Use of Closed Circuit Television Cameras on UNL’s Lincoln Campus For the Purposes of Safety, Security, Facilities Management

1. PURPOSE

The purpose of this policy is to provide guidance in establishing the responsible use of an overt and covert closed circuit television (CCTV) program at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln for the purpose of public safety, campus security, facilities maintenance, and campus operations.

2. SCOPE

This document applies to all CCTV camera monitoring and camera recording with the exception of CCTV cameras used for instructional or research purposes.

3. GENERAL PRINCIPLES

  1. UNL is committed to enhancing the security of the campus community by integrating state-of-the-art technology while preserving reasonable expectations of privacy. A critical technology in a comprehensive campus security and facilities maintenance plan is the use of closed circuit television.

  2. CCTV usage (includes purchasing, installing, maintaining, monitoring, networking, duplicating images, managing public expectations of security, and the publics’ right to know where CCTV is operated) must be conducted in a professional, ethical and legal manner and in accordance with accepted legal concepts regarding privacy. Personnel involved in video/audio monitoring must be appropriately trained and continuously supervised in the responsible use of this technology.

  3. Any diversion of security technologies and personnel for other purposes (e.g. for example, but not limited to monitoring of political or religious activities) would undermine the acceptability of these resources for critical safety goals and is therefore prohibited by this policy.

  4. Information obtained through the use of a CCTV program, or CCTV technology shall be used exclusively for police and security purposes, facilities operations and department operations; and shall be handled according to accepted law enforcement procedures and rules governing the handling of evidence.

    Dissemination of such information shall be conducted in a need to know basis in accordance with applicable State and Federal laws and University policies.
    1. Police use of CCTV in non-public locations for investigative purposes requires the approval of the Vice Chancellor for Business of Finance in addition to obtaining appropriate legal authorization.

  5. Audio recording may be incorporated into a CCTV program. Audio recording for quality assurance purposes is permissible with prior written authorization by the Vice-Chancellor responsible for that department.

    1. UNL employees will be notified when they are being audio recorded for quality assurance purposes.

    2. Notification will take the form of signage posted in the area of recording that notifies employees and the public that conversations are being recorded for quality assurance purposes.

    3. Audio recordings may only be monitored or reviewed by the UNL department that employs the personnel being recorded and other departments which provide oversight to University operations.

  6. Video monitoring shall be conducted in a manner consistent with University policies governing non-discrimination, sexual harassment and open expression. Except in situations of the investigation of a crime committed by a person(s) whose description is known, CCTV programs must not be based on individual characteristics, or classifications, including race, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, or disability.

  7. Information obtained in violation of the CCTV policy shall not be used in an employment disciplinary proceeding against a member of the University faculty, staff or student body. Information obtained in violation of this policy may subject the person responsible to University disciplinary action as well as appropriate legal action. These recordings shall be disposed of in accordance with UNL guidelines for non-evidentiary video.

  8. Violations or breaches of any program protocols may subject those involved to civil or criminal liability under applicable state and federal laws governing CCTV video monitoring.

  9. Violations of procedures adopted by UNL for video monitoring may result in disciplinary action consistent with the rules and regulations governing employees of the University up to and including discharge.

4. RESPONSIBILITIES

  1. The highest requirement of security and quality of CCTV systems is for court purposes. Due to their work in this environment, University Police are responsible for overseeing and coordinating the use of CCTV and administering operating procedures on UNL’s Lincoln campuses.

  2. To maintain an informed University community, University Police will post information describing the purpose and guidelines for use of public CCTV and web cameras.

  3. University Police will identify a responsible party for the implementation and oversight of the CCTV program. This designated CCTV oversight officer will be charged with facilitating input from, and conducting consultations with, the campus community. Such consultations shall identify the aspects of CCTV use, and should work toward securing support for practical and appropriate CCTV use in public places to enhance public safety, security and facilities maintenance.

  4. University Police shall monitor and maintain relevant law and security industry practices to ensure that the UNL’s CCTV program is consistent with appropriate industry standards and legal protections.

  5. University Police shall conduct ongoing program needs assessments and periodic reviews of CCTV camera locations, perimeter view, monitoring, training, and administration.

  6. All personnel involved in the supervision, application, use or monitoring of CCTV installations, collection of video or digital data, or other aspects of CCTV use, must receive appropriate training including, but not limited to the ethical limits of CCTV use and instruction in applicable campus policies, civil and criminal law, and this guideline. Training in the use of CCTV shall be provided by University Police.

  7. UNL departments will be assessed an annual maintenance and upgrade fee proportional to the amount of their CCTV usage. This annual fee will reflect costs including, but not limited to, the following: support of the security network infrastructure supporting the campus’s CCTV operations, passive monitoring, and archival video or data retrieval.

  8. UNL departments shall purchase CCTV systems or components from the campus approved CCTV vendor. The vendor shall provide an overall master plan for CCTV implementation upon request of a department. UNL departments may use this developed master plan as a guideline for their CCTV implementation.

  9. Unless specified in a written agreement, UNL departments are responsible for the purchase, maintenance, and upgrade of CCTV equipment installed in their facilities.

  10. All UNL existing uses of CCTV technology shall be brought into compliance with this guideline by December 31, 2007.