The Council operates CCTV cameras in public spaces (such as Town Centres), Main Roads (such as busy junctions) and on Council owned property and spaces.
CCTV recordings are used for traffic monitoring, public safety interests and the prevention and detection of crime. Recordings also provide enforcement agencies with evidence of criminal activity, for formal actions including prosecutions in court and identification of offenders in investigations.
These recordings contain images of the public going about their daily business as well as offenders, persons wanted and missing.
On occasions where the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA) applies, this may include targeted footage of private property. Special permission is required before this can be carried out.
The CCTV system and database is used to record incidents that are actioned by the CCTV control room staff. This information can be used as an evidential log if needed for court. It is also used to produce reports, charts etc for performance and intelligence purposes as well as for internal/external partner agencies and West Midlands Police. Some cameras are accessed for the purpose of Urban Traffic Control (UTC) and accessed, under contract, by staff at Wolverhampton City Council on our behalf.
We also share with Insurance Companies when authorised by the Council’s Data Protection Team.
We will record the details of each incident, what happened, any outcomes and what action was taken.
The systems database also documents the location, time and date and information relating to who, when and how footage is disclosed.
We will record and share details and activities relating to those suspected of criminal offences under investigation.
The legal basis for using the information that is obtained is:
- for the interest of public safety, the prevention and detection of crime, apprehension and prosecution of offenders and for legal proceedings
- public task: the processing is necessary for us to perform a task in the public interest or for our official functions, and the task or function has a clear basis in law
- in some circumstances - Vital interests: the processing is necessary to protect someone’s life
The lawful basis for holding and processing the data comes under:
- Section 163 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994
- Crime and Disorder Act 1998
- Protection of Freedoms Act 2012
- In certain Circumstances - Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act
We also use your personal data for some or all of the following purposes:
- to deliver public services, including to understand your needs to provide the services that you request and to understand what we can do for you and inform you of other relevant services
- to confirm your identity to provide some services
- to help us to build up a picture of how we are performing
- to prevent and detect fraud and corruption in the use of public funds and where necessary for the law enforcement functions
- to enable us to meet all legal obligations and powers including any delegated functions
- to seek your views, opinions or comments
- to send you communications which you have requested and that may be of interest to you. These may include information about campaigns, appeals, other new projects or initiatives
- to allow the statistical analysis of data so we can plan the provision of services
We will usually seek your consent prior to processing or sharing your information, however, if there is a legal reason, we may not require your consent, e.g. where the disclosure is necessary for the purposes of the prevention and/or detection of crime.
Where we need to disclose sensitive or confidential information such as medical details to other partners, we will do so only with your prior explicit consent or where we are legally required to.
Information will be shared with:
- CCTV operators
- Internal/External enforcement agencies Trading Standards, HMRC
- Police Forces
- Fire and Rescue Services
- with members of the public under very strict Data Protection or Freedom of Information conditions
- we will also share information with Insurance Companies, but only when we have been authorised by the Data Protection Team at Dudley Council
- we will share details of those convicted with local crime reduction partnerships
From CCTV Cameras feeding live video images into the CCTV control room.
CCTV images are held for 30 days for non-requested footage, and up to 12 months for any footage requested and secured.
CCTV video images are recorded in real time onto a secure CCTV locked system that is part of the Council’s secure network.
Other information is held on a secure electronic database hosted on the Councils secure internal network and both are fully access restricted / auditable.
