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Essex Police
The use of surveillance camera technology should prevent crime and disorder on police premises as well as capture high quality evidence in the event of crime and disorder on police premises and protect the material and non material assets of Essex Police.
Patrick Duffy
Head of Estate Services
Patrick Duffy
01/08/2022
Use of a surveillance camera system must always be for a specified purpose which is in pursuit of a legitimate aim and necessary to meet an identified pressing need.
Police stations generally have a high level of exposure to members of the public as they are a predominant point of contact with the police. There is a threat of vandalism, criminal damage and assault on police staff arising from this. At police stations with limited or no public interaction, there is an equal risk of general crime through isolation or the belief that they are vacant / empty.
Assets to be protected -
The safety and security of police personnel (officers and staff), members of the public on police premises.
Equipment belonging to the police service including (but not limited to) police vehicles, IT equipment, communications equipment and furniture/furnishings.
Evidence in the form of physical property and digital evidence.
Police intelligence through the prevention of unauthorised access to police premises.
The reputation of the force, internally and externally through the prevention of unauthorised access to police premises.
Processing is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority vested in the controller. Only on occasions it will be used for vital interests.
The high-level benefits are the prevention and detection of crime and disorder and the enhanced safety of police personnel, police property, the public and detainees. High quality evidence will also be captured in the event of crime and disorder on police premises. The alternative of physical guarding has been disregarded as too resource-intensive.
No
.
Not Applicable
The use of a surveillance camera system must take into account its effect on individuals and their privacy, with regular reviews to ensure its use remains justified.
Yes
Yes
Yes
Before May 2018 the requirement was to complete a privacy impact assessment; this has been replaced by a data protection impact assessment. There is a surveillance camera specific template on the Surveillance Camera Commissioner’s website:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/privacy-impact-assessments-for-surveillance-cameras
Yes
N/A
No
Not Applicable
There must be as much transparency in the use of a surveillance camera system as possible, including a published contact point for access to information and complaints.
No
Yes
Yes
.
Should any person visiting Essex Police have any questions concerning the operation of the CCTV systems or their rights with respect to any images of them recorded by the systems, they should contact the Information Rights Team, Essex Police HQ, PO Box 2, Chelmsford. CM2 6DA.
No
Not Applicable
There must be clear responsibility and accountability for all surveillance camera system activities including images and information collected, held and used.
Authorised members of police staff will be able to review the data, provided there is a valid policing purpose, the relevant authority has been given and there is an audit log created for the download (where data is downloaded only). Only a vetted contractor upon receipt of a direct order via a force process may obtain a download.
Recorded images will be kept for 31 days and recorded over on the 32nd day.
If required for evidential purposes, once data has been downloaded into a suitable format, it will be subject to legislation regarding the use and handling of police evidence.
Yes
Yes
Guidance on single point of contact.
Data Protection Officer
Essex Police
HQ
PO Box 2
Chelmsford
CM2 6DA
Email: [email protected]
Yes
As above, only authorised members of police staff will be able to review the data, provided there is a valid policing purpose, the relevant authority has been given and there is an audit log created for the download (where data is downloaded only). Only a vetted contractor upon receipt of a direct order via a force process may obtain a download.
.
Yes
Appoint a SPOC within the applicable governance arrangements.
Clear rules, policies and procedures must be in place before a surveillance camera system is used, and these must be communicated to all who need to comply with them.
No
No
The system will be reviewed annually to ensure it is still fit for purpose and to address any change in geography surrounding the police premises. Essex police have a preventative maintenance contract for CCTV which will ensure all systems are fit for purpose and meeting their objectives. If any alterations take place to the police building the camera surveillance would be addressed at the time of the development.
No
Not Applicable
No
Only trained authorised members of police staff will be able to review the data.
Not Applicable - Refer to Body Worn Video Assessment
Not Applicable - Refer to UAV Assessment
No
Not Applicable
No more images and information should be stored than that which is strictly required for the stated purpose of a surveillance camera system, and such images and information should be deleted once their purposes have been discharged.
Information captured will be stored on a recorder located in the premises, and stored for 31 days before being overwritten on the 32nd day. This period is proportionate to allow for any evidence captured to be viewed/downloaded in the event of crime or disorder on police premises.
Recorded images will be kept for 31 days and recorded over on the 32nd day.
No
No
No
No
Not Applicable
Access to retained images and information should be restricted and there must be clearly defined rules on who can gain access and for what purpose such access is granted; the disclosure of images and information should only take place when it is necessary for such a purpose or for law enforcement purposes.
Only authorised members of police staff will be able to review the data, provided there is a valid policing purpose, the relevant authority has been given and there is an audit log created for the download (where data is downloaded only). Only a vetted contractor upon receipt of a direct order via a force process may obtain a download.
Yes
All systems are stand alone with no access to external network / internet connection. No additional security features installed.
Essex police have policies in place to deal with data access requests.
Yes
If required for evidential purposes, once data has been downloaded into a suitable format, it will be subject to legislation regarding the use and handling of police evidence.
No
Not Applicable
Surveillance camera system operators should consider any approved operational, technical and competency standards relevant to a system and its purpose and work to meet and maintain those standards.
(There are lists of relevant standards on the Surveillance Camera Commissioner’s website.)
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
No
No
Not Applicable
Surveillance camera system images and information should be subject to appropriate security measures to safeguard against unauthorised access and use.
Only authorised members of police staff will be able to review the data, provided there is a valid policing purpose, the relevant authority has been given and there is an audit log created for the download (where data is downloaded only). Only a vetted contractor upon receipt of a direct order via a force process may obtain a download. If required for evidential purposes, once data has been downloaded into a suitable format, it will be subject to legislation regarding the use and handling of police evidence.
.
In relation to cyber security risks, technical measures are in place to safeguard the information we hold. Most systems are stand alone with no access to local or external networks. Where a CCTV system is connected to the corporate network additional security safeguards are put in place. They are also subject to regular internal vulnerability scans using in-house tooling and are included in our annual IT health check (ITHC) carried out by a CHECK NCSC approved penetration test company.
Specific measures are unable to be released or documented in the public domain.
U5000 - Policy CCTV
U5001 - Procedure - Estate CCTV Download Request
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
No
Not Applicable
There should be effective review and audit mechanisms to ensure legal requirements, policies and standards are complied with in practice, and regular reports should be published.
The system will be reviewed annually to ensure it is still fit for purpose and to address any change in geography surrounding the police premises. Essex police have a preventative maintenance contract for CCTV which will ensure all systems are fit for purpose and meeting their objectives. If any alterations take place to the police building the camera surveillance would be addressed at the time of the development.
No
No
The alternative option of physical guarding has been disregarded as too resource-intensive
Essex police have a preventative maintenance contract for CCTV which will ensure all systems are fit for purpose and meeting their objectives.
No
Not Applicable
When the use of a surveillance camera system is in pursuit of a legitimate aim, and there is a pressing need for its use, it should then be used in the most effective way to support public safety and law enforcement with the aim of processing images and information of evidential value.
Yes
ICO / SCO guidance was reviewed when operational requirements were created.
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
Not Applicable
Any information used to support a surveillance camera system which compares against a reference database for matching purposes should be accurate and kept up to date.
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
.
Not Applicable
.
No
Not Applicable