Policy Text
Correctional Services P age 1 of 5 1/10 (REV 4/14)
MJ/RCCC
OPERATIONS ORDER
Operational Video System
The purpose of this Order is to standardize the procedures for maintaining the
Operational Video Reco rding System at the Main Jail and the Rio Cosumnes
Correctional Center (RCCC).
I. Policy
The Main Jail and RCCC Divisions shall be responsib le for the safekeeping of all
videotape recordings produced at either facility. These recordi ngs are not public records
and if compromised, could jeopard ize the security of the facili ty or the legal issues they
represent; therefore, these video records will be afforded the best possible control. No
employee shall copy, nor cause to be copied, nor use any other device (e.g., cell phone,
tablet) to copy any footage from the Operational Video System o r from a video terminal
that displays footage from the Operational Vi deo System without prior approval from a
Watch Commander or above. No empl oyee shall allow any privatel y owned electronic
equipment within their custody o r control to be used to access the system without prior
approval from a Watch Commander or above. Those individuals or agencies permitted
access to these recordings are l iable and responsible for the p roper safeguards and
inventory control measur es outlined in this Order.
II. General Information
A. The Operational Video System includes the production, storag e, and
inventory control of operational video recordings produced by h andheld
video cameras and surveillance re corders. This also includes t he
recycling of videocassettes and/or other media storage and main tenance
of all video equipment and supplies.
B. Operational Video Recording is surveillance or handheld prod uced
recordings of events occurring within a facility.
C. Operational Video Library is a locked room where Operational Video
Recordings are stored.
D. Recording Rooms are locked r ooms where surveillance recordin g
equipment and the initial stor age of handheld produced video me dia
recordings are stored.
E. The current video surveillance recording system is a digital video
recording (DVR) system. T he system provides for:
Correctional Services P age 2 of 5 1/10 (REV 4/14)
MJ/RCCC 1. Historical electronic retrie val of stored digital video reco rdings.
2. DVR storage for at least 25 months at the Main Jail and at RCCC
with future expansion capabilities.
F. Dub is the term used to descri be a copy of an originally pro duced
Operational Video Recording.
III. Main Jail and RCCC Staff Responsibilities
A. Each facility shall maintain an Operational Video Library wh ere portable
media storage, i.e. videocassette s and DVD’s, shall be stored a fter use.
B. The management of the Operati onal Video Library is designate d to staff
assigned to the Intelligence Uni t and Projects Officer at the Main Jail and
staff assigned to the Investigat ive Services Unit (or designee) at RCCC .
Staff assigned to manage the Operati onal Video Library are mini mally
responsible for:
1. Tracking the Operational Video Recordings; 2. Storage, inventory control, and recycling of video cassettes or other
media based storage;
3. The production of surve illance DVD copies;
4. Dubbing and producin g certified copies of recordings for evi dentiary
purposes.
C. Handheld cameras are availa ble in designated housing units a nd/or
workstations. Each workstati on that is equipped with a handhel d camera
shall be responsible for it s operating condition.
1. At the beginning of each shift employees shall ensure the ha ndheld
camera is in working condition a nd is equipped with the proper
media storage. This shall be lo gged in the housing unit/workst ation
log book.
2. If a camera is inoperable, a shift supervisor shall be notif ied and the
camera given to the Projects Officer.
D. Designated areas of each facility have been equipped with su rveillance
cameras. The surveillance camera s are connected to a digital v ideo
recording system (DVR).
1. The surveillance cameras and DVR system are the responsibili ty of
the Projects Officer, representat ive from the Technical Service s
Division, and representatives from maintenance contracts.
Correctional Services P age 3 of 5 1/10 (REV 4/14)
MJ/RCCC 2. Inoperable or damaged cameras s hall immediately be reported to a
shift supervisor and the Projects Officer.
3. Staff shall not remove the came ra unless it poses an immedia te
safety risk to staff or prisoners.
E. The Fiscal Office/Warehouse shall maintain a supply of curre ntly used
media based storage. This may in clude Mini DV blank cassettes for
handheld use and a supply of bla nk DVD and CD disks for the
surveillance DVR system.
IV. Handheld Recordings
A. At the conclusion of a recor ded event, the media storage con tainer and
media storage used to capture the recording shall be legibly la beled with
the prisoner’s name, X-reference num ber, date and time, location of
event, and recording staff’ s name and badge number .
1. If a DVD or CD is used to sto re the video recording, the inf ormation
shall be written direct ly on the DVD or CD with the appropriate felt