Not Protectively Marked

Policy

This policy is under review. Whilst the full review is awaited this document remains in place with the exception of the deployment processes, which will now be in accordance with the Incident Management and Deployment Procedures.

Policy: / CCTV Policy
Approved by which board (or Chief officer) and date : / Operations Board
Owner: / Chief Inspector Communications Centre
For release under Freedom of Information? / Yes
Supporting procedures / 1)CCTVProcedures
2)(College of policing)- APP Website -
3)Data Protection Act
4)RIPA – (Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act)
5)ACPO Practical advice on Police Use of Digital Images)
Contact for advice: / Digital Media Unit (Police HQ)
Chief Inspector Communications Centre
Review date / October 2017
Amendments made / New policy
Date and version number / October 2014 - version 1

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Not Protectively Marked

  1. Equality Analysis

What is the potential impact in relation to the General Duty of this proposal on each of the protected groups below?

Protected
characteristics / Positive Impact - The positive aspects of CCTV lie in the ability to build a picture of an incident or person’s movements whether that is in terms of those sought by police or those who may need of assistance in some way. In addition it gives a further crime prevention tool to the police in helping identifying vehicles, victims and witnesses. It further assists police in terms of helping to prove / disprove allegations.
Does the proposal: / Negative Impact (provide details and mitigating actions taken or proposed) / No
Impact
(√)
eliminate unlawful discrimination
(provide details) / advance equality of opportunity
(provide details) / Foster good relations
(provide details) / Other positive impact (provide details) / √
Age / The majority of offenders within Cumbria are between 18 – 30 years of age but this policy will apply to all ages and therefore will eliminate discrimination as will be applied to all.
CCTV will focus on any group or individual that the operator feels are most likely to cause trouble. E.g. at night time the operator may focus on groups of young people rather than elderly people, which comes down to the operators discretion. This cannot be based on bias factors and must be a common sense approach therefore eliminating unlawful discrimination / This project does not focus on advancing equality of opportunity, however if the opportunities are identified, they may be investigated further to provide a better CCTV service. / For those in vulnerable categories may feel further protected by the use of CCTV camera’s e.g. the elderly.
Before any cameras are installed full consultation will be completed with the communities concerned.
Older people are also less likely than younger people to feel safe outside after dark and are also over represented in the percentage of people who report that there life is greatly affected by fear of crime. They also may experience difficulty in accessing services and information, therefore by installing CCTV and actively promoting it this could improve confidence within this community. / Will help towards positive identification of the correct person therefore will not discriminate against any of the protected characteristics.
Vulnerable groups can be subject to more antisocial behaviour and crime than other members of the community.
National evidence highlights that there is under reporting of antisocial behaviour, domestic abuse, hate crime (all strands), serious acquisitive crime by vulnerable members of the community.
Potentially this could contribute to efficiency savings by contributing to and enhancing community safety and identify those vulnerable groups who maybe targets of crime. / Nothing identified / √
Disability / The signage for CCTV may be difficult for people with learning difficulties, visual impairments which it may make it harder to read. Reasonable adjustment should be made so that signs follow an easy read form and also are produced in braille, this will eliminate unlawful discrimination. / This project does not focus on advancing equality of opportunity.However if the opportunities are identified, they may be investigated further to provide a better CCTV service.
Equality of opportunity would be advanced by reasonable adjustment and the use of signs in the appropriate format. / Those in vulnerable categories may feel further protected by the use of CCTV camera’s.
Before any cameras are installed full consultation will be completed with the communities concerned
Disabled people are significantly less likely than able bodied people to feel safe after dark. Approx 90% of people with learning disabilities have experienced harassment and bullying and on-going low level incidents are wide spread and may go undetected but can escalate (Pilkington).
They also may experience difficulty in accessing services and information, therefore by installing CCTV and actively promoting it this could improve confidence within this community. / Vulnerable groups can be subject to more antisocial behaviour and crime than other members of the community.
National evidence highlights that there is under reporting of antisocial behaviour, domestic abuse, hate crime (all strands), serious acquisitive crime by vulnerable members of the community.
Potentially this could contribute to efficiency savings by contributing to and enhancing community safety and identify those vulnerable groups who maybe targets of crime. / Nothing identified / √
Sex / The policy in itself is not gender specific and therefore will comply with the general and specific duties of the equality act
CCTV is there to make everyone in the community feel safer and this is especially important for women out at night, who have reported that they feel comforted knowing they can be seen by CCTV. / The policy in itself is not gender specific
and therefore will comply with the general and specific duties of the equality act
This does not focus on advancing equality of opportunity, however if the opportunities are identified, they may be investigated further to provide a better CCTV service. / The policy in itself is not gender specific
and therefore will comply with the general and specific duties of the equality act. / Vulnerable groups can be subject to more antisocial behaviour and crime than other members of the community.
National evidence highlights that there is under reporting of antisocial behaviour, domestic abuse, hate crime (all strands), serious acquisitive crime by vulnerable members of the community.
Potentially this could contribute to efficiency savings by contributing to and enhancing community safety and identify those vulnerable groups who maybe a target of crime. / Nothing identified / √
Sexual orientation / This is not applicable to CCTV as a person’s sexuality would not be obvious from images on a camera and under strict codes of conduct, operators would not be able to monitor someone on this basis anyway. / This is a generic policy and has no bearing on this aspect of equality under this protected characteristic. / Homophobic crime - estimated that 90% goes unreported because victims are too frightened or embarrassed to report it, therefore by installing CCTV and actively promoting it this could improve confidence within this community. / Vulnerable groups can be subject to more antisocial behaviour and crime than other members of the community.
National evidence highlights that there is under reporting of antisocial behaviour, domestic abuse, hate crime (all strands), serious acquisitive crime by vulnerable members of the community.
Potentially this could contribute to efficiency savings by contributing to and enhancing community safety and identify those vulnerable groups who maybe targets of crime. / Nothing identified / √
Gender reassignment / The policy in itself is not gender specific and therefore will comply with the general and specific duties of the equality act
There is evidence to suggest that transgender people experience more hate incidents and crime, therefore by providing CCTV coverage confidence within this community would increase. / The policy in itself is not gender specific
and therefore will comply with the general and specific duties of the equality act
As per gender. / The policy in itself is not gender specific
and therefore will comply with the general and specific duties of the equality act
As per gender. Tran’s people appear to experience more hate incidents and crime, therefore by providing CCTV coverage confidence within this community. / Vulnerable groups can be subject to more antisocial behaviour and crime than other members of the community.
National evidence highlights that there is under reporting of antisocial behaviour, domestic abuse, hate crime (all strands), serious acquisitive crime by vulnerable members of the community.
Potentially this could contribute to efficiency savings by contributing to and enhancing community safety and identify those vulnerable groups who maybe targets of crime. / Nothing identified / √
Marriage and civil partnership / This is a generic policy and has no bearing on this aspect of equality under this protected characteristic. / This is a generic policy and has no bearing on this aspect of equality under this protected characteristic. / This is a generic policy and has no bearing on this aspect of equality under this protected characteristic. / Vulnerable groups can be subject to more antisocial behaviour and crime than other members of the community.
National evidence highlights that there is under reporting of antisocial behaviour, domestic abuse, hate crime (all strands), serious acquisitive crime by vulnerable members of the community.
Potentially this could contribute to efficiency savings by contributing to and enhancing community safety and identify those vulnerable groups who maybe targets of crime. / Nothing identified / √
Pregnancy and maternity / CCTV is there to make everyone in the community feel safer and this is especially important for women out at night, who have reported that they feel comforted knowing they can be seen by CCTV. / This does not focus on advancing equality of opportunity, however if the opportunities are identified, they may be investigated further to provide a better CCTV service. / This is a generic policy and has no bearing on this aspect of equality under this protected characteristic. / Vulnerable groups can be subject to more antisocial behaviour and crime than other members of the community.
National evidence highlights that there is under reporting of antisocial behaviour, domestic abuse, hate crime (all strands), serious acquisitive crime by vulnerable members of the community.
Potentially this could contribute to efficiency savings by contributing to and enhancing community safety and identify those vulnerable groups who maybe targets of crime. / Nothing identified / √
Race / If the detainee is unable speak or read English the document will be made available to interpreters who will be asked to read the document to the detainee in the appropriate language.
Images captured on CCTV will not reveal the person’s face if they are wearing a hijab. As this dress is mostly associated with the Muslim faith, this could be problematic. This does not impact on religion however, as this potential issue only concerns the CCTV image itself and does not affect the actual beliefs or faith of any group.
Religion is however not usually obvious and would not impact in any way how a person is monitored by CCTV, as this would be a clear breach of the strict codes of conduct. / This project does not focus on advancing equality of opportunity, however if the opportunities are identified, they may be investigated further to provide a better CCTV service. / This shows an equality in that this opportunity is available to all
For those in vulnerable categories may feel further protected by the use of CCTV camera’s
Before any cameras are installed full consultation will be completed with the communities concerned
There is evidence to suggest that take away owners are unlikely to report Hate Incidents and crime as this could affect the economic night time income.
People who do not speak English or English is a second language may experience difficulty in accessing services and information, therefore by installing CCTV and actively promoting it this could improve confidence within this community. / Vulnerable groups can be subject to more antisocial behaviour and crime than other members of the community.
National evidence highlights that there is under reporting of antisocial behaviour, domestic abuse, hate crime (all strands), serious acquisitive crime by vulnerable members of the community.
Potentially this could contribute to efficiency savings by contributing to and enhancing community safety and identify those vulnerable groups who maybe targets of crime. / Nothing identified / √
Religion and belief including non-belief / Images captured on CCTV will not reveal the person’s face if they are wearing a hijab. As this dress is mostly associated with the Muslim faith, this could be problematic. This does not impact on religion however, as this potential issue only concerns the CCTV image itself and does not affect the actual beliefs or faith of any group.
Religion is however not usually obvious and would not impact in any way how a person is monitored by CCTV, as this would be a clear breach of the strict codes of conduct. / This project does not focus on advancing equality of opportunity, however if the opportunities are identified, they may be investigated further to provide a better CCTV service. / For those in vulnerable categories may feel further protected by the use of CCTV camera’s
Before any cameras are installed full consultation will be completed with the communities concerned
Take away owners are unlikely to report Hate Incidents and crime as this could affect the economic night time income.
People who do not speak English or English is a second language may experience difficulty in accessing services and information, therefore by installing CCTV and actively promoting it this could improve confidence within this community. / Vulnerable groups can be subject to more antisocial behaviour and crime than other members of the community.
National evidence highlights that there is under reporting of antisocial behaviour, domestic abuse, hate crime (all strands), serious acquisitive crime by vulnerable members of the community.
Potentially this could contribute to efficiency savings by contributing to and enhancing community safety and identify those vulnerable groups who maybe targets of crime. / Nothing identified / √

If there is no potential impact (positive or negative) please provide a brief explanation why this is the case, e.g. the data utilised in arriving at the decision, summary of responses to consultation etc.

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Not Protectively Marked

  1. Aim

This policy explains how Cumbria Constabulary will use CCTV, taking into consideration national guidance and recommendations outlined in APP.

The aim of the policy is to ensure Cumbria Constabulary -

  • Provide clear and unambiguous information on the use of CCTV recording equipment.
  • Provide a framework of instructions for the use, retention and analysis of CCTV recording.
  • Meet the requirements of the Data Protection Act.
  • Meet the requirements of the Health and Safety at Work Act.
  • Promote a safer working environment for staff, detainee’s visitors and any other persons who may come into contact with the CCTV recording system.
  • Meet the requirements of the Home Office Surveillance Camera Code of Practice (June 2013)
  • Signpost user to the national standards which Cumbria Constabulary adhere to.
  • Effectively use CCTV systems to obtain the best value from this asset.
  • Bring more offenders to justice by production of evidence.
  • Reduce repeat offending.
  • Reduce complaints.

The Chief Inspector Communications Centre is responsible for ensuring that the policy is delivered to all officers / staff within the Constabulary.

The Chief Constable is the data controller for the CCTV system operated within Cumbria Constabulary. The designated deputy is the Chief Superintendent of Territorial policing.

  1. Terms and Definitions

What is CCTV?

Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) is technology which provides an effective means of identifying people, vehicles or incidents that may result in action being required by Police or partner organisations.

It is a proactive policing tool for response policing and investigations which can prevent criminality by targeting criminals and areas which are subject to higher levels of crime and anti-social behaviour.

CCTV technology is used within Cumbria Constabulary to help detect, deter and disrupt criminality at a local, force, regional and national level, including tackling travelling criminals, Organised Crime Groups and terrorists. CCTV provides lines of enquiry and evidence in the investigation of crime and is used by forces throughout England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Acronyms -

  • ANPR – Automatic Number Plate Recognition.
  • APP – Authorised Professional Practice.
  • CoP - College of Policing.
  • DPA – Data Protection Act.
  • HO – Home Office.
  • PNC – Police National Computer.
  • RIPA – Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000.
  • BWV – Body worn video also known as Bodycam / Headcam.
  1. The Policy

This policy details how Cumbria Constabulary will maintain and operate closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras within designated police facilities throughout Cumbria.

Cumbria Constabulary has an estate of mixed-use facilities including police stations, police custody suites, vulnerable witness investigation suites, and other buildings, some or all of which allow or include access/admission of members of the public as well as Cumbria Constabulary Officers and support staff. In addition, other persons may come into contact with the Constabulary’s CCTV systems such as employees of companies either directly or indirectly dealing with, or trading with, Cumbria Constabulary.

This policy is to enable all persons who use, or come into contact with, CCTV recording equipment, to be reassured that it is being used in the correct manner and in adherence with national guidance requirements.