Fire Station Exterior Cameras STIR_FINAL — File 24-0693

1 Template updated 9/30/2020 APPENDIX A: SURVEILLANCE TECHNOLOGY IMPACT REPORT Department or Division: Somerville Fire Department Compliance Officer (name and position): Chief Charles Breen & Assistant Chief Sean Tierney Submitted by: Chief Charles Breen Date: 5/7/2024 Surveillance Technology: Homeland Security Cameras at Fire Stations 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 X 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 X 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 Surveying and gathering feedback from constituents Other (Describe): If the surveillance technology is used for a purpose not listed above, does the purpose comply with the surveillance use policy? ___ Yes ___ No

2 Template updated 9/30/2020 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: This technology is a surveillance camera with the ability to create a live video feed and preserved recordings. The cameras will be used to monitor Fire Department critical infrastructure (fire stations). The Somerville Police Department (SPD) will have access to the video feed and preserved video. The Fire Alarm Office (Fire Dispatch) will be able to monitor the live video feed from the cameras to view activity outside of the fire stations. No agency outside of Somerville has access to these cameras. This technology is owned and operated by the Boston Office of Emergency Management (BOEM) via funds from the Federal Government. 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 camera’s primary use is to monitor the exterior of Fire Department property (fire stations). The SPD Sergeant assigned to Homeland Security will be the primary liaison for the company that maintains the cameras, Lantel, and the BOEM. The cameras can be accessed by the SPD in cases of public emergency, accident investigation or criminal investigation. 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): Lantel, the company that installs and maintains the cameras, offers on-site training in the use of the cameras. There are no training manuals, however Lantel will assist with technical needs and questions for Fire Department personnel monitoring the live video or SPD personnel with access to the feed and preserved video. The section of the City’s Surveillance Technology Use Policy entitled “Video Surveillance Technology, Data and Use by the Police Department” provides the following regarding training- “The Chief of Police, or their designee, shall ensure that all department personnel successfully complete training which the Chief of Police deems necessary to successfully operate and monitor Video Surveillance Equipment. Furthermore, it states “Superior Officers and Detectives shall receive training in the operation of the system, including but not limited to, logging on, angle manipulation (pan, tilt, zoom), and retrieving archive video.” Patrol Officers would be trained in regard to the location of cameras and familiarization of the system. 2. Information on the proposed purpose(s) for the surveillance technology (10.64.b.1): The primary purpose of these cameras is to provide security for Fire Department critical infrastructure (fire stations). It will also allow Fire Alarm Dispatchers to monitor the arrival and departure of fire apparatus, especially that of mutual aid apparatus (apparatus from neighboring cities and towns) providing support at fire stations during a multiple alarm fire. 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 primary function is to provide security for Fire Department critical infrastructure (fire stations) and immediate surrounding property, such as parking lots. The cameras may record some areas of public

3 Template updated 9/30/2020 roads in the City of Somerville and this footage can be used in investigations into both crimes and serious motor vehicle crashes. The cameras will only capture visual footage, no sound is captured. 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): Those with access capabilities can view live feeds from the camera in real time. The cameras run on a live loop and may be viewed by Fire department personnel as well as SPD personnel. Only SPD personnel will have access to preserved video. If footage is needed for an investigation, it can be preserved. A preserved video would be assigned a case number and preserved with the knowledge and authorization of a detective supervisor. Requests for copies of recorded images from police departments or court personnel shall be made to the Administrative Captain or their designee. Currently the Homeland Security Sergeant is the Administrative Captain’s designee. 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) There is a login required to access the camera views and preserved data. Only authorized users have login credentials. The login record is preserved through the IT Department and can be viewed in the instance of suspected misuse. 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): Video is kept on the server for approximately 30 days and then overwritten unless preserved for a longer period for the purpose of an investigation. d. Public access – if and how collected surveillance data can be accessed by members of the public, including criminal defendants (10.64.b.7): Public Information requests can be made and, based on approval from the City’s Law Department, can be granted. Footage may be subject to discovery in criminal cases and subpoenas in civil cases. 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): Footage can be shared with other law enforcement agencies when requested in regard to criminal or motor vehicle crash investigations or initiated by SPD as part of an SPD active investigation. Video is shared only for law enforcement purposes or for valid public information requests. 4. The location(s) it may be deployed and when: Nine cameras will be installed to monitor the exterior of fire stations as well as any outside areas such as parking lots.

4 Template updated 9/30/2020 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: Cameras will be located on public roadways where there would be no expectation of privacy. They do not record sound. Location of the cameras are recorded, and cameras cannot be moved to record private property or residences. Anyone accessing and using a recording would be documented through IT. 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): Cameras will be installed to monitor Fire Department critical infrastructure (fire stations). Login procedures and recording authorization will track users and ensure all use and recordings are for approved criminal or traffic investigation. Any movement of fixed cameras is required to be reported to the BOEM and will only be moved for a legitimate law enforcement or emergency reason. 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: UASI funds will pay for the acquisition of the cameras, the installation and ongoing maintenance. The SPD Homeland Security Sergeant will liaise with Lantel and BOEM as part of their current job duties related to other cameras in use across the city, no significant increase in time is anticipated. No additional personnel is required from the Fire Department to monitor the video feed. 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: This technology visually records so the city policy would apply. 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): The SPD Homeland Security Sergeant would oversee use of these cameras. Other SPD personnel can view and download footage. This access is dependent on authorization from the individual’s immediate supervisor. The system generates an access log, which can be preserved through the IT Department, that tracks username logins. This allows identification of when the data was accessed, and by whom. Violations of this use policy and camera misuse may lead to discipline up to termination, depending on the actions.