SyracusePoliceDepartment

COPSplatform
FrequentlyAskedQuestions(FAQ)

Whatisthepurposeofthecameras?

TheSyracuseCityPoliceDepartmentsCOPS(CriminalObservationandProtectionSystem)pilotis
designedandimplementedtohelpprotectthecitizensofSyracusebypreventingcrimeandaidinginthe
investigationandprosecutionofanycrimethatoccursinthepilotarea.Extensiveresearchwas
completedontheproposedsystemanduseofcameras.Thisresearchdoesindicatethatcamerasofthis
naturehaveadeterrenteffectonoverallcriminaldisorderandundoubtedlyaidintheinvestigationand
prosecutionofcriminalbehavior.

Whywasthisneighborhoodchosen?

Thewestsideneighborhoodwaschosenbasedontwofactors:

Concentrationofviolentguncrimetoincludeincidentsofshotsfired.Thewestside
neighborhoodhasoneofthehighestconcentrationsofviolentguncrimeacrosstheCityas
indicatedbytheattachedcrimemap.Yeartodatein2010,theincidentsofshotsfiredinthis
areacomprised23%ofthetotalshotsfortheentireCity.Bycomparison,thissamearea
containsabout6%ofthetotalpopulationoftheCity.

ProximitytoSyracuseCitySchoolDistrictbuildingsandnetworkinfrastructure.Theproposed
pilotareaforthewestendcameraprojectisinverycloseproximitytothreeSyracuseCity
Schools;FowlerHighSchool,DelawareElementarySchoolandBlodgettElementarySchool.The
useoftheSyracuseCitySchoolsandthenetworkinfrastructurethatthosebuildingsprovideis
extremelyimportantbecausethiseliminatesthereoccurringcoststheCitywouldhavetopayto
transmitthevideofootagetothePoliceDepartment.TheabilitytoleverageCityinfrastructure
likethiswasmadepossiblebyapartnershipbetweenSCSDandthePoliceDepartmentthatwas
formedseveralyearsagotomaximizeCityresources.

Howmanycameraswouldtherebeonthewestsideandwherewouldtheybelocated?

Thewestsidecamerapilotprojectwillinstall9cameras.Thecameralocationsarelistedonthe
attachedaerialmap.

Therearelightsonthecameras/poles.Wouldthoselightsbeonandflashing?

ThecamerashaveabluelightmuchliketheemergencyphonesfoundonUniversitiesacrossthenation.
ThereisfunctionalitytoturnthesecameralightsonoroffdependingonfeedbackfromtheCommunity.
Therearenocovertcamerasinthisproject.

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Willthecamerasrecordaudio?

No,thecamerasinstalledwillnotrecordaudio.

Istheresignageconnectedtothecamerasorsignageplacedintheneighborhood?

ThecamerasarelabeledPoliceinblockletteringandhaveabluelightthatcanbeturnedofforonto
letthepublicknowoftheirlocations.

Arethecameraswatchedbypoliceliveoristhisalltapedforreviewlater?

Thecameraswillnotberoutinelymonitoredlivebythepolice.Thecameraswillberecordedandused
forspecificpurposesasdefinedbypolicy.Intheeventthereisacriticalincidentoradepartment
operationinthearea,thecamerasmaybeviewedinrealtimetoenhancethesafetyofthepublicand
theofficersduringtheseincidents.

Howlongisvideokeptfor?

Therecordedvideowillbekeptfor14daysandthenpurgedfromthesystemautomatically.

WhatistheprocessintheSPDforreviewingit?Whohasaccesstoviewthetapes?

ReviewofthecamerafootagebySPDpersonnelwillbegovernedbythedepartmentspolicyonthe
camerasystem.AllrequestsforviewingwillbemadeinwritingandmustbeapprovedbytheChiefs
Officepriortorelease.Videowillbemadeavailabletolawenforcemententitiesbasedonthemeritsin
thewrittenrequestsandwillbeevaluatedonacasebycasebasis.

Thevideosignalistransmittedtoawirelessdevice.Howisitkeptsecure?

Thewirelessnetworkisencryptedwitha256bitencryptionkey.Thisstandardisconsideredsecure
enoughbythefederalgovernmenttoencryptcriminalhistoryinformation.Bycomparison,online
bankinguses128bitencryption.

Underwhatcircumstancescouldaprivatecitizenorpublic/privateentitygetacopyofanyofthe
video?

PublicrequestsforvideofootagewouldbeprocessedinaccordancewiththeFreedomofInformation
Law.TheChiefofPolicemight,inhisdiscretionandintheinterestofpublicsafety,providethemedia
withselectvideofootageforthepurposeofrequestingthepublic'sassistanceinidentifyinganatlarge
suspectincidenttoacriminalinvestigation.

Arethereanyrestrictionsonrequestsforcopiesoffootageorrequeststoviewthevideotapes?

TheFreedomofInformationLawrestrictsaccesstocertainrecords,including,butnotlimitedto:(1)
recordsspecificallyexemptedbystateorfederalstatute;(2)recordsthatconstituteanunwarranted

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invasionofpersonalprivacyundertheprovisionsofthelawdefiningpersonalprivacy;(3)records
compiledforlawenforcementpurposesandwhich,ifdisclosed,wouldinterferewithlawenforcement
investigationsorjudicialproceedings,depriveapersonofarighttoafairtrialorimpartialadjudication,
identifyaconfidentialsourceordiscloseconfidentialinformationrelatingtoacriminalinvestigation,or
revealcriminalinvestigativetechniquesorprocedures,exceptroutinetechniquesandprocedures;and
(4)thoserecords,whichifdisclosed,couldendangerthelifeorsafetyofanyperson.

WheremayImakerequestsforfootagepertainingtoacriminalinvestigation?

AnyrequestforfootagethatpertainstoacriminalcasemustbeforwardedtotheOnondagaCounty
DistrictAttorney'sOffice.Anypersonmakingsucharequestwillbenotifiedthattheyshouldsubmit
theirrequesttothatOffice.

If/whenSPDwantstomovethecamerastoanewlocation,whatistheprocesstoinformthe
communityofthenewlocation?

ThemovingofthecamerasinthefuturewillbeatthediscretionoftheChiefofPoliceandbasedupon
communityinput.

DoestheSyracusePoliceDepartmenthaveawrittenpolicyontheuseofthecameras?

Yes,thePoliceDepartmenthasacomprehensivepolicygoverningtheuseofthepubliccameras.The
policywasdevelopedincooperationwiththeCitysCorporationCounsel.Researchconductedand
referencedduringthepolicydevelopmentincluded,butwasnotlimitedto,suchsourcesasFederal
governmentbestpracticestemplatesregardingprivacyandvideosystems,NewYorkCivilLiberties
Unionspecialreportsonvideosurveillance,andcommunityinput.Thepolicycoversuseofthecamera
system,deployment,accessandauditing,specializedprivacytraining,maintenance,storage,
prohibitionsandpenalties.(Seeattached)

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SyracusePoliceDepartment
CriminalObservation&ProtectionSystem(COPSplatform)
PolicySummary
I.

II.
III.

IV.

V.

VI.

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SystemUses
a. Examplesofauthorizeduses:
i. Investigationofhomelandsecuritythreats
ii. Securityatpolicefacilities
iii. Monitoringofpublicareas
iv. Investigationofcriminalactivity
b. Willnotbeusedtoobservepublicwherethereisanexpectationofprivacyexcept:
i. Underexigentcircumstancessuchasahostagesituation
ii. Bycourtorder
c. CameraswillbemonitoredfromasecureareaatPSB
Placement
a. BaseduponcrimeanalysisconductedbyOCAC
Access
a. UsersmustbegivenaccessbytheChiefofPoliceor1stDeputyChiefofPolice
b. Userswillreceivetraininginproperuse,privacy,4thAmendmentIssuesanddepartment
policy
c. OnlyTechnologyDivisionmemberscanaccess/exportarchivedvideo
SecurityandAuditing
a. SystemwillbemaintainedbyTechnologyDivision
b. Auditswillberegularlyconductedtoverify:
i. Onlyauthorizedusershavegainedaccess
ii. Verifythatauthorizedusersareusingsysteminaccordancewithpolicy
Storageofvideoandreleaseofvideo
a. Videowillbestoredonaserverinasecurearea
b. Videowillautomaticallydeleteafter14days
c. AllrequestsforfootagemustbeapprovedinwritingbytheChiefofPoliceoraDeputy
ChiefofPolice
i. OnlyTechnologyDivisionmembershavetheabilitytoexportvideo
d. ExportedvideoshallbeburnedtoDVDandthenturnedinasevidence
e. Requestforvideofromoutsideagencieswillbeevaluatedonacasebycasebasisbythe
ChiefsOffice.
f. FOILrequestswillbeprocessedinaccordancewithapplicablelaws
ProhibitionsandPenalties
a. Individualsshallnotbetargetedbaseduponrace,gender,ethnicity,sexualorientation,
disabilityorotherclassificationsprotectedbylaw
b. Systemwillnotbeusedtoobserveindividualswherethereisareasonableexpectation
ofprivacy
c. Willnotbeusedtoobserveflyerpostingsinrelationtorelevant1stAmendment
protectedactivities
d. Maybeusedforinternalinvestigations
e. Willnotbeequippedwithaudiocapabilities

Camera 4
Camera 5

Camera 3
Camera 6

Camera 2

Camera 8
Camera 1

Camera 7
Camera 9

Camera locations are listed below. All poles are indicated with arrows above. All
poles will have a mounted camera assembly which require a 110v outlet at each site.
Camera 1- S Geddes St at Delaware St
City Owned
Camera 2- S Geddes St at Grand Ave
City Owned
Camera 3- S Geddes St at Gifford St
City Owned
Camera 4- Gifford St at Oswego St
Verizon Owned
Camera 5- Seymour St at Oswego St
Verizon Owned
Camera 6- Shonnard St at Oswego St
Joint- Verizon/Grid
Camera 7- Merriman Ave at Oswego St
Verizon Owned
Camera 8- Grace St at Massena St
Joint- Verizon/Grid
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Camera 9- 400 Blk of Shonnard St
Verizon Owned

Shots Fired Density

1/1/09 - 9/30/10
and Proposed Pilot Area

631
632

Pilot Area
High

Higher

Highest
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OFFICIAL USE ONLY//LAW ENFORCEMENT SENSITIVE

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