GO - 52503 - - In - Car - Camera

SACRAMENTO POLICE DEPARTMENT GENERAL ORDERS G.O 525.03 Page 1 of 4 525.03 IN-CAR CAMERA 03-03-15 PURPOSE The purpose of this order is to establish procedures to ensure that digital in-car camera systems are used to accurately and independently document the actions of citizens and employees. POLICY It shall be the policy of the Sacramento Police Department to use digital in-car cameras in a manner that will assist in criminal prosecutions or civil litigation by pr oviding a recording of the incident that may supplement an officer’s report and help document professional police conduct. PROCEDURE A. DEFINITIONS 1. ICC Front End Client - Panasonic ICC Arbitrator 360's software solution to control the systems functionality in the mobile environment. 2. ICC Back End Client - Panasonic ICC Arbitrator 360's software solution used to view and archive recorded ICC video after it has been off loaded from the vehicle. B. USE OF THE EQUIPMENT 1. All employees shall utilize the in-car camera (ICC) system in accordance with Department training and this order whenever operating a vehicle equipped with an ICC. 2. All employees who utilize the ICC system shall have an operational wireless microphone. a. If an employee’s microphone is malfunctioning, th e employee shall immediately contact his/her supervisor if available, or the District supervisor for a replacement. b. If an employee’s microphone is lost/stolen th e employee shall immediately contact their supervisor and submit a Red Border form (as required in G.O. 410.02) through the chain of command with a summary of the circumstances. c. If no replacement microphone is available that fact shall be noted in the remarks section of the MDC log-on screen along with the supervisor’s name. 3. At the start of a shift, employees operating an ICC equipped vehicle shall check the system to ensure that it is operating properly. This shall include: a. Checking the wireless microphone for function and battery strength. b. Positioning the transmitter and microphone properly. Wireless microphones shall be carried on or above the employee’s duty belt. Suggested positions for the wireless microphone: (1) the duty belt.(2) inside the uniform shirt pocket. (3) on the uniform epaulette. c. positioning the cameras to record events. d. activating the system and recording a five (5) second test. The employee will then confirm on playback that the system recorded. 4. In the event an ICC equipped vehicle is malfunctioning employees shall: a. Place the vehicle on the “dead line.” b. Prepare a Fleet Management Equipment Request/Repair Form which includes a description of the problem. c. Notify the employee’s supervisor of the malfunction.d. Take another ICC equipped vehicle from the “ready line.” NOTE: In the event of a shortage of vehicles for a scheduled shift, only a Sergeant or higher authority can authorize an officer to utilize a vehicle with a non-functioning ICC system; officers shall list the name of the authorizing supervisor and that the ICC system is not functioning in the remarks section of the MDC log-on screen. SACRAMENTO POLICE DEPARTMENT GENERAL ORDERS G.O 525.03 Page 2 of 4 5. During a shift, employees who encounter a problem with the ICC system shall contact their supervisor. Supervisors shall determine if a vehicle should be dead-lined if the ICC system is not functioning. 6. Employees shall complete a journal entry on their unit history, to include the nature of the problem, the name of the notified supervisor and whether t he vehicle was dead-lined or remained in service. C. USING THE SYSTEM 1. Prior to going in service each officer will be required to log into the ICC Front End Client with a username and password. 2. The ICC system can be activated manually by pressing the “Record” button on the camera, wireless microphone, or on the “Arbitrator 360 Front End Client Application.” 3. The ICC system has four (4) automatic activation triggers: a. Light Control: The ICC system will automatically begin to record when the patrol vehicle’s emergency lights are activated. b. Speed Activation: The ICC system will automatically begin to record when the patrol vehicle’s GPS speed reaches 90 MPH. c. d. Crash Sensor: The ICC system will automatically begin to record if the vehicle is involved in a collision. 4. The ICC system will save 30 seconds of video recorded before the system was activated by any of the triggers. The ICC system will record an additional 30 seconds of video after the system is stopped. 5. The ICC system (audio and video recording) shall be activated as soon as practical whenever an officer in an ICC equipped vehicle makes any field contact for enforcement or investigative purposes (e.g., suspicious vehicle, suspicious subject, traffic stop, bike stop, subject stop), whether self-initiated or in response to a dispatched call. a. When the system has been activated in response to any of the above, the incident/contact shall be recorded until the incident/contact has reasonably concluded. 6. 7. The ICC system shall be activated whenever a patrol vehicle is involved in a pursuit, or operating Code 3. a. Officers that reduce driving Code 3, but continue to the call, shall not turn off their ICC until the incident has reasonably concluded. [see GO 521.01 (Pursuit of Vehicles) and GO 521.02 (Code 3 Driving)]. 8. In the event that an employee is unable to activate the ICC system or the system fails to record all or part of an event, the