City Of Melbourne

Safe City Cameras Audit Committee

Safe City Cameras Program Audit Report

For the period 01/01/13 - 31/12/13

June 2014

Letter

Letter to Mr Geoff Robinson, Manager, Engineering Services

Executive summary

The City of Melbourne (CoM) Safe City Cameras Program (SCCP) Audit Committee, in accordance with the SCCP Protocols & Terms of Reference, has carried out an extensive review of all required aspects of the operations of the SCCP and submit our Audit Report for the period 1st January 2013 to 31st December 2013.

The Audit Committee met regularly throughout the year (usually every six weeks and as required) and functioned well under the Chairmanship of Mr John Buxton supported by City Resident Representative Ms Bronwyn Duncan and Mr Bill Horman AM APM. During 2013 it was agreed that in addition to the Incident Statistics Report Mr Buckingham would provide the Committee with a summary of the statistics – the Program Management Report the form, of which was to be developed. The Audit Committee was well supported by Gordon Harrison, Christine Drummond (CoM) and SCCP Program (Operations) Craig Buckingham. At each scheduled meeting Mr Buckingham provided the Committee with an Incident Statistics Report setting out raw statistics in relation to the operation of the Program during the preceding six weeks. Victoria Police members attended the Audit Committee meetings, usually represented by Inspector Lisa Winchester or Senior Sergeant Dale Huntington. The Police input was important and complementary to the work of the SCCP.

Audit Report Framework

The audit of the SCCP focuses on:

·  the level of congruence between the Program’s aims, Protocols and Operating Procedures;

·  the success of the Program in observing the Program’s Protocols and Operating Procedures;

·  the effective management and coordination of the Program;

·  any breaches of the Protocols and Operating Procedures;

·  the operations of the SCCP;

·  summary details of any event, incident or major incident occurring; the Program’s response to any event, incident or major incident and related outcomes;

·  access to the Control Room;

·  the copying, handling, release and storage of information, including:

·  the status and whereabouts of any image of an event, incident and/or major incident recorded as part of the SCCP;

·  the release of any image to the Police via the SCCP;

·  the details, status and/or whereabouts (if applicable) of any image released by the SCCP;

·  the destruction of any images recorded by the SCCP;

·  the relationship between Melbourne City Council, SCCP Operators, police, other key stakeholders and the general public regarding the overall operation of the SCCP; and

·  details of any concerns regarding matters that are deemed by the Audit Committee to be ‘in the public interest’.

All Audit Committee reports will be documents for the public record and accordingly made available by Council for public perusal. Administrative support to assist the Audit Committee complete Audit Reports will be provided by the Engineering Services Branch.

In brief, the Audit Committee’s finding included:

  1. The SCCP operated very effectively throughout 2013;
  2. There was a very satisfactory level of compliance with the Operating Procedures and the Protocols;
  3. The Incident Management System, implemented in 2011, is now working very effectively and provides a significant improvement in the storage and management of information as well as providing improved access to and faster and more accurate retrieval of data;
  4. The new Incident Management System provides the ability to collate relevant data and prepare statistical information reports useful for CoM management and the Audit Committee at its regular meetings. The statistical data is also useful for the provision of information and intelligence for a variety of purposes including the location and value of specific cameras;
  5. The Committee is satisfied that the procedures controlling the recording of incidents and the handling, storage, dissemination and destruction of images complied with the Program’s procedures;
  6. There were no complaints received by the City of Melbourne during the review period – which the Audit Committee believes reflects credit on the SCCP, its practices and procedures; and
  7. A number of compliments and commendation (written and verbal) were made by Victoria Police members and representatives – which reflects considerable credit on the City of Melbourne and its Safe City Cameras Program.

Inaugural SCCP Audit Committee member and subsequent Chairman for many years including this Audit Review period, barrister Mr John Buxton, announced his intention to retire from the Committee effective 31st December 2013. Following a search for an appropriate replacement, barrister Mr Darren Bracken (who is also a Victoria Public Interest Monitor) accepted appointment to the Audit Committee, effective December 2013.

1.  Establishment and objectives of the safe city camera program

1.1.  On 6 December 1995, the City of Melbourne resolved to establish a closed circuit television system in the Central Business District known as ‘Safe City Cameras Program” (SCCP). The aims of the SCCP were to:

a)  aid in the provision of a safer physical environment;

b)  assist police to reduce crime levels by deterring potential offenders;

c)  aid crime detection, breaches of the law and identify offenders and assist with an emergency response.

1.2.  The Program comprises the City of Melbourne's public Closed Circuit Television operation. The Program is one aspect of the Council’s Strategy for a Safer City. Other aspects of the strategy include Safe City Taxi Ranks, an Accord with Melbourne licensees, the police and City of Melbourne, lighting audits, more visible police presence, improved night transport and laws prohibiting the consumption of alcohol in public places.

1.3.  Persons involved in the SCCP, including City of Melbourne officers, Victoria Police members, contractors and their staff (including Control Room Operators and mobile unit personnel), are required to follow security procedures and guidelines designed to safeguard the SCCP's integrity. These are set out in the Safe City Cameras Program Manual.

1.4.  The operation of the SCCP is governed by established protocols and the accompanying procedural documents, namely:

a)  SCCP Standard Operating Procedures & Training Manual (“the Manual”);

b)  The Memorandum of Understanding between the City of Melbourne and the Victoria Police concerning live streaming of images.

1.5.  The Policy, Protocols, Operating Procedures and Memorandum of Understanding relating to the operation of the SCCP have been developed in conjunction with the Victoria Police and other stakeholders. The documents outline Council policy and provide instruction and guidelines concerning various aspects of the SCCP, including responding to incidents; access to the Control Room; handling, storage and destruction of recordings made of incidents and photographs; copying and releasing material; responding to requests from the police and certain civilian applicants; transfer vision by way of CCTV images to police; operation of mobile cameras; court appearances; review of incident reports; servicing complaints; and media. The SCCP Standard Operating Procedures & Training Manual is reviewed as the need arises.

2.  Establishment, composition and terms of reference of the audit committee

2.1.  At the commencement of the SCCP, the Melbourne City Council (the Council) established an Audit Committee whose functions are to:

a)  provide an independent review and checking mechanism for the SCCP that ensures the Program meets the requirements of its Protocols and Operating Procedures;

b)  promote public confidence in the SCCP by ensuring its operations are transparent to the public and under ongoing independent scrutiny and review; and3

c)  recommend action that will safeguard the SCCP against any abuse.

2.2.  Throughout the audit period, the Audit Committee comprised independent representatives, namely Mr John Buxton (Barrister), Ms Bronwyn Duncan (City Resident Representative), and Mr Bill Horman AM APM (Management Consultant). Mr Buxton retired at the December 2013 Audit Committee meeting with Mr Darren Bracken Barrister & Solicitor appointed with Ms Duncan taking over as Chairperson.

2.3.  The Audit Committee is required to provide a written report to Council through the Future Melbourne (People and Creative City) Committee. As indicated above, it is intended that this report will evaluate the operations of the SCCP and compliance with the Protocols and Operating Procedures. The Audit Committee’s report will be available to the public.

2.4.  Regular six weekly meetings were held throughout the 2013 audit period and these were devoted to examining the operations of the system supporting the SCCP, bringing to attention any areas of non-compliance and suggesting changes which could enhance its effectiveness.

2.5.  Through 2013 the Audit Committee was supported by:

·  Mr Gordon Harrison City of Melb Team Leader Engineering Programs

·  Ms Christine Drummond City of Melb Emergency Management Coordinator

·  Mr Craig Buckingham City of Melb Team Leader Security & Building Safety

2.6.  Additionally, Victoria Police (Inspector Lisa Winchester or Senior Sergeant Dale Huntington) attended meetings of the Audit Committee unless unavailable due to work commitments.

2.7.  Members of the Audit Committee have accompanied the mobile camera unit on shift and were impressed with its operations.

2.8.  In practical terms, the matters the Audit Committee are required to review include:

a)  the operation of the Control Room, the mobile units and the live vision transfer to police;

b)  response to incidents;

c)  documenting and handling recorded material disseminated to the police, the public and the courts;

d)  compliance with procedures and protocols;

e)  destruction of material upon its return;

f)  monitoring of access by persons to the Control Room;

g)  use made of the cameras; and

h)  complaints.

These areas were examined by the Audit Committee to ensure that the use of the cameras is for designated purposes only and their operation and management complies with the Protocols and Procedures and does not compromise the privacy and rights of the general public through any unauthorised use.

2.9.  The results of the Committee’s audit of these areas are set out in the following pages of this Report.

3.  The operation of the safe city program

3.1.  At the commencement of this audit period, the SCCP incorporated 54 closed circuit television CCTV cameras in the King Street precinct, Bourke Street precinct, Russell Street precinct, Elizabeth Street precinct, Swanston Street precinct, Southbank and Docklands precincts. The cameras have been located in areas which have a history of higher levels of reported crime and/or public concern. Regular police input is provided through attendance at the SCCP Audit Committee meetings and operational meeting of the SCCP with Victoria Police. At the time of writing the Audit Report 2013 additional SCCP cameras have been approved and awaiting commissioning.

3.2.  With the exception of the cameras attached to mobile vehicles mentioned in paragraph 3.4 below, the cameras operating in the SCCP are linked to a centrally located Control Room via fibre optic cabling where they are monitored by trained CoM security personnel. Under the SCCP, vision from the cameras may be transmitted to monitors at the Police Operations Centre at D24 and the Melbourne East Police Station. These monitors were installed to assist the police response in appropriate cases.

Provision of live vision to police

3.3.  In December 2009, following the Council and the Victoria Police signing a Memorandum of Understanding, the operation of the SCCP was expanded to stream live vision from the 54 cameras to the Victoria Police Operations Centre. This facility enables police personnel to respond more quickly and more appropriately to incidents of concern to the police.

3.4.  For New Year’s Eve 2012-3 a Melbourne Events Operations Centre was established within the Melbourne Town Hall, staffed by Police, VicRoads and representatives of other organisation supported by SCCP operators to monitor events and public safety.

The operation of mobile camera units

3.5.  Another development to the SCCP involved the introduction in November 2009 of two security vehicles each fitted with a CCTV camera. These two vehicles, each staffed by two trained security personnel, patrol the city principally in areas not covered by fixed cameras. The personnel in the vehicles have direct communication with the SCCP Control Room which can request police to attend an incident. The cameras on each vehicle run continuously during each nightly shift. A log of events observed by personnel in each vehicle is manually recorded. If an incident is observed, a narrative of the incident is made and later entered on the SCCP Information Management System. All the images recorded by the cameras over each shift are downloaded at the end of the shift on the SCCP’s hard drive.

3.6.  During 2013, two mobile units operated from 1 January 2013 to May 2013 as part of a 6 month program. From May 2013 one vehicle now operates throughout the year, an arrangement endorsed by Victoria Police.

Incident Management System (WebEoc)

3.7.  The City of Melbourne upgraded the computer management system in August 2011 and the new Incident Management System was fully implemented in 2012 after all incidents on the previous system were transferred into the new system. The written recording of all new incidents into the new system known as WebEoc follows the police reporting format. This Audit for 2013 found the changes to be very effective.

4.  The control room and its operations

4.1.  The Control Room is staffed around the clock by security personnel (Control Room Operators) under contract to the City of Melbourne and regulated by the provisions of the Manual.

4.2.  Control Room Operators are required to maintain strict vigilance of the system's monitors, maintain the integrity of the storage and movement of recorded material, control access to the Control Room, accurately record on the SCCP Computer Management System a brief description of any incident observed by the Control Room Operator and respond to and importantly report the relevant incidents to the police in a timely manner.

Recording of camera Images and Incidents

4.3.  Control Room Operators monitor camera positions and focus on priority areas. There are 2 operators monitoring the 54 cameras in the Control Room. Images from each camera are together displayed on a large LCD screens in the Control Room.

4.4.  The images from each of the cameras are recorded digitally on hard discs on a DVTEL digital recording system located in the Control Room. These images are kept for minimum of 28 days, after which time, due to storage limitations, they are overwritten unless required to be copied for investigation purposes.