Department of the Interior
Departmental Manual
Effective Date: 6/4/08
Series: Law Enforcement and Security
Part 444: Physical Protection and Facility Security
Chapter 3: Closed Circuit Television
Originating Office: Office of Law Enforcement, Security, and
Emergency Management
444 DM 3
3.1 Purpose. This chapter
establishes policy for the use of closed circuit television (CCTV) at Icons,
Critical Infrastructure and Key Resource sites, and at other Departmental facilities
and areas. This policy applies to the
monitoring and/or recording of video/visual images only without a court order
in public areas, or areas within DOI facilities consistent with law. Areas within and around DOI facilities may
include, but are not limited to, interior entrances/exits/hallways and storage
rooms.
3.2 Applicability. This policy applies to the use of CCTV
technology by DOI employees and contractors, whether recorded or not, in all
areas within the jurisdiction of the Department, whether the areas are open to
the public or not. The primary purpose
for using CCTV shall be for physical protection, facility security and public
safety. All use of CCTV shall be
consistent with this policy.
3.3 Responsibilities.
A. The senior Departmental/Bureau official
having jurisdiction over an office, building, or other facility is responsible
for ensuring that sufficient policies and procedures are in place, consistent
with this policy and any guidance from the Office of the Solicitor, to safeguard
and secure video images captured by the use of CCTV.
B. Each
bureau/office head is responsible for implementing, maintaining, and monitoring
procedures consistent with the purposes of this chapter.
C. The
Director, Office of Law Enforcement, Security, and Emergency Management
(OLESEM), is responsible for development, direction, coordination, compliance,
and implementation of the Department’s CCTV program, to include the
establishment of policy and guidelines.
D. Each
bureau/office Security Officer is responsible for complying with Departmental
CCTV program policy and developing written CCTV policy and safeguards at sites
under the jurisdiction of their bureau/office employees.
E. Each
employee is responsible for compliance with the Departmental and bureau/office
CCTV program directives.
A. It
is the policy of the Department to use CCTV only to further law enforcement,
security, administrative, and public safety objectives.
B. Any
requests for release of CCTV recordings by the public will be processed in
accordance with the Freedom of Information Act and 43 CFR Part 2 and/or any
other statutes and applicable regulations.
C. CCTV
shall not be utilized to overhear and/or record audio conversations unless the provisions
of 18 U.S.C. § 2511 are followed.
3.5 Objectives.
A. CCTV
will only be used to visually monitor within and around DOI administered public
areas or within and around DOI facilities.
B. CCTV will be used for the following
objectives:
(1) Protection
of individuals, property, buildings and resources;
(2) Preventing/deterring
crime and public disorder;
(3) Identifying
criminal or terrorist activity and suspects;
(4) Identifying
and gathering evidence for law enforcement, security, administrative and public
safety objectives;
(5) Documenting
the actions of law enforcement personnel to safeguard citizen and law
enforcement officer rights;
(6) Confirmation
of alarms;
(7) Patrol
of public areas;
(8) Investigation
of terrorist or criminal activity; and
(9) Improving
the allocation and deployment of public safety assets.
3.6 Operation
and Use.
A. Prior
to installing new and/or additional surveillance cameras in a building with unionized
federal employees, management of the bureau/office shall fulfill its
obligations under the Federal-Service Labor Management Relations Statute, 5
U.S.C. § 7114.
B. CCTV
cameras will be operated by Departmental or contract personnel to further law
enforcement, security, administrative, and public safety objectives.
C. All
staff involved in CCTV monitoring will be appropriately trained and supervised
in the responsible use of this technology.
At a minimum, this training will consist of:
(1) A review of the Departmental and bureau policies concerning
CCTV; and
(2) A session on the technical operation of the system being used.
D. No
person will be targeted or monitored merely because of race, religion, gender,
sexual orientation, disability, national origin, or political
affiliation/views.
E. CCTV
will not target or focus on the faces of persons engaging in First Amendment
activity unless there is a reasonable indication of suspicious or criminal
activity, or a threat to public safety.
F. Disclosure
and use of any information obtained will be limited to appropriate law
enforcement, public safety, and administrative purposes.
G. Signs
may be posted which give notice of the use of CCTV as deemed appropriate to
enhance the crime prevention value of the system.
H. The use of any temporary CCTV systems for special events/emergency operations will be in full compliance with this policy.
3.7 Controlled
Facility.
A. CCTV
images will come through secured tamper-alert feeds and monitoring will be done
from a controlled facility by a trained and supervised operator whose identity,
while operating the CCTV system, will be documented by an electronic or paper
log.
B. Access
to the controlled facility will be limited to authorized law enforcement,
security, maintenance and repair personnel, department managers, government
attorneys, and designated government/policy officials, by using appropriate
control measures.
C. The
supervisory official assigned to, or responsible for, the controlled facility
shall monitor the activities of assigned personnel to ensure full compliance
with this Section.
3.8 Management
Controls.
A. All
images will be maintained by location, date and/or time in a manner consistent
with the Federal Records Act and other applicable laws.
B. Access
to live or recorded images shall be limited to authorized law enforcement
personnel, security personnel, agency managers, system administrators, security
control center operators, and government attorneys for law enforcement and
public safety purposes, and to government attorneys and police managers for
civil litigation and administrative purposes as appropriate, or as otherwise
provided by law.
C. Any
recorded video images shall be documented and stored in a secure location with
controlled access that is limited to authorized personnel.
D. The Federal Records Act requires bureaus to retain records, including recordings from security cameras, for the length of time specified in approved records schedules. Bureaus/Offices shall maintain video recordings in accordance with Departmental and National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) guidelines. Bureaus/Offices may retain video recordings longer than the minimum retention periods as deemed necessary.
E. Upon the written consent of the Bureau Director of Law Enforcement, selected photographic stills or portions of the video recording may be reproduced and retained for historical or training purposes. Any photographic stills or portions of video recording which are reproduced and retained solely for historical or training purposes shall not reveal or be retrieved by any citizen’s identity. Any identifying images should be blurred so that no citizen’s identity can be discerned. The original video or photographic still shall be destroyed in accordance with paragraph D. Consistent with NARA guidelines, items may be retained for evidentiary purposes.
3.9 Accountability.
A. Violations
of this policy shall result in the initiation of appropriate disciplinary
action.
B. Each
Bureau/Office Director of Law Enforcement will insure that periodic audits are
conducted to ensure full compliance with this directive.
C. Nothing
in this directive is intended to create any rights, privileges, or benefits not
otherwise recognized by law.
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