Section 24-2502. PUBLIC NOTIFICATION

 

2502.1The Chief of Police shall provide public notification prior to the deployment of any permanent cameras, except:

 

(a)Under exigent circumstances; or

 

(b)When cameras are deployed pursuant to a court order.

 

2502.2Public notice shall include the general capabilities of CCTV systems, their use in departmental operations, and the duration of the deployment. Public notice will also identify the viewing area, but not necessarily the precise location of the camera. The precise location of a camera may be disclosed if the Chief of Police determines that disclosure will not undermine the security of the camera and the efficacy of the deployment.

 

2502.3The public shall have thirty (30) days to submit comments regarding a proposed deployment to the Chief of Police. The public may submit comments to the Chief of Police at any time regarding a particular camera deployment or the CCTV system in general.

 

2502.4The Chief of Police shall consider the comments submitted by the public in determining whether to go forward with deployment of the camera. The Chief of Police will provide public notice of his decision and provide an explanation.

 

2502.5In exigent circumstances, the Chief of Police is authorized to deploy cameras without first consulting or soliciting comments from the public. After the conclusion of the exigent circumstance, the camera shall be turned off immediately. As soon as feasible after the conclusion of the exigent circumstance, the Chief of Police shall have the camera removed. The Chief of Police will provide post-deployment public notification of any camera deployed under this provision.

 

2502.6When cameras are deployed pursuant to a court order, neither pre nor post-deployment notification is required.

 

2502.7MPD will post and maintain signage indicating the presence of CCTV systems in the District of Columbia.

 

2502.8On a semi-annual basis, MPD will provide updates on the CCTV system at community meetings to be announced to the public.

 

2502.9MPD will provide information about the CCTV system and its usage in its Annual Report. The information shall include the viewing area of cameras, periods of activation and/or recording and the purposes of activation and recording, disposition of any recordings, and an evaluation of whether the camera achieved the purposes stated in Section 2500. The MPD shall not include any information pertaining to cameras deployed pursuant to a court order or deployed as part of an on-going criminal investigation.

 

 

authority

Unless otherwise noted, that authority for this chapter is Section 2(a) of the Metropolitan Police Department Video Surveillance Regulations Temporary Act of 2002, effective June 25, 2002 (D.C. Law 14-158), and Title I of the District of Columbia Administrative Procedure Act, approved October 21, 1968 (82 Stat. 1204; D.C. Official Code §§ 2-501 et seq. ).

source

Final Rulemaking published at 49 DCR 11443 (December 20, 2002); as amended by the Use of Closed Circuit Television to Combat Crime Amendment of 2006, effective March 14, 2007 (D.C. Law 16-284; 54 DCR 938 (February 2, 2007)).