(a) Purpose. The City Council finds that tobacco dealers can become targets of opportunity for theft and violent crimes. The purpose of this section is to protect the public health, safety and welfare by increasing security for patrons and employees of these businesses by the use of surveillance cameras. Surveillance cameras will assist in deterring crime in and adjacent to such businesses and can provide information to assist the police in investigating crimes that do occur.
(b) Security requirements. Every tobacco dealer licensed pursuant to this chapter shall install a recording security camera of a type, number and placement approved by the Chief of Police of the City.
(c) Maintenance of equipment and recording media required. The Chief of Police shall have the authority to formulate reasonable rules to fully implement this Chapter.
(1) Type of camera required. The camera(s) must be capable of producing a retrievable image on VHS tape or digital media that can be made a permanent record and which can be enlarged through projection or other means. Existing systems may be of analog cameras and VHS recording media or a digital camera with a digital video recorder, such equipment shall have date and time stamp on the recorded video and shall be maintained in proper working order at all times during all hours of operation of the business. Any new or replacement equipment shall consist of a digital camera and digital video recorder.
(2) Signage required. Said establishments shall post a conspicuous sign which states that the property is under video surveillance.
(3) Minimum standards. Cameras shall be subject to periodic inspections by the Chief of Police or his or her designee.
(4) Management of VHS or digital media. Said establishments shall maintain and make available; video tapes; film or digital media, to the Freeport Police Department for a period of no less than forty-five days before reusing or destruction of media. VHS Videotapes and digital media shall be marked with the day of the month the material was used. Digital materials shall be marked with the time and date. The establishment shall retain one blank VHS tape, or digital media to be used if the other media is taken by the police department or if the other recording media fails. All VHS video tapes shall be replaced after being used 12 times. All digital recording media shall be replaced upon failure or at the manufactures recommended replacement schedule whichever occurs first.
(5) Knowledge of equipment required. All licensees are required to have present on the licensed premises, or immediately available via telephonic contact, at all times during business hours, a person having operational knowledge of, and access to, any surveillance equipment installed on the licensed premises. Such knowledge will include but not be limited to setup, use and operation, viewing retrieval and transfer of video to removable storage media, including passwords required to access protected electronic video surveillance files. Failure to provide access to any surveillance footage within fifteen minutes after request by a member of the City of Freeport Police Department during business hours, for any reason, shall constitute a violation of this section.
(Ord. 2013-46. Passed 10-7-13; Ord. 2018-12. Passed 3-5-18; Ord. 2019-16. Passed 4-1-19; Ord. 2019-32. Passed 6-3-19.)