How a University Created Its Surveillance Policy

CP
Carlton Purvis
Published Apr 18, 2014 04:00 AM

Some are bad, some are good, some are nonexistent, but what considerations go into crafting a surveillance policy? We talked to University Police Chief Peter Carey about how they developed their surveillance policy and why they made the decisions they did.

First ****: *** ***** **********

******* ***** ********* **** ** *** ***** ********** of *** **** ****** ***** ** comprised ** ** ********* ********. *** SUNY ***** ********** **** *** * memo *** * ***** ****** *** campuses ** *** ** * ********* to ***** ***** ********** ************ ********.

***** **** ***** **** ********, ***** included ****** **** ****** ***** ****** have ** *********** ** *******, *** examining ******** **** ***** ************, **** built ******* *******’*.

“**** ** *** ******** ** ****** at **** *****. **** **** ********* and **** ******* ****** **** ****** be ********,” ** ****.

Rounding ** *** ************

*** **** **** *** ** **** out **** ****** ****** ** ********* in *** ******. *************** **** ********* groups, ********* ******, ***********, *** ********** faculty, ****** ****** **** ********* ** give *****.

“*** ******* ***** *** ***** ********* and ********* ****** *** ***** ** using *** ****** ** *********** *** system,” ** ****. “**** *** ****** policies **** **** **** *******’* ** overly ****, *******’* ** ****** *********** and *** ****** ******* *** ****** the ****** ** ******* ***** ** the *******.”

The ******

******* *******’* ***-**** ****** [**** ** longer *********]**** *** ****** *** *** ******* anywhere ** ****** “********* *** ***********,” but "***** ***** ** ******* **** privacy ******* ****** ***** ** ******.” To **** ***, *** ****** ************ ** *** ******* ** ******* or ***** ********* ** ******* ********** students ** *****.

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*** ****** ******** ******* ** ******** recording ** ** ******** *** ****** be **** *** * ******* ** 30 ****. *** ** *** ********* halls **** ******* ** *** ***** floor *******, ********* *** ***** *** in *** *********.

Not *** *******

*** ******* *****’* *** *** ******* for ******** **** ** ***** ********** or ******* *********** ******* ** **** not **** ** **** *** ********* the ********** **** *** ******* ** watching, ***** ****.

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***** **** ** ***** *** ** cost ********* ** **** ****** ********** 24/7 *** ****** ** ******* ******* regulations. *** ******* **** *** **** as **** ******** ******* ** ** would ****, *** ********* *** ********** *** ********. ************ ** *** ******* ****, *******, they **** ** *** **** ******** ******* in *** ******.

Retention ******

***** **** **** ** *** *********** debate ******** ****** ********* ****. ****** are ****** **** ** **** *** campus *******.

**** ****** **** *** ******* ******* time ***** ** ** ****, *** records **** ********** *** ********* ***** be ****** *** * ******* ** three ***** ** ********** **** *** statue ** *********** *** ******** ****** litigation *** ******** *********** *** ************.

“** ** ***’* **** ***** ********* within ** ****, **’* ******** *** going ** ******* * **** *** use ** **** ** *****,” ** said. **** ******** **** **** ** the ******, ***** **** **** **** took **** ************* *** **** **** phone ********* *** ************ **** ****. They ***** **** * **** *** average.

Operation, ******** *** ***********

***** ** ** *** ****** ********* to ******** *** ******* *** *** of *** ****** ** *** ********** are ******* ** ********* *** ******, exporting ***** *** ***** ***********. * limited ****** ** ****** **** ****** to *** **** *** *** ****** to *** ****** ** ******* ** paper *** **************.

*** ******* ***** **** ** ******* maintenance - ****** *** ** ********** and *** ****** ***** - *** will ******* ***** *********** *** ********* and ********** *** *******.

*** ******* ** ********* ******* ** hire * ****** **** ****** ******* and ************ ********** ** ***** ***** tasks **-*****.

Comments (4)
JE
Jim Elder
Apr 22, 2014
IPVMU Certified

Thanks for posting this. I am a big proponent of such policies, to protected both the rights of viewed and the viewer. As one who primary vertical market is education security, i can tell you that many Higher Eds have such policies. In fact such policies should extend to all security systems, including IDS and access control as well as video. First and formost policies should prohibit "rogue" security systems and ensure that the term "security system" is well defined. Buffalo does this (at least as it relates to video) in their policy.

Check your site link, it seems to have been changed to http://hr.buffalostate.edu/sites/hr.buffalostate.edu/files/uploads/Documents/video.pdf. Also The actual policy is four pages. Maybe it was changed since you last saw it.

CP
Carlton Purvis
Apr 22, 2014

Yes, Jim they were talking about doing an update, but they didn't know when they would have it done and live. Thanks for the update.

km
kenneth macphee
Apr 24, 2014

A site I maintain purposely does not actively monitor the cameras to reduce liability, at least that is how it was explained to me.

Avatar
Hal Bennick
Apr 24, 2014
Trafficware, a CUBIC Company

That's pretty common, especially in the education world. There was a case several years ago in a major school district where this became an issue. Students were under the impression that security would come to their aid, so they did nothing to defend themselves against as assault.