Agenda item

To advise Members of a new Body Worn Video Policy across the South & East Lincolnshire Councils Partnership to ensure arrangements across the Partnership provide assurance that our legal obligations and all data protection controls are effectively managed and to consider the (BWV) Policy prior to approval at Cabinet (report of the Assistant Director – Regulatory enclosed).

Consideration was given to the report of the Assistant Director – Regulatory which advised members of a new Body Worn Video Policy across the South and East Lincolnshire Councils Partnership to ensure arrangements across the Partnership provided assurance that legal obligations and data protection controls were effectively managed, and that the per cent  policy had been considered prior to approval at Cabinet.

The Community Safety Manager and the Assistant Director – Regulatory attended for this item.

The Community Safety Manager introduced the report to members which included that.

• The new policy (at Appendix A) ensured that the operational use of Body Worn Video (BWV) cameras was lawful, proportionate, legitimate and necessary; and
• The policy set out roles, responsibilities and procedures to follow for collecting, downloading, processing and presenting video evidence whilst ensuring devices were reasonably and proportionately utilised and that content was processed appropriately.

Members considered the report and made the following comments:

• Members queried whether BWV recording was on a constant loop.
  • The Community Safety Manager responded that:
    • Appropriate justification was required to commence a BWV recording which could only be undertaken by trained officers;
    • An announcement was required when the recording was to commence;
    • Rules were in place as to the usage of the data;
    • The data was encrypted and could only be transferred to and therefore accessible by the Boston CCTV suite through the utilisation of the associated docking station.

• Members queried what had prompted the policy and the current extent of usage.
  • The Community Safety Manager responded that:
    • An audit had highlighted the need for a policy to be in place to utilise the BWV technology and to adhere to data protection regulations;
    • Utilisation of BWV so far had been limited to a single Community Warden however demand across a broader range of front-facing departments was becoming evident. Both Boston and East Lindsey were utilising six cameras at their respective authorities;
    • External funding was being sought to support the purchase of an increased number of BWV cameras and docking station for South Holland which in turn promoted a consistency of processes and data management across the partnership;
    • Relevant training was required prior to use;
    • Kingdom staff were obliged to meet the same standards as SHDC staff.
  • The Assistant Director – Regulatory added that:
    • The BWV cameras gave the council a better standard of evidence to act upon and served as a deterrent to certain behaviour in some cases; and
    • Health and safety risk assessments would be undertaken regarding the roll-out of BWV cameras to appropriate staff however the choice to wear the BWV cameras remained with officers.

• Members expressed concern in respect of the filming of children and language barriers during activation.
  • The Community Safety Manager responded that all and any recording needed to be proportionate. Although bystanders could be captured in the footage, the processing of the data ensured that safeguarding was in place.

• Members requested that the policy was explicit in that it only applied to council-owned BWV cameras.
  • The Community Safety Manager confirmed that this request would be actioned.

AGREED:

a)     That the comments of the Policy Development Panel be noted; and

b)     That the policy explicitly stated that application be limited to council-owned BWV cameras.