Policy Text
University of California, San Francisco
Police Department General Orders
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4.7 Patrol Operations: Vehicle Equipment and Uniform
4.7.1 3 Mobile Audio/Video Recording System (MAV) (Issued: 9/20 /16)
A. Purpose and Scope
The UCSF Police Department has equipped marked patrol vehicles with a MAV. The
MAV is designed to assist and compl ement patrol officers in the performance of their
duties. The MAV is used to record field activities by providing a visual and/or audio
record. Video recordings are intended to provide an unbiased visual/audio record of the
incident and supplement the offi cer’s report. The use of a MAV system provides
persu asive, documentary evidence and helps defend against civil litigation and
allegations of officer misconduct. Officers using this system shall adhere to the
operational objectives and protocols outlined he rein so as to maximize the effectiveness
and utility of the MAV and the integrity of evidence and related video documentation.
B. Objectives
The Department has adopted use of the MAV to accomplish the following objectives:
1. To enhance officer safety
2. To accurately capture statements and events during t he course of an incident
3. To enhance officers’ ability to document and review statements and actions for
both internal reporting requirements and courtroom preparation/presentation
4. To provide an impa rtial measurement for self -critique, field evaluatio n and new
officer training
5. To capture visual and audio information for use in current and future
investigations.
C. Officer Responsibilities
All officers shall successfully complete the Department’s t raining prior to using the MAV
in operational settin gs.
Officers will check the vehicle status board to determine if his/her assigned vehicle has a
functioning MAV unit. If the MAV in the assigned vehicle is not functioning, the officer
shall switch to an other marked unit with a functioning MAV, unless the Watch
Commander approves use of the vehicle with the nonfunctioning MAV. If an officer is
aware of or becomes aware of the system malfunctions during a shift, the officer
shall notify a supervisor and ta ke the vehicle out of service, unless a supervisor
determines the vehicle will remain in service.
Prior to clearing in a vehicle with an operational MAV, the officer will turn on the MAV
to verify the system is operational. The officer will log on to the system with his/her user
identification and then syn chronize his/her wireless microphone.
1. A single officer unit will use the microphone that is assigned to the unit.
University of California, San Francisco
Police Department General Orders
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2. For a two -officer unit, the partner officer will obtain a microphone from the
equipm ent board at the station.
3. If the partner officer changes or is added during a shift, the new partner must sync
his/her microphone.
4. Officers shall carry the MAV microphone upon their person during their shift.
a. The microphone should be carried in a holder on the Sam Browne belt or
in a uniform pocke t.
Other items to check include:
1. Remote audio transmitter
a. Functional
b. Has adequate power source
c. Is connected to the recording equipment
d. Triggers remote activation of system via transmitter .
2. Camera
a. Windshield and camera lens are free of debris
b. Camera is facing intended direction
c. Recording mechanism captures both audio and video information
d. System plays back both audio and video tracks.
At the end of every patrol shift, officers shall upload captured video to the server via the
wireless access point located at the station if feasible. Officers must exit the MAV by
doing a shutdown and upload. This will upload the video via wireless or, if wireless is
down, the video will remains o n portable hard drive until an authorized supervisor can
remove the hard drive.
Officers shall not tamper with, disable or attempt to complete repairs on any hardware
components of the MAV system.
D. Supervisor Responsibilities
Supervisors shall conduct periodic reviews of personnel in order to ensure the MAV is
being used as required and in compliance with Departmental policy.
Supervisors who are informed or otherwise become aware of malfunctioning equipment
shall ensure that authorized personnel make r epairs in a timely manner. The supervisor is
respons ible for determining specific causes for such problems (e.g., the problem with the
MAV equipment went unreported or MAV equipment was not being used in accordance
with Departmental policy).
When incident arises that requires the immediate retrieval of the recorded media (e.g.,
serious crime scenes, officer -involved shootings, department -involved collisions), a
supervisor shall respond to the scene and ensure that the appropriate supervisor properly
retrie ves the recorded media. The media may need to be tre ated as evidence and should
be handled in accordance with the current evidence procedures for recorded media.