SOP 204.11: Use of Video Recording Equipment

|GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
Standard Operating Procedures|Col2|Col3|
|---|---|---|
|Policy Name:Use of Video Recording Equipment|Policy Name:Use of Video Recording Equipment|Policy Name:Use of Video Recording Equipment|
|Policy Number: 204.11|Effective Date: 3/9/2020|Page Number: 1 of 8|
|Authority:
Commissioner|Originating Division:
Facilities Division|Access Listing:
Level I: All Access|

I. Introduction and Summary:

The Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC) strives to accurately document and
visually record contact between offenders, the public, and critical incidents. Video
documentation of contacts with offenders, the public, and critical incidents may enhance
the accuracy of officer reports and testimony in court, as well as enhance the
department’s ability to capture statements from offenders and witnesses, verify officers’
compliance with legal and procedural directives, identify security threats or weaknesses,
and provide additional information for officer evaluation and training. Additionally,
video documentation may also be useful in documenting crime and accident scenes or
other events, including confiscation and documentation of evidence or contraband.

II. Authority:

A. O.C.G.A. §50-18-96;

B. GDC Board Rules: 125-1-1-.03; 125-3-1-.01; and 125-3-2-.07;

C. GDC Standard Operating Procedures (SOP): 103.10, Evidence Handling and Crime

Scene Processing; 203.02, Document Flow; 203.03, Incident Report; 209.06,
Administrative Segregation; 209.04, Use of Force and Restraint for Offender
Control; 209.07, Segregation - Tier I; 209.08, Administrative Segregation; 209.09,
Special Management Unit Tier III Program; 209.45, Tier II Segregated Transition
Education Program (Tier II STEP); 209.55, Special Management Unit - Tier III
Segregated Transition Education Program (Tier III STEP), 218.02, Control of Tools
and Equipment; 224.01, Control, Storage and Issuance of Firearms-Ammunition,
Chemical Agents & Other Security Equipment; 508.27, Time Out and Physical
Restraint; 507.04.23, Medical Classification and Profiling; and 507.04.69, Women’s
Health Services; and

D. ACA Standards: 2-CO-3A-01, 4-4173, 4-4200, 4-4201, 4-4202, 4-4206
(MANDATORY), 4-4403, 5-ACI-2G-03, 5-ACI-3A-29, 5-ACI-3A-30, 5-ACI-3A31, 5-ACI-3A-35, and 5-ACI-6C-10.

III. Definitions:

A. Body Worn Camera - A video camera that is worn on clothing that can be used to

record activity in front of the wearer. For purposes of this SOP, this definition does
not include the camera on a Taser.

|GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
Standard Operating Procedures|Col2|Col3|
|---|---|---|
|Policy Name:Use of Video Recording Equipment|Policy Name:Use of Video Recording Equipment|Policy Name:Use of Video Recording Equipment|
|Policy Number: 204.11|Effective Date: 3/9/2020|Page Number: 2 of 8|
|Authority:
Commissioner|Originating Division:
Facilities Division|Access Listing:
Level I: All Access|

B. Anticipated Use of Force - A planned use of force in which time and circumstances

allow for the preparation of the use of force and there is not an immediate threat of
injury to staff or other offenders or damage to state property.

C. Spontaneous Use of Force - An unplanned use of force in which there is immediate

action necessary to prevent injury to staff or other offenders or damage to state
property.

D. Use of Force - Use of Force shall be defined as physical force used to compel an

offender to take action against his or her will, or to prevent an offender from taking
action that would be damaging to themselves, other persons, or property. The use of
force may include the use of hands, batons, chemical agents, water pressure,
firearms, or other instruments. The use of physical force shall be restricted to
instances of justifiable self-defense, protection of others, protection of property,
prevention of escapes, to maintain or regain control of an offender and deadly force
will only be utilized as the last resort. Refer to Section IV.G.2.a. and b. of this
policy, which governs the Use of Deadly Force.

E. Offender - A person who has been placed under the supervision of Georgia

Department of Corrections.

IV. Statement of Policy and Applicable Procedures:

A. Video Recording: The department issues and utilizes camcorders and body worn

cameras (BWC’s) to record contact with offenders, the public and during critical
incidents. Officers shall activate a camcorder and BWC when such use is
appropriate to the performance of his or her official duties, including during a use of
force. BWC’s shall also be activated during shakedowns, search of an offender or
location, movement of an offender into segregation or isolation, or as otherwise
directed by the Warden, Superintendent or designee. This policy does not govern the
use of surreptitious recording devices used in undercover operations. Video
recordings may be subject to the Open Records Act.

B. General Use and Maintenance of the Camcorder or BWC:

1. Camcorders and BWC equipment are issued primarily to CERT Team Officers.

Officers who are assigned camcorder or BWC equipment must use the equipment
pursuant to this policy unless otherwise directed by supervisory personnel.

|GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
Standard Operating Procedures|Col2|Col3|
|---|---|---|
|Policy Name:Use of Video Recording Equipment|Policy Name:Use of Video Recording Equipment|Policy Name:Use of Video Recording Equipment|
|Policy Number: 204.11|Effective Date: 3/9/2020|Page Number: 3 of 8|
|Authority:
Commissioner|Originating Division:
Facilities Division|Access Listing:
Level I: All Access|

2. Officers shall only use camcorders and BWC’s issued by this department. The

camcorders, BWCs, and all data, images, video, and metadata captured, recorded
or otherwise produced by the equipment is the sole property of the department.
The use of private-owned BWC’s is prohibited. Additionally, camcorders and
BWC’s shall not be used for secondary employment.

3. Officers assigned camcorders or BWC’s must complete a department-approved

and/or provided training program to ensure proper use and operation.

4. Camcorders and BWC’s shall be stored in the main control room of the facility.

Camcorder and BWC’s will be issued using the chit system by the assigned
control room officer. All chits received shall contain the name of the person
receiving the camcorder or BWC. A log book entry shall be made to document
officer’s name, camcorder or BWC signed out/signed in.

5. The Chief of Security shall ensure a system is in place to maintain the camcorder

and BWC equipment, including charged batteries, extra disks, and that the
equipment is functioning properly.

6. Officers shall inspect and test camcorder and BWC equipment prior to each shift

to verify proper functioning and shall report equipment malfunctions to the Chief
of Security or designee as soon as possible.

7. Officers shall use reasonable care to prevent damage to the camcorder or BWC.

8. Officers shall not edit, alter, or erase camcorder or BWC recordings. However,

the Office of Legal Services may approve editing of video copies for training or
other authorized purposes.

9. Videos may not be duplicated, copied, shared, or otherwise distributed in any

manner without authorization and approval by the General Counsel, or a
designee from the Office of Legal Services.

10. Officers are encouraged to inform their supervisor of any recordings that may be

valuable for training.

11 If an officer is suspected of wrongdoing or involved in an officer-involved

shooting or other serious use-of-force, the department reserves the right to limit
or restrict an officer from viewing the video file.

|GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
Standard Operating Procedures|Col2|Col3|
|---|---|---|
|Policy Name:Use of Video Recording Equipment|Policy Name:Use of Video Recording Equipment|Policy Name:Use of Video Recording Equipment|
|Policy Number: 204.11|Effective Date: 3/9/2020|Page Number: 4 of 8|
|Authority:
Commissioner|Originating Division:
Facilities Division|Access Listing:
Level I: All Access|

C. When and How to Use the Camcorder or BWC: A video recording with a

camcorder shall be a routine supplemental report for ANY use of force, consistent
with the following provisions. Use of the camcorder is not optional. If an officer has
a BWC, this video shall also be provided. Officers shall note in Use of Force
Incidents and related Reports when recordings were made during an incident.

1. Anticipated Use of Force: All Anticipated Use of Force shall be video recorded

utilizing two (2) camcorders and any personnel issued a BWC shall activate and
record the Anticipated Use of Force. If an officer fails to activate the
camcorder or BWC, fails to record the entire event, or interrupts the
recording, the officer shall explain and justify the circumstances on the Use
of Force Incident Report.

a. Officers shall record the Anticipated Use of Force on two (2) Camcorders.

The use of two camcorders provides additional documentation of the incident
and ensures coverage is continuous in case of malfunctions. The exception to
this rule is small centers, such as ITFs, RSATs, TC’s, and PDC’s. When
staffing is limited and does not permit the use of two camcorders, Centers
shall use at least one (1) camcorder.

b. Officers assigned a BWC shall also activate the device to record the

Anticipated Use of Force.

c. Begin recording BEFORE ANY contact occurs. This INCLUDES hands-on

contact. This practice shall document the offender’s behavior and the degree
of force used to restrain the offender.

d. Before entering the area where filming of the offender will occur, the staff

member recording the incident must record a narration by the Senior Officer
present. The Senior Officer shall be the sole narrator throughout the filming
of an incident. The narration shall include:

1) Name of the officer/staff narrating this incident (Senior Officer present);

2) Date;

3) Time;

4) Place (building, cell, etc.);

|GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
Standard Operating Procedures|Col2|Col3|
|---|---|---|
|Policy Name:Use of Video Recording Equipment|Policy Name:Use of Video Recording Equipment|Policy Name:Use of Video Recording Equipment|
|Policy Number: 204.11|Effective Date: 3/9/2020|Page Number: 5 of 8|
|Authority:
Commissioner|Originating Division:
Facilities Division|Access Listing:
Level I: All Access|

5) Name and number of all offenders involved;

6) Circumstances;

7) Name of the officer or staff member recording this incident;

8) Name of all involved officer(s)/staff; and

9) Plan of action.

e. Once filming begins, do not release the action trigger or turn off the

Camcorder or BWC until AFTER staff leaves the scene. The officer should
film the exit, showing a closed cell door or other evidence that the action is
over. Do not edit by stopping the camera or pointing away from the offender.
Try to obtain a continuous stream of action. Let the camera tell the story. If
the camera gets jostled, continue filming and quickly point it back on the
offender.

2. Unanticipated Use of Force : An incident may require immediate action to

prevent injury to staff or other offenders or damage to state property. A BWC
shall be activated whenever possible during an unanticipated Use of Force. As
soon as possible, a handheld Camcorder shall be used to record the incident, to
include the filming of a closed cell door or other evidence that the action is over.

a. Officers shall adhere, as closely as possible, to the same procedures as

recording an anticipated use of force.

b. The Senior Officer present shall summarize the incident on the video,

including the circumstances leading up to the unanticipated use of force and
what was done to gain control of the offender. The summary shall include the
following narrative:

1) The name of the officer giving the narration (Senior Officer present);

2) Date;

3) Time;

4) Place (building, cell, etc.);

|GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
Standard Operating Procedures|Col2|Col3|
|---|---|---|
|Policy Name:Use of Video Recording Equipment|Policy Name:Use of Video Recording Equipment|Policy Name:Use of Video Recording Equipment|
|Policy Number: 204.11|Effective Date: 3/9/2020|Page Number: 6 of 8|
|Authority:
Commissioner|Originating Division:
Facilities Division|Access Listing:
Level I: All Access|

5) Name and number of all offenders involved;

6) Circumstances leading up to the Use of Force;

7) Name of the officer or staff member filming this incident; and

8) Name of all involved officer(s) or staff member;

3. Public Citizen Notification of use of BWC : An incident may require interaction

with a public citizen.

a. Officers assigned a BWC shall activate the device to record an interaction

with a public citizen on state property.

b. Begin recording BEFORE ANY contact occurs. This INCLUDES hands-on

contact. This practice shall document the offender’s behavior and the degree
of force used to restrain the public citizen.

c. Officers shall announce to the public citizen that they are wearing a BWC

and that the interaction is being recorded.

d. Before entering the area where filming of the public citizen will occur, the

staff member recording the incident must record a narration. The narration
shall include:

1) Name of the officer;

2) Date;

3) Time;

4) Place (building, cell, etc.);

5) Circumstances for interaction;

6) Name of all involved officer(s)/staff; and

7) Plan of action.

|GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
Standard Operating Procedures|Col2|Col3|
|---|---|---|
|Policy Name:Use of Video Recording Equipment|Policy Name:Use of Video Recording Equipment|Policy Name:Use of Video Recording Equipment|
|Policy Number: 204.11|Effective Date: 3/9/2020|Page Number: 7 of 8|
|Authority:
Commissioner|Originating Division:
Facilities Division|Access Listing:
Level I: All Access|

e. Once filming begins, do not release the action trigger or turn off the BWC

until AFTER the public citizen leaves the scene. Do not edit by stopping the
camera or pointing away from the public citizen. Try to obtain a continuous
stream of action. Let the camera tell the story. If the camera gets jostled,
continue filming and quickly point it back on the public citizen.

D. Restrictions of Use: Camcorders and BWC’s shall only be used in performance of

an officer’s official duties. Unless an officer is recording for a purpose authorized by
this policy, the following situations generally should not be recorded:

1. Communications with other department personnel;

2. Encounters with confidential informants;

4. When on break or otherwise engaged in personal activities;

5. Situations that would unreasonably invade an offender’s privacy; or

6. Encounters with visitors.

NOTE: During offender medical examinations, the camcorder shall be turned
on to capture audio but pointed away from the offender.

E. Storage:

1. Camcorder and BWC recordings shall be securely downloaded periodically or no

later than the end of each shift.

2. Each video recording shall be identified and labeled on a disk with information

relating to the date, camcorder or BWC identifier, assigned officer, and if
applicable, corresponding Use of Force or Incident Report number. The video
recordings shall be retained in a secure location at the facility where the incident
occurred for a period of three (3) years. A single disk may not contain multiple
uses of force incidents or videos from different cameras.

Electronic tagging of videos by category shall be done if supported by the BWC
system.

|GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
Standard Operating Procedures|Col2|Col3|
|---|---|---|
|Policy Name:Use of Video Recording Equipment|Policy Name:Use of Video Recording Equipment|Policy Name:Use of Video Recording Equipment|
|Policy Number: 204.11|Effective Date: 3/9/2020|Page Number: 8 of 8|
|Authority:
Commissioner|Originating Division:
Facilities Division|Access Listing:
Level I: All Access|

3. Chain of Custody requirements shall govern possession of the disk. (See SOP

103.10, Evidence Handling and Crime Scene Processing.)

F. Review of Video Recordings:

1. The Chief of Security, Deputy Warden and Warden or Superintendent shall

review each Use of Force Video and its corresponding Use of Force
Report/Incident Report using Attachment 3, Use of Force Cover/Checklist from
SOP 209.04. If any procedure was not following during filming, the Warden or
Superintendent shall cite the reasons for the policy violation and whether
corrective action was or will be taken.

2. At least on a monthly basis, the Chief of Security, Deputy Warden, Warden, or

Superintendent shall randomly review video recordings to ensure the equipment
is operating properly, that officers are using the devices appropriately and in
accordance with policy, and to identify any additional training or guidance
required.

3. The Office of Professional Standards (OPS) shall review each Use of Force

Video and its corresponding Use of Force Report/Incident Report in accordance
with the procedures in SOP 209.04, Use of Force and Restraint for Offender
Control. Additionally, OPS shall have access to all BWC recordings, regardless
of whether a Use of Force occurred.

4. Employees involved in any incident in which a BWC recording was made shall

be provided access to review said recordings, prior to completing any written
statements, in order to ensure the accuracy of their statements. The access to
review said recordings shall be handled by the Chief of Security or higher. The
Chief of Security or higher official providing access to the records shall not leave
an employee unattended with any recordings.

V. Attachments: None.

VI. Record Retention of Forms Relevant to this Policy:

Video recordings shall be retained in a secure location at the facility where the incident
occurred for a period of three (3) years.