Matters ▸ Attachment
Impact Report - OSPCD Drone Camera — File 210912
APPENDIX A: SURVEILLANCE TECHNOLOGY IMPACT REPORT
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Department or Division:
Planning and Zoning
Compliance Officer (name and
position):
Victor Nascimento, Outreach Coordinator for Planning
Submitted by:
Victor Nascimento
Date:
10/07/2020
Surveillance Technology:
Video/Photography Drone
X
Please identify the purpose(s) of the proposed surveillance technology.
Select ALL that apply by entering “X” in the left column.
Identifying and preventing threats to persons and property and preventing injury to persons or
significant damage to property
Identifying, apprehending, and prosecuting criminal offenders
Gathering evidence of violations of any law in criminal, civil, and administrative proceedings
Providing information to emergency personnel
Documenting and improving performance of City employees
Executing financial transactions between the City and any individual engaged in a financial
transaction with the City
Preventing waste, fraud, and abuse of City resources
Maintaining the safety and security of City employees, students, customers, and City-owned or
controlled buildings and property
Enforcing obligations to the City
Operating vehicles for City business
Analyzing and managing service delivery
Communicating among City employees, with citizens, or with third parties
x
Surveying and gathering feedback from constituents
x
Other (Describe): Gathering images and videos of public spaces to illustrate various planning
projects
If the surveillance technology is used for a purpose not listed above, does the purpose comply
with the surveillance use policy? _x_ Yes ___ No
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Complete ALL of the following items related to the proposed surveillance technology. Be as specific as possible.
If an item is not applicable, enter “N/A.” Do NOT leave fields blank.
1.
Information describing the surveillance technology and how it works:
The Office of Strategic Planning and Community Development (OSPCD) owns and operates a small drone (Model:
DJI Phantom 4 Pro V2.0) with both video and photography recording capability. The drone is used to capture
aerial images of public spaces to assist with planning efforts. For example, the drone may be used to capture
before and after photos of a public space renovation project.
a.
Authorized use – the uses that are authorized, the rules and processes required before that use, and the
uses that are prohibited (10.64.b.2):
The drone will be used to capture images of public spaces for planning purposes. Images captured by the drone
may be shared with city staff, contractors, and the general public to gather feedback on design plans. It will not
be utilized for any type of surveillance of individuals or tracking of individual residents.
b.
Training – the training, if any, required for any individual authorized to use the surveillance technology or
to access information collected by the surveillance technology, including whether there are training
materials (10.64.b.9):
Users require formal training in safe drone flight.
2.
Information on the proposed purpose(s) for the surveillance technology (10.64.b.1):
The drone will be used to take zoomed out images and videos of public areas and landscapes for public project
information purposes.
3.
Information describing the kind of surveillance the surveillance technology is going to conduct and what
surveillance data is going to be gathered (10.64.b.3):
The drone will be used to capture videos and images of public areas. The data collected will be the video and
image files captured by the drone. Video and image files will be stored in the OSPCD network drive.
a.
Data access – the individuals who can access or use the collected surveillance data, and the rules and
processes required before access or use of the information (10.64.b.4):
OSPCD staff who have access to the network drive will be able to view the images and videos.
b.
Data protection – the safeguards that protect information from unauthorized access, including, but not
limited to, encryption, access-control, and access-oversight mechanisms; (10.64.b.5)
The OSPCD network drive is limited to department staff and requires staff to be logged in to the city’s network
environment with a username and password. The City’s IT department manages the access control and security
of the network drive.
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c.
Data retention – the time period, if any, for which information collected by the surveillance technology
will be routinely retained, the reason that retention period is appropriate to further the purpose(s), the
process by which the information is regularly deleted after that period has elapsed, and the conditions
that must be met to retain information beyond that period (10.64.b.6):
Images and videos are intended to be kept indefinitely.
d.
Public access – if and how collected surveillance data can be accessed by members of the public,
including criminal defendants (10.64.b.7):
Images and videos in the network drive are not publicly accessible. However, the purpose of capturing the images
is to assist with planning efforts, so many images will be shared on city websites as part of the planning process.
e.
Third-party data-sharing – if and how other city or non-city entities can access or use the surveillance
data, including any required justification and legal standard necessary to do so, and any obligation(s)
imposed on the recipient of the surveillance data (10.64.b.8):
Images captured by the drone may be shared with city staff, contractors, and the general public to gather
feedback on design plans.
4.
The location(s) it may be deployed and when:
Any public areas in Somerville, as needed for specific OSPCD projects.
5.
A description of the privacy and anonymity rights affected and a mitigation plan describing how the
department’s use of the equipment will be regulated to protect privacy, anonymity, and limit the risk of
potential abuse:
Images and videos are taken zoomed out and from sufficient height that when individuals are in the videos and
images they are difficult to identify. Images and videos of individuals in private property will not be recorded.
6.
The potential impact(s) on privacy in the city; the potential impact on the civil rights and liberties of any
individuals, communities or groups, including, but not limited to, communities of color or other marginalized
communities in the city, and a description of whether there is a plan to address the impact(s):
The illustrative and artistic purpose of this image and video collection is in the best interest of the public to assist
in illustrating public projects and efforts. Since its purpose is not to track individuals in any capacity or to be
utilized in any law enforcement effort there should be no impact to civil rights and liberties.
7.
An estimate of the fiscal costs for the surveillance technology, including initial purchase, personnel and other
ongoing costs, and any current or potential sources of funding:
Initial purchase was $1600, batteries and additional chargers were approximately $300, drone training was $500.
No additional personnel costs. Future costs would consist of replacements of drone or parts if damaged.
8.
An explanation of how the surveillance use policy will apply to this surveillance technology and, if it is not
applicable, a technology-specific surveillance use policy:
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N/A
a.
Oversight – the mechanisms to ensure that the surveillance use policy is followed, including, but not
limited to, identifying personnel assigned to ensure compliance with the policy, internal record keeping
of the use of the technology or access to information collected by the surveillance technology, technical
measures to monitor for misuse, any independent person or entity with oversight authority, and the
sanctions for violations of the policy (10.64.b.10):
N/A