Broxtowe Borough Council and Lleisure
Surveillance camera / System decommissioning / Reinstallation policy
Process for – Decommissioning/Relocating/reinstalling a surveillance camera system
The Surveillance Camera Commissioner’s Code of Practice states that the use of surveillance camera systems should be regularly reviewed to ensure that its use continues to be justified by meeting the original pressing need/purpose and its use is still proportionate.
Broxtowe Borough Council and Lleisure surveillance cameras are reviewed on an annual basis to ensure that the council is compliant with the Commissioner’s Code of Practice and so it can demonstrate compliance with the protection of freedoms Act 2012, Data Protection Act 2018 and GDPR 2018.
The following factors must always be considered to establish whether a surveillance camera system location continues to be justified in accordance with the aforementioned. These measures test the original intention against the current requirements, circumstances as situations, which may have changed since first installed.
- Contribution to a public realm setting, whereby the surveillance system still provides reassurance and confidence (i.e. reduces the fear of crime)
- Meets the original reason for the camera system being installed (i.e. public and building security)
- Crime figures, anti-social behaviour incidents and intelligence logs, any crime increase or decrease.
- Broxtowe Borough Council monitoring incident logs and performance indicator, information regarding an individual surveillance camera or surveillance system (where appropriate)
- Management and monitoring control/operator capacity
- Age of the camera system (is the information obtained of evidential value and does it meet Crime Prosecution Service (CPS) standard in relation to evidence it produces?)
- Consideration should be given to how the equipment and data storage device is disposed of, it must be securely and ethically disposed in accordance with regulations
- Annual cost of the camera surveillance system (connection/power and repair costs)
- Any annual contributions received for management and support of the camera system
- Any new request/replacement must complete the council’s formal request form and identify operational requirements on appropriate documentation for GMT consideration and approval in the first instance
Where possible Broxtowe Borough Council and Lleisure will gather public opinion through consultation before removing or introducing a surveillance camera or surveillance system from/for a particular location, using various means e.g. Consultation notices on site, local media, social media, online surveys or Nottinghamshire Community Policing. The Council and Lleisure will also approach any major stakeholders giving reasonable notice of any surveillance system, or surveillance cameras which is about to be decommissioned.
Where evidence can be found to show that a surveillance system/camera location continues to be justified under these guidelines the camera may remain or be upgraded, if it no longer meets the minimum evidential requirements.
Where possible, supporting evidence will be examined over a 2-year period to justify continued use or the decommissioning of a surveillance camera system/camera location. Where surveillance camera systems have been removed and there is a re-emergence of serious, frequent anti-social/criminal behaviour or a high level of crime and disorder, a re-deployable system may be considered. Where new locations are identified as crime hotspot areas with a persistent increase of crime and disorder, which is proven to be having a negatively impacting on the wider community. In these cases, consideration must only be given to using a re-deployable surveillance camera system on a temporary basis in the first instance before considering a fixed permanent establishment of surveillance system
