USE OF VIDEO SURVEILLANCE

Background

The District believes that video surveillance equipment may be used in carefully controlled circumstances in order to protect persons and/or property from harm.

The District recognizes both its legal obligation to provide appropriate levels of supervision in the interests of student and employee safety and that students and employees have privacy rights.  Therefore, video surveillance must be carried out in a way that respects student and employee privacy rights. 

A video recording is recognized to be subject to the provisions of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.

Procedures

1. A key responsibility of schools and the District is to maximize the safety and protection of individuals and of personal and District property.
2. Consideration and subsequent approval of the use of video surveillance equipment may only be granted when there is evidence that human supervision is either impractical or has been shown to be ineffective and that video surveillance is likely to be effective for its stated purpose.
3. Video surveillance procedures must be respectful of issues of protection of privacy and of security and subsequent use of any video images that have been captured and in accordance with the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.
4. Before video surveillance is introduced at a new site, a report must be provided to the Superintendent describing the circumstances that indicate the necessity of having surveillance at that site, including a discussion of less invasive alternatives and a District impact assessment for each surveillance area.
5. Public notification signs, clearly written and prominently displayed, must be in place in areas that are subject to video surveillance.Notice must include contact information of the Principal or designated staff person who is responsible for answering questions about the surveillance system.
6. Video surveillance is not to be used in locations where appropriate confidential or private activities/functions are routinely carried out (e.g., change rooms, private conference/meeting rooms).
7. Video cameras will be installed only by a designated employee or agent of the District.Only designated employees or agents and the building administrator shall have access to the key that opens the camera boxes.Only these employees shall handle the camera or video recordings or have access to the computer or hard drive.
8. Digital recordings shall be stored in a locked filing cabinet or in a secure manner in an area to which students and the public do not normally have access.
9. Digital recordings may never be sold, publicly viewed or distributed in any other fashion except as provided for by this Administrative Procedure and appropriate legislation.
10. Video monitors or computers used to view digital recordings are not to be located in a position that enables public viewing.Digital recordings may only be viewed by the building administrator or individual authorizing camera installation, by the police, by parents and students (section 11), or by District staff with a direct involvement with the recorded contents of the specific digital recording, or employees of agents responsible for the technical operations of the system (for technical purposes only).Search and reviewing capabilities on digital systems must be protected by password access.If an employee or student is facing any disciplinary action, he may authorize his union representative or other advocate to also view the recording.
11. Parents with a request to view a segment of a recording that includes their child/children may do so.Students may view segments of a digital recording relating to themselves if they are capable of exercising their own access to information rights under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.Student/parent viewing must be done in the presence of an administrator.A student or parent has the right to request an advocate to be present.Viewing may be refused or limited where viewing would be an unreasonable invasion of a third party’s personal privacy, would give rise to a concern for a third party’s safety, or on any other grounds recognized in the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.
12. Where an incident raises the prospect of a legal claim against the District, the digital recording, or copy of it, shall be sent to the District’s insurers.
13. Digital recordings shall be erased within one month unless they are being retained at the request of the building administrator, District officer, employee, parent or student for documentation related to a specific incident, or are being transferred to the District’s insurers or the police.Digital systems that use hard drives are to be configured so that they archive for 3 to 4 weeks and then loop.
14. Digital recordings retained under section 13 shall be erased as soon as the incident in question has been resolved, except that if the recording has been used in the making of a decision about an individual, the recording must be kept for a minimum of one year as required by the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act unless earlier erasure is authorized by or on behalf of the individual.
15. The Director of Facilities, in conjunction with each Principal, is responsible for the proper implementation and control of the digital surveillance system.
16. Digital monitoring is to be carried out in accordance with this Administrative Procedure.The District will not accept the improper use of video surveillance and will take appropriate action in any cases of wrongful use of the Administrative Procedure.