Creating A Camera Use Policy
K-12 schools benefit from transparency
- By Bret McGowan
- April 01, 2018
The past decade has seen a cultural
shift, where concerns over
personal privacy have gradually
taken a back seat to those of
security. The presence of surveillance
systems in our K-12 schools is a
prime example of this. Whether or not students
and teachers like it, cameras are now
commonplace in schools. The National Center
for Education Statistics reports that as of
the 2013-2014 school year, 75 percent of public
schools reported having surveillance cameras
in place.1 Today, three years later, I’m
sure the number is even higher.
Working for a surveillance solutions manufacturer,
it is my observation that almost all
schools that are installing cameras are doing
so both inside and outside their buildings.
Inside the schools, cameras are being installed
in hallways, lobbies, cafeterias, gymnasiums,
and other general assembly areas—locations
that aren’t considered private. However, on
occasion, I encounter resistance from a K-12
customer who is uncomfortable with putting
cameras inside the school as a result from
pushback from teachers, parents and students.
While I understand why people may be worried
about misuse of video and the potential
for privacy infringements, proper transparency
and communication from school administrators
work to win supporters.
An important step is for schools to create a
clearly articulated “use policy” for their surveillance
systems. Unfortunately, too few do
so. A 2015 Report by the Massachusetts
ACLU reports that in a survey it conducted of
fourteen districts, all reported using in-school
surveillance cameras, but only one had an
openly posted policy of how they were used.2
That is a small sample, but I believe it is representative
of a larger trend.
Putting together a use policy is not difficult.
You might consult a lawyer to compose
the exact wording of the document, but qualified
systems integrators and manufacturers
should be able to provide guidance on issues
that need to be addressed, including how
cameras should be installed, managed and
monitored. Here’s what needs to be covered:
SYSTEM PURPOSE
A clear description of the system’s purpose
may seem obvious, but it should be front and
center of any policy statement. In general, it
should state that the intention of the system is
to foster a safe and secure environment for
students, staff and school visitors, as well as to
protect property from theft and/or vandalism.
LOCATION OF CAMERAS
Camera placement should be limited to public
areas and they should never be placed in
bathrooms, locker rooms or other locations
where individuals presume a sense of privacy.
As for classrooms, most schools are not putting
cameras there, as teachers’ advocacy
groups have strongly argued against it. One
exception is Texas, where a law went into
effect last year that mandates the use of cameras
in classrooms where the majority of
instruction is for students with special education
needs.3
While it is not necessary to publicly identify
the location of each and every camera,
schools should post signs at the entrances to
all district facilities alerting the public that
the property is under surveillance. This makes
sure that anyone coming or going is aware of
the existence of cameras and that, alone, can
serve as an effective deterrent.
MONITORING POLICY
A school’s decision of whether to monitor video live, or simply record it, may be based
on a variety of factors, but I’m a big proponent
of using a video system to its fullest
extent, and that means doing both. Recorded
video can be used for post-incident forensics,
but live monitoring can help eliminate or prevent
certain events from happening in the
first place.
A monitoring policy should identify who
has access to the video on a live and recorded
basis, and what they are able to do with that
video. Many larger districts now have their
own police force, and they are the ones
responsible for viewing the video. Administrators,
from principals on down, also typically
have access.
Most well-developed surveillance systems
keep an internal log of who signed in, their
level of authorization, and the specific actions
they took within the system. This auditing
capability eliminates the need for keeping a
manual log and can provide assurances that
access to the system is not abused.
SHARING OF VIDEO
If a school intends to share video with the
local city or county police, they should broadcast
that policy when the video system is put
in place, stating conditions under which the
police may be given live access or provided
with recorded evidentiary video. If those policies
aren’t established up front, before an
incident takes place, then when something
does happen and the police want to review
video, they need to go through the legal process
of subpoenaing it. Plan ahead for this
possibility; it will save you time and frustration
later on.
STORING AND SECURING OF VIDEO
Schools should define the length of time for
which they will store video in their system. I
recommend somewhere between 60 and 90
days. With that length of a window, the school
will generally have heard about any incidents
and had time to investigate and archive any
relevant video. Keeping video longer than
three months can become prohibitively
expensive and really isn’t necessary.
The public should also feel confident that
the network and devices on which the video is
stored are secure. Like all systems, the surveillance
software should have strong password
protection and the school should have policies
in place to make sure that only the right people
are logging in. Many of today’s security systems
integrate into Microsoft’s Active Directory,
meaning that IT administrators can quickly
and easily disable log in credentials when
employees leave the organization.
SHARING YOUR POLICY
Once you’ve put together a “use policy,” make
sure that it’s available to the community.
Include it in student handbooks, staff handbooks
and on your website. I also recommend
reviewing it annually to make sure that it
remains accurate and appropriate for your
current needs.
Today’s administrators are under great
pressure to make sure that they are doing
everything they can from a security standpoint,
even when some decision they make
aren’t popular. Creating a “use policy” can
play an important role in assuring all stakeholders
that surveillance cameras installed to
enhance security will be used respectfully
and responsibly.
This article originally appeared in the April 2018 issue of Campus Security Today.