Town Manager's
review. Any concerns or deviations from this policy will be addressed
promptly and effectively.
