Policies & Procedures

Policy Owner:  The Vice President of Student Affairs will oversee the policy and the Longwood University Police Department (LUPD) will monitor compliance along with taking any necessary corrective action.

Purpose:  The purpose of this policy is to regulate the use of camera systems used to observe and record public areas for the purposes of safety and security.  Noncompliance with this policy may result in disciplinary actions up to and including termination.  This policy is to direct the use of video captured from camera systems placed in compliance with Virginia code § 18.2-386.1 and not cameras that may be utilized for specific law enforcement actions authorized under §18.2-386.1 (b)(i).

Policy Statement:  LUPD is committed to enhancing the quality of life of the campus community by integrating the best practices of safety and security with technology. A critical component of a comprehensive security plan is the utilization of a security and safety camera system. The surveillance of the public area is intended to deter crime and assist in protecting the safety and property of the Longwood University community. This policy applies to all University property and University Managed Property locations, and all personnel regarding video security recording and monitoring. Retaliation against any employee who brings forth a good faith concern, asks a clarifying question, or participates in an investigation is prohibited.

LUPD is authorized to permit the security and safety camera system(s) under their control, or portions of it, to be accessed by other Longwood University departments. This authority may be granted for live feed viewing only. Review of recorded video may only be done by LUPD staff and only for purposes otherwise authorized by this policy.

LUPD officially interprets this policy and is responsible for obtaining approval for any revisions as required by policy through the appropriate governance structures. Please direct policy questions to the office of the LUPD Chief of Police.

Violations of this policy shall be punishable as provided in Virginia Code §19.2-62.  (Code 1950, §19.1-89.7; 1973, c. 442; 1975, c. 495; 1976, c. 231; 1979, c. 602; 1983, c. 536; 1988, c. 889.)

Procedures:

Responsibility

• LUPD has the authority to select, coordinate, operate, manage, and monitor all campus security surveillance systems pursuant to this policy. All departments using camera surveillance are responsible for coordinating with LUPD the implementation and compliance with this policy. It is understood that a situation may exist where a remote view camera may be utilized on campus that is not part of the LUPD controlled system(s), in this case the LUPD Chief must be aware of, and approve of, the utilization of such a system.
• LUPD shall monitor developments in the law and in security industry practices and technology to ensure that camera surveillance is consistent with the best practices and complies with all federal and state laws.
• LUPD and IT will assess new camera locations in existing facilities and coordinate needs relating to new construction with Capital Planning.
• Funding of the campus security surveillance systems shall be line-item specified for the purpose within the LUPD budget. Costs for installation in new construction should be included in the construction budget.
• Maintenance and testing will be the responsibility of LUPD and IT, or designated other party, as further described below.
• LUPD will review any complaints regarding the utilization of surveillance camera systems and determine whether the policy is being followed. Appeals of a decision made by the Chief of Police regarding the placement of, or viewing of live feeds or review of captured video, will be made to and reviewed by the Vice President of Student Affairs for a decision.
• All Longwood University employees have a duty to report any person who tampers with or destroys video security equipment. Any damage noted to video security equipment should be reported without delay to the Chief of Police’s Administrative Assistant.
• Anyone who tampers with or destroys video security equipment will be subject to criminal prosecution and/or campus judicial action.

Authorization & Installation

• Individual departments, programs, campus organizations, or campus vendors will coordinate with LUPD and IT on camera installations to ensure new equipment works with existing systems.
• LUPD will coordinate with IT staff to have cameras installed or schedule with an outside vender if IT is unable to perform the installation.
• LUPD staff will review all camera feeds at least weekly to ensure cameras appear to be working properly. LUPD will coordinate repairs or replacement as necessary. Cameras found in need of repair or replacement should have such necessary work done as soon as practical within constraints of available manpower and materials.

Video Review

• Video may be reviewed for specific law enforcement or public safety purposes. This includes, but is not limited to, review for possible law violations, University policy violations, and safety issues. Video footage may also be reviewed to ensure proper functioning of cameras and for legitimate training on the systems.
• Any review of video must be documented and kept on file by LUPD. Documentation must include the date, time range, geographic are of video feeds reviewed, LUPD case number if relevant, and who initiated the request for the review.
• Any video downloaded for any reason must be documented to include the actual video camera, date and time frame of the specific video downloaded.
• The Chief of Police may set in place guidance for viewing and release of videos outside of LUPD staff.

Requests for Live Feed Viewing

• At the discretion of the Chief of Police, departments may be authorized to have the ability to view live video from the surveillance camera system(s).
• Requests should be made by University email from the department head.
• If the request is approved, or during the approval process, the Chief of Police’s Administrative Assistant will meet with staff from the requesting department to determine which camera feeds would be appropriate for them to view and determine which staff will have such authority to log into the system involved.
• LUPD staff will work with IT to install such a viewing location.

Approved by the Board of Visitors, September 10, 2010.
Revised and approved by the Board of Visitors, June 15, 2012.
Revised and approved by the Board of Visitors, February 10, 2020.