(a) Camera Installation. The Chief of Police may install a public safety camera in an area if the Chief of Police finds, after holding a community meeting as set forth below, that installing the camera is likely to improve public safety in that area. The Chief of Police may call a meeting to discuss installation of a public safety camera on the Chief’s own initiative, or in response to a request from a member of the public (including but not limited to community and business organizations).
(b) Public Meeting Required. A community meeting shall be held in the neighborhood(s) being considered for a public safety camera, prior to installation. The Chief of Police may require the attendance of the affected neighborhood’s District Captain and/or a sworn member of the Police Department holding the rank of Captain or higher.
(c) Approval of Camera Installation by Chief of Police. After the community meeting(s) described in subsection (b), the Chief of Police shall review a summary of community feedback, including feedback provided at the community meeting, before making a decision regarding the installation and/or placement of the public safety camera. The Chief’s decision shall be based on public safety considerations, including the nature and frequency of criminal activity in the area and information provided by members of the impacted community. The Department of Technology (“DT”) shall be responsible for installing and maintaining any approved cameras. A camera installation approved by the Chief of Police under this subsection (c) is not subject to the requirements of Chapter 19B of the Administrative Code.
(d) Annual Report to the Board of Supervisors and to the Police Commission. The Police Department shall prepare an annual report on all public safety cameras that the City has installed under this Chapter 19. The report shall identify the camera locations, the crime statistics for the vicinity surrounding each camera both before and after the camera is installed, crime statistics from surrounding vicinities, the number of times the Police Department requested copies of the recorded images, the number of live monitoring operations, and the number of times the images were used to make an arrest. The Department shall issue the reports during the first quarter of each calendar year, starting in 2025.
(Added by Ord. 127-06, File No. 060086, App. 6/22/2006; amended by Proposition E, 3/5/2024, Eff. 4/12/2024)