Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) Management and Operations

Tuesday, 10 April 2012
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7-CCTV STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES

 

1.1.      INTRODUCTION

These Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) provides an initial framework for the establishment of tailored procedures specific to the CCTV Operations implemented by the CITY NAME. The objectives of the SOPs are:
a)       To provide personnel with all the safety, health, environmental and operational information necessary to perform their roles and responsibilities properly.
b)       To ensure that CCTV Operations are performed consistently to maintain quality control of processes and recorded material.
c)       To ensure that CCTV Operations continue with minimal disruption and are conducted to a prescribed standard.
d)       To ensure that any system failures or faults are detected and responded to efficiently and rectified as soon as possible
e)       To ensure that approved procedures are followed in compliance with CITY NAME and legislative requirements.

1.2.      CCTV MANAGEMENT SPREADSHEET

The CITY NAME Duty Surveillance Officer shall record all requests for recorded material, all material copied, number of surveillance hours, system faults and maintenance, and access to Designated Surveillance Areas.
The CCTV Management Spreadsheet shall be kept in a secure location and shall not be altered or have information removed at any time without the approval of the Duty Surveillance Officer.
Frequent exchange of information between WA Police and the CITY NAME is to be noted and recorded subjectively. The rating of the relationship by both stakeholders will be considered a key performance indicator.
Evaluation results should be made public and the community consulted as to whether or not the program should continue.
Evaluation reports should be forwarded to the Coordinator of the WA Police Blue IRIS Program. The WA Police may review the reports and use them to provide advice to councils about evaluating the effectiveness of CCTV, across the state.

1.3.      MAINTAINING COMPLIANCE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT BEST           PRACTICE  

1.3.1.        REVIEW

These procedures shall be reviewed annually and an annual report on key performance indicators submitted to the Chief Executive Officer and Coordinator of the WA Blue IRIS Program.

1.3.2.        AUDITS

It is essential that the community have confidence in the CITY NAME's use of CCTV technology. Local councils must regularly audit compliance with legislation and standards. In addition to audits, all logs of observations and activity should be regularly scrutinised by the CITY NAME.
Local councils should arrange for an independent audit to be carried out. Local councils should comply with any lawful process. Local councils should also inform the public about how they can obtain access to the results of any audits. The results of audits should be included in formal evaluation reports. Other mechanisms for an independent system of monitoring might be considered, such as establishing an audit committee with representation from independent bodies with no vested interest in the scheme. This body should provide regular reports to the COMMITTEE NAME.

1.3.3.        INCIDENT REPORTING AND SYSTEM ANALYSIS

An incident reporting and analysis system should be included in the CCTV initiative. Ideally the system should be computerised through an appropriate software program, as this would make monitoring and evaluation of the system easier than collecting and analysing information from a manual system. The reporting system should be capable of recording:
a)       type of incident (according to defined offence categories) monitored and to which a response was made
b)       date, time and location of the incident
c)       response taken, including who made the response (i.e. some incidents will require a response from police while others would be the responsibility of local councils’ staff or other emergency services)
d)       result of the response (i.e. arrest, caution, etc.).
It is imperative that any reporting system does not include information in which individuals can be identified.

1.3.4.        COMPLAINTS HANDLING

Wherever a complaint indicates that an information privacy security principle has been breached, the CITY NAME must conduct an internal review, subsequently reviewable by a statutory body or independent third party.
Complaints which do not indicate a breach of the Privacy Act 1988 can be handled in the manner set out by the CITY NAME's complaints handling practice.
Important components of a complaints handling mechanism for effectively dealing with complaints regarding CCTV include the following:
a)       providing all groups in the community with information about the procedure for making a complaint. It is strongly recommended that this information be provided in appropriate community languages
b)       there should be a system for keeping the complainant informed of what is happening
c)       strategies should be put in place to prevent occurrence of the problems identified by complaints.
d)       Councils might also consider the following publications in developing and implementing an effective complaints handling mechanism in relation to CCTV:
e)       Australian Standard – Complaints Handling – AS 4269 – 1995. This publication is available from Standards Australia, telephone 1300 654646

 

1.4.           CONSISTENCY OF OPERATIONS AND SURVEILLANCE HOURS

Actual surveillance hours may vary, month to month, and are influenced by police operations, number of incidents and staffing levels. The activity in the monitored area will also change each day of the week and will be further influenced by Friday and Saturday night alcohol related entertainment, late night retail shopping. Quieter times should be used to perform system and camera checks, as well as general housekeeping.
Maintain a consistent number of actual surveillance hours each month and minimise lost time through closely monitoring trends in sick leave and overtime. Actual surveillance hours conducted should be a key performance indicator.
Hours of CCTV Operation should be calculated based on the number of cameras operating on a 24 hour basis. Any system or camera downtimes will reduce the total number of hours. Hours of operation should reported in the Monthly Reports and monitored for fault trends.
For monitored systems, personnel sick leave, annual leave and overtime should be closely reviewed as determined by the Duty Surveillance Officer. Any increase or spikes in sick leave may cause a corresponding increase in overtime or reduction in surveillance hours. Therefore, a healthy workplace should be promoted and actively encouraged.
Smoking by staff should be actively discouraged and seasonal flu injections should be provided and staff should not attend work if feeling unwell.
The standard hours of surveillance operation can be calculated based on the number of FTE positions operating on a weekly basis. Lost time eventuates from sick leave, annual leave, accrued leave, secondment, training, court duties, vacancies and sundry duties. The number of lost hours will vary month to month. Careful management of lost time is required to maintain consistent hours of live surveillance.

1.5. AUTHORISED PERSONNEL - SELECTION AND RECRUITMENT  

All Authorised Personnel assigned to surveillance operations must be duly authorised by the CITY NAME to undertake defined roles.
All CITY NAME Authorised Personnel shall have a police clearance certificate.
All Authorised Personnel shall follow these procedures at all times;
All Authorised Personnel shall sign the approved Code of Conduct annually;
The employment of Authorised Personnel will comply with all relevant CITY NAME policies and in accordance with relevant industrial awards and legislation, including equal opportunity and occupational health and safety.
The CITY NAME will ensure that the selection process provides for thorough validation of the suitability of candidates to work in a CCTV Operations environment.
CITY NAME Authorised Personnel will be subject to disciplinary proceedings in the event of actions that do not comply with the conditions of the Code of Conduct. Where it is proved that personnel have breached any of the conditions of the Code of Conduct, these personnel will not be permitted to access to Designated Surveillance Areas. In appropriate circumstances, the CITY NAME reserves the right to terminate employment. These conditions will be detailed in all employment contracts.
The Duty Surveillance Officer will ensure that all Authorised Personnel are briefed on their roles and responsibilities pursuant to the CCTV Management and Operations Manual. The Duty Surveillance Officer will ensure all visitors are briefed regarding the requirements of the Code of Conduct.
The Duty Surveillance Officer will provide a formal induction to recruited Authorised Personnel on CCTV Operations and the CCTV Management and Operations Manual The induction will be provided before new personnel commence work.
Authorised Personnel assigned to Monitoring and Control Rooms for the purpose of live surveillance should meet the requirements of Section 20 of the Security and Related Activities Act 1996.
Personnel assigned to perform live surveillance must be trained and qualified in the use of surveillance equipment and the responsibilities required.
The CITY NAME, when defining any contractual terms for third parties, such as volunteers or contractors engaged to conduct the CCTV monitoring, should make that party aware of these Guidelines and the requirements of the Security and Related Activities Act 1996.
The CITY NAME's Standard Operating Procedures for live surveillance may be adapted to best reflect the requirements of the CCTV System specifications and conducted in accordance with the WA CCTV Guidelines.
The CITY NAME may refer to AS4806.1:2006, Part 4.2 which states that where policy does not exist or does not appropriately address a recruitment and selection process, consideration should be given to adopting a recruitment and selection process as outlined in the Standard’s Appendix B, as a minimum.

1.6.   SELECTION OF SECURITY CONTRACTORS AND CONSULTANTS

There is a role for private sector security providers to assist the CITY NAME in the provision of CCTV Operations and related services, including CCTV design, system installation, system maintenance and independent audits and reviews.
All security providers to the CITY NAME must provide appropriately qualified personnel and hold relevant licences in accordance with the Security and Related Activities Act 1996 and current membership of a Security Industry Association guided by a Code of Conduct.
The CITY NAME should use preferred security providers as recommended by the WA Local Government Association (www.walga.asn.au)

1.7.  LICENSING

Security Licensing procedures and protocols should be conducted in accordance with WA Police Licensing Enforcement Division requirements. 

1.8. TRAINING

Training can be achieved through many different mediums including previous experience, formal qualifications and education. A Training Matrix should be developed to guide induction and training courses conducted.

TRAINING MATRIX
Program Title
Compulsory/
Recommended/
Timescale/ Frequency
Additional
Comments
CITY NAME Induction
Compulsory
During 1st week of employment
N/A
CCTV Operations Induction
Compulsory
During 1st week of employment.
Must be conducted prior to live surveillance being commenced.
Records Awareness Training
Compulsory
During 1st month of employment
N/A
Equal Employment Opportunity or equivalent Training
Compulsory
During 1st month of employment
N/A

Monitoring and Control Room staff training
Each prospective personnel tasked with live surveillance duties must be trained and tested in:
a)       use and control of camera management systems
b)       use and control of recording systems
c)       identification and prediction of crime and situations of concern or interest
d)       familiarity with the local area and camera fields of view
e)       knowledge of identified potential trouble or 'hot' spots
f)         police policy and procedures relating to incident and emergency response, recording of information, exhibit handling and incident reporting
g)       accountability and confidentiality
h)       privacy.
The CITY NAME will adopt and integrate operator competencies needed to carry out roles effectively.  The CITY NAME may refer to the Competencies and Checklist provided by C Diffley and E Wallace, CCTV: Making It Work, Training Practices For CCTV Operators, Police Scientific Development Branch, Home Office Police Policy Directorate Publication 9/98

1.9.      DESIGNATED SURVEILLANCE AREA - MONITORING AND          CONTROL ROOMS

Access to and security of Monitoring or Control Rooms

1.       Access to the Control Centre monitoring room should be restricted to authorised monitor operators and authorised persons involved with the management of the CCTV system.
2.       Procedures concerning visitors to the monitoring room should include:
a.       Parties who will not be granted access
b.       The process for seeking and granting access from the Duty Surveillance Officer.
c.       The circumstances under which access will be granted
d.       What level of access visitors will be granted
e.       How visitors will be supervised and by whom.
3.       Monitors displaying public space surveillance must not be located in such a position as would enable public view or to unauthorised CITY NAME personnel.
4.       The CCTV Management Spreadsheet should be used to record the times live surveillance is conducted and by whom.
5.       A register, such as a Visitors Book should be maintained to record the name, organisation and length of visit of any person entering a monitoring or control room.
6.       A tasked operator must always be present during the operation of the monitors. If the monitors are to be left unattended by a tasked officer, the monitoring room is to be secured against unauthorised entry.
Local police should be consulted regularly, preferably daily, to advise and guide operators on what type of information they require from live surveillance, when reporting incidents and the types of incidents to which a police response will be considered appropriate. This information and learning outcomes should be introduced to CITY NAME CCTV Operation training.


1.10.       SURVEILLANCE OPERATIONS AND ROSTERS

Live surveillance operations should be guided by weekly or fortnightly rosters to ensure Authorised Personnel are available and aware of their responsibilities.
A  Surveillance Officer Position Description should be developed to provide key duties and responsibilities, management protocols, extent of authority and selection criteria. To maintain 24 hour operations for Surveillance Centres, personnel will consist of the following positions:
·         Shift Supervisor
·         Full time Operator(s)
The CITY NAME should seek out other CCTV Operations for management and operational comparisons and for the identification of learning opportunities and benchmarking of practices and initiatives introduced.
A majority of local government CCTV installations are designed to focus primarily on crime prevention and community safety considerations. There is range of system and monitoring parameters, including the use of 8, 10 and 12 hour shifts. There is consistency in a minimum of seven (7) day footage retention at 25 FPS with up to 31 days retention. Staff levels will vary but a minimum of two operators should be allocated for each shift.
Operation costs depend on a number of factors, but 24 hour monitoring is the most significant expense. The expense of employing staff to monitor the system generally accounts for as much as 70 per cent of overall ongoing costs. 

1.11.       SURVEILLANCE DUTIES AND TASKING  

1.11.1.    OVERVIEW OF OPERATOR FUNCTIONS

The advantage of a monitored system is the ability to continually monitor an area for an extended period or easily conduct frequent or ongoing searches, preventing the need to allocate valuable patrol time searching an area where the target is determined not to be.
CCTV Operators will observe a wide range of incidents of interest, each day. Anti-social behaviour (arrests, disorderly conduct, drunkenness, fights and street/park drinking) may account for the majority of observed activity.
The CCTV Operators may be used for tasks which include monitoring land use activity, locations and individuals, using the CCTV camera network to search for persons of interest, missing persons, suspect vehicles and monitoring response activities of police, ambulance, rangers and other services. CCTV may be used to monitor people leaving licensed premises, especially at closing time, to search for vehicles and people involved in incidents and to monitor people previously dealt with by police.
CCTV acts as a “virtual backup” to police, having the CCTV Operator monitor them in potentially dangerous situations. The elevated viewpoint of the cameras and the wider viewing area allows the Operator to see activities that could not be seen by patrol officers at ground level. While it cannot provide the immediate physical assistance, using the CCTV this way is an invaluable resource management tool.
An incident can be viewed and recorded often before a criminal offence has occurred. Even when the incident is not initially observed by the Operator, the incident can be viewed and recorded whilst attending police are approaching. This will enable officers to quickly deal with the incident as the primary offenders can be identified and information on the events conveyed by radio or telephone.
The CCTV System may also be utilised to gather information during police operations. The CCTV Operators should have the ability to zoom in on vehicle registration plates, identifying marks or signage on vehicles and most importantly faces for identification. It is a recognised weakness of open street CCTV networks worldwide that it is extremely difficult to identify people from camera footage. This is due to the location of cameras (usually well above face level), resolution and environmental factors. Even the best footage is only useful if someone (usually a police officer) knows who the person of interest is. Monitoring does not overcome all of the technological issues but does allow video capture and a more effective response. It is considerably easier for police to identify a video image if they are also in it and have obtained the persons identification.

1.11.2.    RECOMMENDED SURVEILLANCE PROCEDURES

Introduce Task Orientated Duties to each Operator per shift to complete and report on with incident observations, general notations and weekly reviews. A majority of these tasks will be conducted routinely but without designated responsibility to individual operators, there will be a lack of accountability. Comparisons of results may be used to assist in reviewing operator productivity, intelligence for police or maintenance requirements, training and development, and monthly management reports. Tasks should include:
·           Call and Alarm Response
·           Lighting Checks and reporting
·           System and Camera Checks and reporting
·           Graffiti Hot Spot Monitoring
·           Random and Sequence Patrols of Hot Spots or Pedestrian areas, Traders and others as nominated.

 

1.11.3.    LIVE SURVEILLANCE DUTIES

The following procedures are to be adhered to by monitor operators rostered for live surveillance duty:
a)       Monitor operators must act with the utmost probity and in accordance with the Code of Conduct.
b)       The tracking or zooming in on any member of the public shall not be done in a gratuitous or unreasonable manner. All operators should be made aware, as a matter of course, that their camera operation may be audited and that they may be called upon to satisfy their interest in a member of the public. Members of the public going about their lawful business shall not be the subject of undue, unethical or illegal surveillance with due consideration to the Privacy Act 1988 and Surveillance Devices Act 1998.
c)       During general surveillance, operators shall not allow cameras to view into private premises. Private premises may come into view as part of a wide angle or long shot or as a camera is panning past them.
d)       An operator may allow a private premises to remain in view when there are reasonable grounds for so doing, that is, for the purpose of identifying individuals or actions when there is a reasonable cause in response to a criminal offence or situation of concern only. Also consider seeking signed consent from private premises to allow CCTV monitoring.
At the commencement of live surveillance or a live surveillance shift, monitor operator(s) are to record the following detail in the Surveillance Duties and Tasking worksheet in the CCTV Management Spreadsheet:
a)       personal details
b)       date/time of shift
c)       designated surveillance tasks, i.e. General surveillance, targeted surveillance, area familiarisation, situational surveillance.
d)       At the completion of each live surveillance period or shift, the off-going operator is to record to completion date/time and a summary of incidents in the Surveillance Duties and Tasking worksheet in the CCTV Management Spreadsheet.

1.11.4.    DEALING WITH AND RESPONDING TO INCIDENTS

The CCTV monitoring or control room should be equipped with suitable communication facilities to enable the operator to easily contact the relevant personnel. Estimate an acceptable response time for the activities being monitored, and consider whether the operator should continue monitoring the subject or situation until the response arrives and has circumstances return to normal.
A list of Stakeholders and Call Out details will be compiled and maintained in the CCTV Management and Operation Spreadsheet.
In circumstances where a response to an incident or situation is necessary, consider who decides when a response is necessary and what that response should be. For example, it might be appropriate to contact:
a)       a guard on patrol
b)       A site or area manager
c)       the police
d)       The fire brigade
e)       the ambulance or medical assistance
f)         Utility emergency services
g)       neighbouring council officers
h)       adjacent CCTV owners and operators
i)         Local business or residential premises
In some cases it may be appropriate to simply note the event and take no further action.
The level of Police response to incidents occurring will be determined by the WA Police and will be subject to the various priorities at the time the incident is reported. The CITY NAME has no control over the priority allocated by the Police.
The CITY NAME CCTV operators are authorised to report relevant matters to the Police and other emergency services, as appropriate. A written record of any reports will be made at the time or as soon as practicable following the incident and will include details of the incident, date and time of the report and details of the police or other public or private services. Where appropriate, the Duty Surveillance Officer may elect to have the CITY NAME or Contracted Mobile Security Patrol attend the incident before making a formal report to the police or emergency services.
All incidents requiring attendance by the police or other emergency services will be reported to the Duty Surveillance Officer, as soon as practicable.
When an operator identifies an offence or situation of concern to which a response is required, the operator must contact either the police or CITY NAME officers (whichever is appropriate), while ensuring that the incident is being appropriately monitored and recorded.
When contacting the police, ensure the reported incident is displayed on the police monitor (if available), and follow any suggested police directions regarding camera operation. The police will assess the reported incident and organise the response.
Where possible, the incident must continue to be monitored and recorded up to and including the completion of the response.
Whenever a response is deemed appropriate to an identified incident, the monitor operator must record the following in the Surveillance Duties and Tasking worksheet in the CCTV Management Spreadsheet.:
a)       type of incident (according to defined offence categories), including description (e.g. number of persons involved)
b)       date and time of incident
c)       organisation making response (i.e. police or local council).
The incident report must be filled out by monitoring personnel and if police attention is required, a copy provided to the police. The incident report should record information which will assist police in the recording of the incident.
An example of an incident report is provided at Part 10 or refer to the NSW Government Policy Statement and Guidelines for the Establishment and Implementation of CCTV in Public Places
The Duty Surveillance Officer shall scan and monitor all cameras routinely on a daily basis to ensure all cameras are operating correctly. In particular, checks are to be made to ensure that:
a)       operator adjustable settings can be made appropriately and predefined fields of view are displayed;
b)       the time and date settings are correct; It is essential that time and date settings are correct, any inconsistencies should be documented and the equipment monitored to ensure that further drift of these settings does not occur.
c)       recording equipment is operating correctly
d)       there are adequate supplies of recording media, including spares in case of media failure;
e)       the media should either be new, reformatted or erased in an approved manner in accordance with the equipment manual;
f)         any media protection settings will not prevent recordings being made;
g)       if the equipment is battery operated, there are sufficient fully charged batteries available and UPS systems are operating;
h)       a scheme of checks is carried out before deployment particularly for equipment that is used less frequently.
This list is not definitive and detailed information should be obtained from the equipment manuals.

1.11.5.    WA POLICE CONTACTS & BLUE IRIS REGISTER

For the day-to-day purposes, the CITY NAME's contact officer with the Police will either be the Officer in Charge of the local police station or the Police call number 131 444. As appropriate, the Officer in Charge or delegated police officers will liaise with the CITY NAME Duty Surveillance Officer in regard to police activity with significance for the operation and management of the CCTV System.
Approval for the police use of the CCTV system in any manner will be subject to their agreement to comply with a Memorandum of Understanding and Code of Conduct.
The presence of a Police Officer in Designated Surveillance Areas for a pre-planned operation or ongoing incident is permitted, subject to authorization being given by the Duty Surveillance Officer. Police Officers may direct the operation of cameras.
The CITY NAME CCTV System will be registered with the WA Police Blue Iris program. If sought by police and viable, a remote control facility at the Police Operations Centre may be allowed. The WA Police must advise the CITY NAME Duty Surveillance Officer should they wish to access the CITY NAME CCTV System and may direct cameras during a live incident, provided the actions requested comply with the CITY NAME CCTV Management and Operations Manual.
A written record will be maintained of any use of the system at the request of the Police. This record will include details of the Police Officer making the request, details of an authorising officer, time and date of the request and reasons for the request.

 

1.11.6.    JOINT OPERATIONS WITH WA POLICE

The WA Police and the CITY NAME have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding for CCTV Operations;
The CITY NAME acknowledges the WA Police as a key stakeholder in CCTV Operations;
Members of the WA Police may request the cooperation of the CITY NAME CCTV Operations for the purpose of surveillance relating to lawful WA Police operations and investigations;
Joint operation requests shall be made by the WA Police officer responsible for coordinating the operation or investigation;
The request shall detail the times and general purpose for which surveillance support is requested;
The CITY NAME may decline to provide cooperation in accordance with the Code of Conduct and Code of Practice;
The CITY NAME Duty Surveillance Officer may withdraw cooperation at any time during the operation in accordance with the Code of Conduct and Code of Practice

1.11.7.    TRANSFERRING OPERATING CONTROL OF CAMERAS TO POLICE

Monitor operators must only transfer control of cameras to police personnel when so requested by police for operational purposes. In such cases, the monitor operator must record the following in the Surveillance Duties and Tasking worksheet in the CCTV Management Spreadsheet.:
a)       the name of the requesting police officer
b)       the reason given for the request for transfer of operating control
c)       the date, time and length of transfer control.


1.12.       CAMERA OPERATION

1.12.1.    CONTROL AND OPERATION OF THE CAMERAS

Control Room equipment and the remote control of cameras will only be operated by Authorised Personnel or persons/staff under training. All these people will act with the utmost probity.
All use of cameras and recording equipment will accord with the purposes and key objectives of the CCTV System, as developed in training and specific operational instructions, and shall comply with the Code of Conduct.
Cameras will not be used to look into private property without cause. Operational procedures shall be adopted to ensure restraints upon the use of cameras in connection with private premises.
System Operators will be subject to supervisory procedures to ensure compliance with this aspect of the Code.
System Operators are aware that recordings are subject to routine audit and that they may be required to justify their interest in a member of the public or premises.
The Duty Surveillance Officer, in consultation with Police, will determine the level of incidents to be reported to the Police. It is recognised that the decision as to what level of response is deployed is a matter entirely for the Police. The CITY NAME will liaise regularly with the Police on this subject.
The CCTV SYSTEMS Operation and Technical Manuals will provide guidance on the specific method of operation of cameras, monitor arrangement and of minimum operator's performance levels.
A record will be maintained as defined by the Duty Surveillance Officer of all monitored incidents. A list is provided in the CCTV Management Spreadsheet and can be adapted to suit the CITY NAME's CCTV Operations.
Incidents will be recorded as part of the means of establishing effective evaluation and targeting of key objectives. Incidents should be reviewed and contrasted to guide:
·         Monitoring criteria and schedules
·         Risk Assessment
·         Target offence reduction objectives
Cameras should only be installed in areas which have also been subject to the design of the public space, CPTED Audit, Lighting Audit and a Crime Risk Assessment. Camera positioning should be designed to provide sufficient fields of view of the public space and capabilities to provide identification, recognition or detection footage.
New or proposed camera locations should be determined on the basis of crime statistics provided by the WA Police and other considerations such as input from CCTV operators, City stakeholders, community groups and innovative crime prevention initiatives carried out by the CITY NAME.
The List of Cameras and Locations is to be maintained in the CCTV Management Spreadsheet.                  

1.13.       CCTV SYSTEM EXPANSION AND UPGRADES

1.13.1.    EXTENSION OF THE SYSTEM

Where an agreement is reached to extend the CCTV System or coverage, the CITY NAME agrees to take the following actions:
  1. At the outset, the COMMITTEE NAME will identify and agree on primary aims and associated issues that must be addressed to achieve those aims.
  2. They will identify and plan for resource implications, including deciding the commitment levels of resourcing that will be provided by each stakeholder.
  3. They will agree to the extent of involvement and respective responsibilities of each stakeholder.
  4. They will establish protocols to govern the process for decision making both in establishing the system within the area and for the ongoing management of the system.
  5. They will establish operational procedures for the management of the system and, as appropriate, implement protocols for monitoring and auditing of the System, as it affects those areas.
  6. They will draft and sign an agreement outlining the responsibilities of the stakeholders, and in particular, acknowledging the requirement for all parties to comply with the provisions of the Code of Conduct, including the enforcement of sanctions detailed within the Code.
Prior to any extension of the System being approved the following actions will be completed:
  1. The COMMITTEE NAME will conduct a needs assessment and prioritisation of risk management objectives.
  2. Consultation shall be undertaken amongst stakeholders.
  3. Where cameras are to be installed, the CITY NAME will consult with land users.

1.14.       CAMERA PRESETTING FOR PTZ DIRECTION AND FIELDS OF VIEW

All cameras will have designated preset fields of view for different times of the day and week. Each PTZ camera will scan the public space to a defined schedule and where system programming allows. Refer to the CCTV System's Operation and Technical Manual for camera setup and scheduling.

1.15.       TROUBLESHOOTING, FAULTS AND MAINTENANCE;

All faults and maintenance activity is to be recorded in the CCTV Management Spreadsheet. Faults and Maintenance activity is to reported monthly and included as a Key Performance Indicator.
Refer to the CCTV System's Operation and Technical Manual for troubleshooting and common problems.

1.16.       DATA STORAGE

Refer to the CCTV System's Operation and Technical Manual for storage configuration and commissioning.
Images on reusable media should be copied from the original storage medium in the original file format onto a secure media. This secure media could be Write Only Read Many (WORM) or secure network storage. The term 'secure server' should be taken to mean an environment, including a security management system, which is accredited to a level of at least 'RESTRICTED', as approved by Duty Surveillance Officer. Once the images and associated data have been copied onto the secure media, it should not be possible to have the data overwritten or altered.
The generation of the secure copy should be carried out as soon as possible after the capture to reduce the time and opportunity for the accidental or malicious alteration to images. All imagery Master or Working Copies should be appropriately identified in order to facilitate the storage, retrieval and eventual disposal of case material.
In terms of evidential value there is no difference between bit-for-bit copies of the data on the Master, Working Copies and the images on the storage medium. This does not remove the necessity to protect the Master as an exhibit in case of challenges to evidence handling procedures or image manipulation. The software required for viewing proprietary formats must be available otherwise the images will be inaccessible. It is advisable to store any replay software with each recording to assist with the correct viewing of the files.
The choice of using network storage or WORM should be guided by factors such as volume of data, predicted storage time and longevity of WORM media. Master evidence not stored on WORM requires equivalent levels of protection such as access control and tamper-proof usage logs.

1.17.       DATA ACCESS

1.18.          ACCESS TO DESIGNATED SURVEILLANCE OPERATIONS AREAS

Only Authorised Personnel are permitted entry to Designated Surveillance Operations Areas;
Other visitors to Surveillance Operations must be authorised by the CITY NAME duty officer and a record made of the purpose of the visit;
Authorised Personnel and visitors must wear an approved identification card at all times whilst in Designated Surveillance Operations Areas;
Entry to Designated Surveillance Operations Areas is to be secured at all times with physical and electronic access control protocols; and
Authorised identification must be produced in order to gain entry to Designated Surveillance Operations Areas.

1.19.          ACCESS TO AND SECURITY OF THE MONITORS/CONTROL ROOM

Access to view monitors, whether to operate the equipment or view the images is strictly limited to staff with that responsibility.
A Control Room Main Log will contain details of all recordings made in relation to 16.8 above. Details of any visitors authorised by this Code, including times of arrival and departure and details of any telephone calls, will be recorded separately.
The Control Room will remain locked at all times. A coded door lock, or similar should strictly control access with a key override. Routine access will only be granted to Authorised Personnel and those under training, as approved by the Duty Surveillance Officer.
It is important that visits do not interrupt the efficiency of the system. Casual or informal visits will not be permitted. Organised parties shall be allowed for lawful and proper reasons to visit and the Duty Surveillance Officer should be present during all organised visits.
Public access to or the demonstration of monitors will not be permitted except for lawful and proper reasons.
Visits by no more than two Police Officers at any one time will be permitted provided that they are on duty and the visit is in connection with liaison, training or purposes of the system. Visit protocols should be in accordance with the MOU.
Security procedures will be the subject of independent audits.

1.20.       CONTINUITY OF EVIDENCE

Evidence, in terms of a still image or video footage, is the presentation of visual facts about a crime or an individual that the prosecution presents to the court in support of their case. The image will be presented either as hard copy or on a screen. it is possible to make a bit-for-bit identical copy of a digital image file.
In evidential terms there is no distinction between the copy and the primary or original file because the files are the same and have the same evidential weight. It is not important whether the file is on a stand-alone or networked computer, a server, or on any type of storage medium. This assumes the operation of adequate security against unauthorised and unrecorded access.
If no discipline is applied there can be any number of identical files. For evidential purposes it is essential to be able to demonstrate that the images are authentic and have originated from the files captured in the camera and recorded to the first medium.
Integrity verification is the process of confirming that the data (image, CCTV clip, etc) presented is complete and unaltered since time of acquisition. Relevant questions concerning integrity might include: “Has data been added to, or removed from the file?”; “Has the data within the file been changed?”
Authentication is the process of substantiating that the data is an accurate representation of what it purports to be. Relevant questions concerning authentication would deal with issues such as: “Was the image taken at the time stated?”; “Was the image taken at the place stated?”
It should be noted that standard image processing techniques such as lightness or contrast changes would affect the image integrity but not the image authenticity; however, a change to the clock on a CCTV system could affect the image authenticity but not affect the image integrity. Robust audit trails are required in order to maintain image authenticity.
The audit trail should include the following information (with date and time of action) when available and if appropriate:
a)       Details of the case.
b)       Classification of the image (and any special handling instructions, if relevant) and the name of the person who classified the image.
c)       If the image is third-party generated, information about point of transfer including whether the image is the Master copy, a Working Copy or an exhibit derived from a Working Copy.
d)       Information about capture equipment and/or hardware and software used, including details of the maintenance log relating to capture equipment and calibration of hardware and software.
e)       Identity of the capture operative including third parties and image retrieval officers, where applicable.
f)         Details of exhibits and disclosure officer(s).
g)       Description of the images captured, including sequencing.
h)       Details of retrieval or seizure process and point of transfer, if applicable.
i)         Creation and definition of the Master copy and associated metadata.
j)         Storage of the Master copy.
k)       Any access to the Master copy.
l)         Viewing of the Master and Working Copies, including a record of any associated viewing logs.
m)     Details and reasons for any selective capture.
n)       Any editing applications which may alter the image.
o)       Any details of processing applications allowing replication by a comparatively trained individual.
p)       Electronic history log of processing applications.
q)       Any copying required to ensure longevity of the data.
r)        Cross References on the Master and Working Copies;
s)       Any copying carried out as part of a migration strategy to ensure the replay longevity of the image;
t)        Disposal details and retention time periods.

1.20.1.    VIEWING OF RECORDED MATERIAL

WA Police officers, legal representatives acting on behalf of individuals engaged in legal proceedings related to a recorded incident or individuals acting as their own legal counsel in relation to a recorded incident may request to view recorded material relating to an incident or investigation.
Such a request must specify the date, time and location of the incident which the person wishes to view.
Requests by police, legal representatives and individuals shall be made in writing and lodged with the Duty Surveillance Officer.
Requests to view recorded material shall be responded to as soon as reasonably practicable and otherwise within five (5) working days. Police requests are to be dealt with as a priority and response times noted as a key performance indicator.

1.20.2.    COPYING OF RECORDED MATERIAL

In most cases a CD or DVD writer will suffice for exporting single images and short video clips under about ten minutes in length.
For exporting longer video clips and for large scale archiving, the system should provide one of the following:
·         the ability to export video to an external ‘plug and play’ hard drive via a USB or Firewire connection
·         Network port
·         Removable hard drive
The Duty Surveillance Officer may authorise the copy of original material where a recorded incident is the subject of police investigation, prosecution or legal proceedings;
Copying of original recorded material is to be made only by CITY NAME Duty Surveillance Officers or an authorised CITY NAME Officer. (LIST IN CCTV Management Spreadsheet);
Recording Mediums are to be marked "original" (one only) and “copy” and certified as such by the Duty Surveillance Officer.
Certified copies of recorded material may only be released to the WA Police, legal representatives acting on behalf of individuals engaged in legal proceedings related to a recorded incident, or individuals acting as their own legal counsel in relation to a recorded incident
Certified copies will only be released to the parties named in the written request when permission to do so has been received from an authorised officer of the CITY NAME and on the completion of the appropriate documentation.

1.20.3.    RELEASE OF ORIGINAL RECORDED MATERIAL

Original recordings and still photographs shall not be released to any person or third party unless requested under a search warrant or by court summons or by a recognised legal instrument; and
At no time shall original or copied recordings or still photographs be released to any media organisation, journalist or other individual or group without the approval of the Chief Executive Officer of the CITY NAME.

1.20.4.    VIDEO IMAGES

To allow ease of current and future use of the recordings for investigations and appeals, etc, the CD/DVD should include:
a)       the image sequence or sequences clearly identified;
b)       an easily-read text file stating any requirements for special hardware or software for replay;
c)       all associated metadata (time and date should be bound to the relevant images);
d)       licence-free software enabling the sequences to be viewed correctly;
Other items that could be included:
a)       text data about the originating camera or system;
b)       audit trails;
c)       authentication or verification software;
d)       short test sequence to confirm that the recorded image sequences are being replayed correctly.

1.20.5.    MASTER COPY SAFEGUARDS

There are various media on which images can be captured, both reusable and non-reusable. Irrespective of their nature, early transition from ‘capture’ to ‘defining the Master’ phases is extremely important. The integrity of images needs to be protected at the earliest stages as this reduces the opportunities for challenges at court.
Accidental alteration or erasure could be detected by noting image number sequences and prevented by:
a)       designating the image file as read only;
b)       activating the mechanical write protect mechanism;
c)       transferring to WORM (Write once read many) media
Protection can also be achieved by controlling access to the file or media by electronic password and/or controlling the viewing of images by electronic encryption.
The Procedure does not rely on any form of ‘electronic’ protection but neither does it preclude its use. There are several methods for ‘electronically’ verifying the integrity of an image file. Once applied, any change to the pixel values will be detected although the nature and location of the changes may not be indicated.

 

1.20.5.1.                       File integrity techniques

If a ‘hash’ function is applied to an image, a unique numerical value is calculated for the whole image. The number is embedded in the metadata of the image file. A change in pixel value causes the ‘hash’ function value to change. This is the basis for most ‘authentication’ software. Manufacturer specific software for image integrity is becoming increasingly prevalent, as are non-destructive (i.e. fully reversible) editing techniques.

1.20.5.2.                       Watermarking

Watermarking describes visibly insignificant changes made to the pixel values to incorporate information which changes if the image file is altered. The watermark may then become visible on the picture or even make it unreadable. The primary use for watermarking is to protect the intellectual property rights of the photographer or film maker. Its use may lead to claims that the image is not authentic because the pixels have been changed, therefore the use of watermarking is not recommended for image integrity.

1.20.5.3.                       Encryption

The image file is encrypted so that the file cannot be opened except with the correct decryption key. This has particular value if images are to be transmitted to or from remote sites. Loss or corruption of either the key or the data may make files unrecoverable.

1.20.5.4.                       Handling

Images should also be protected from accidental deletion by the careful handling of media. Media should be stored in clean, dry environments and kept away from strong magnetic fields, strong light and chemical contamination. Some media such as CDs and SmartMedia will be damaged if allowed to become dirty or scratched.
The Master is defined and will be documented as such. It will then be stored securely pending its production (if required) at court as an exhibit. Only in the event of any doubt being cast on the integrity of the images will the Master be viewed.
A Working Copy is usually produced simultaneously, or immediately after the Master is defined. The Working Copy, as its name implies, is the version that will be used for investigation and to assist in the preparation of the prosecution file.
All use and movement of the Master will be logged in the audit trail. Similarly any significant use, enhancement and distribution of Working Copies should be logged. The aim is to support the presentation of evidence through legal proceedings. All audit trails should be disposed of when the image files and any analogue copies are disposed of.

1.20.5.5.                       Define Master and produce Working Copy

The core of the Procedure is the production, definition and storage of a Master which can be examined if required by the court to confirm the integrity of the images. The Master should be:
a)       labelled or named (with due care to the longevity of label and readability of medium);
b)       stored in a form and manner, with software if required, so that the images may be viewed in the future;
c)       kept in accordance with exhibit protocol;
d)       never used, except to make further copies together with appropriate audit trail, or by order of the court to verify integrity.
Police policies should be developed to cater for these requirements. Image files should be in the same format as:
a)       received by the police in the case of third party images
b)       first captured on medium in/or attached to camera;
c)       as recorded after transmission from camera.

1.20.5.6.                       Produce Working Copies

Working Copies can be in many forms. The files can be copied onto any suitable medium or distributed electronically (if a secure system is in place) for circulation to the investigating officers and CITY NAME. Issues of quality control, security and resource management need to be considered.

1.21.       NETWORK CONFIGURATION AND DATA TRANSMISSION  

Refer to the CCTV System's Operation and Technical Manual for detailed Network Configuration Requirements and Data Transmission requirements with reference to the WA CCTV Guidelines and Technical Advice for appropriate set up and commissioning.

Enter Technical Design information in the CCTV Management Spreadsheet - System Overview.

1.22.       MONITORS AND CONTROLS  

Refer to the CCTV System's Operation and Technical Manual for detailed Network Configuration Requirements and Data Transmission requirements with reference to the WA CCTV Guidelines and Technical Advice for appropriate set up and commissioning.

Enter Technical Design information in the CCTV Management Spreadsheet - System Overview.

1.23.       RECORDING AND STORAGE  

Refer to the CCTV System's Operation and Technical Manual for detailed Network Configuration Requirements and Data Transmission requirements with reference to the WA CCTV Guidelines and Technical Advice for appropriate set up and commissioning.

Enter Technical Design information in the CCTV Management Spreadsheet - System Overview.

1.23.1.    RECORDING OF IMAGES

CCTV images may only be recorded by the CITY NAME
All information recorded, collected and collated by means of CCTV Operations shall remain the sole property of the CITY NAME
Any incident recorded and selected for review shall be noted in the daily register including date, time and category of incident.
The date, time and category of incident shall be noted on the recorded medium (CD Rom, DVD, USB, HDD)  and electronic file name.
All recorded material shall be kept in secured storage, including electronically, under the control of the CITY NAME
All original residual recordings shall be erased after 31 days after the date of the recording unless the footage has been reviewed or a request is made in writing for it to be held.
All written requests for access to original video recordings shall be filed with the CCTV Management and Operations Manual.
Authorised Personnel may view any footage on a random basis in accordance with the Code of Conduct and Code of Practice.
The Duty Surveillance Officer shall view the daily register and reports will be submitted on a monthly basis, or as otherwise directed.

1.24.       SOFTWARE SYSTEM OVERVIEW AND MANUALS

All CCTV System's Operation and Technical Manuals will form part of the CCTV Management and Operations Manual.
Electronic Copies will be provided and stored for ease of access.

1.25.       SYSTEM WARRANTIES AND MAINTENANCE  

A record of system warranties and maintenance requirements will be formulated and integrated with maintenance and cleaning schedules.

1.26.       WORKSTATION DESIGN AND CAPACITY  

The design and capacity of monitoring workstations will be monitored for efficacy and comparison to alternative designs will be made to other CCTV Operations of a similar size.

1.27.       GAPS ANALYSIS AND ERROR REPORTING

CCTV Operational gaps and errors must be acknowledged and treated wherever possible. Consideration to the business case of rectifying identified gaps and error reporting is the responsibility of the COMMITTEE NAME.

1.28.       OPERATION REDUNDANCY AND DISASTER RECOVERY  

Refer to the CCTV System's Operation and Technical Manual for detailed Redundancy Configuration Requirements and recovery of data following power outages, system faults and other impediments to operations.
CCTV Operations should be integrated into the CITY NAME's Business Continuity Planning and Local Area Emergency Management Plans.

 

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