Office of Origin: Facilities Management
Responsibility: Executive Director, Facilities Management  
Date Adopted: 03-18-25    
Dates Reviewed: 03-18-25
Last Date Board Approved: 03-18-25

The College is committed to providing a safe and secure environment for students, faculty, staff, and visitors. Security cameras are an important tool in achieving this goal. However, their use must be balanced with the need to respect the privacy of individuals. The purpose of this policy is to establish guidelines for the use of security cameras on campus to enhance safety, deter criminal activity, and protect college property while respecting individual privacy rights. This policy applies to all security cameras installed on College property, including but not limited to hallways, parking lots, and public spaces.

Camera Installation and Placement

Only authorized personnel from the Information Technologies or Facilities Management may install security cameras. Cameras will be placed in high-traffic areas, entrances and exits, and locations identified as having increased visibility and accessibility needs.

Request for Camera View Access

Access to security camera views is limited to authorized personnel, including faculty and staff, who require access for operational purposes related to their roles. Individuals that believe access is required should submit a system access request form in the IT Service Desk Portal. Access requests will be reviewed by IT and shared with the security team and the individual’s Cabinet member for approval. All individuals granted access to camera views will receive view only access and are expected to maintain confidentiality and use the footage solely for the purposes specified in their request and remain in compliance with the Acceptable Use Policy. Unauthorized sharing or misuse of camera footage is strictly prohibited and may result in disciplinary action.

Data Management

• Recording: Security cameras will record on motion detection, depending on the location and needs.
• Storage Duration: Recorded footage will be retained for a minimum of 90 days. Exceptions will be made when footage is required for an ongoing investigation or legal matter.
• Access Control: Access to recorded footage will be restricted to authorized personnel, including the facilities security team and IT staff, who require it for legitimate purposes.

Privacy Considerations

• Restricted Areas: Cameras will not be placed in areas where individuals have a reasonable expectation of privacy, such as restrooms, locker rooms, or private offices.
• Use of Footage: Recorded footage will only be used for legitimate security purposes, including but not limited to investigations of incidents, safety reviews, routine checks to ensure functionality, and legal compliance.
• Live Viewing: Live footage viewing will be restricted to situations where there is a reasonable suspicion of an incident occurring, such as in response to an alarm, reported security breach, or observed unusual activity. Live viewing should not be conducted without cause and must be directly related to the need to investigate or address a specific concern.

Flock Cameras

Flock cameras are specialized license plate recognition cameras designed to enhance campus security by monitoring vehicle access and identifying vehicles of interest.

• Installation Locations: Flock cameras will be strategically placed at campus entry and exit points, as well as in designated parking areas.
• Data Collection: Flock cameras will capture license plate information and associated metadata (e.g., date, time, location). This data is used primarily for security purposes, including incident investigations and vehicle identification.
• Data Retention: Data collected by Flock cameras will be retained for a minimum of 90 days unless it is part of an ongoing investigation or legal matter, in which case it may be retained longer as required.
• Access Control: Access to Flock camera data will be limited to authorized personnel only, including the security team and designated IT staff as required.

Request to Review Recordings

• Internal Requests: Requests for security camera footage should be requested through Human Resources.
• External Requests: All requests from sources external to the College for the release of information and results obtained through surveillance monitoring or recording must be submitted to the FOIA Coordinator for approval prior to release.
• Confidentiality: All requests and resulting footage will be handled with strict confidentiality. Access to footage will only be granted for the specified purpose, and any unauthorized use or sharing of footage is strictly prohibited.
• Denial of Access: If a request for access is denied, the requester will receive a written explanation for the denial.

Compliance with Laws

All use of security cameras will comply with applicable federal, state, and local laws, including those related to privacy and surveillance.
Reporting Concerns

Any concerns or complaints regarding the use of security cameras should be directed to the security team.

References:  Acceptable Use Policy, IT Service Desk Portal, Record Retention, Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)