Video Recording in Security Surveillance Systems

Security monitoring of premises and the movement of people by the use of CCTV systems can be beneficial in the need to protect premises and ensure the safety of staff and visitors. In combination with access control, fire and intruder alarm systems it can prove to be a formidable tool in the fight against crime. But no matter how good the system is, its effectiveness will be diminished unless cameras are monitored, pictures recorded and a means by which its use can be documented and its integrity proved, is established from the outset.

The following are suggestions for ways of ensuring best practice in relation to the gathering and presentation of video evidence. If these general guidelines concerning the handling of evidential video tapes and equipment are followed it will greatly assist prosecution cases. This may lead to an increase in 'Guilty' pleas at court and a decrease in the amount of staff time wasted in attending court to give evidence.

The Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 requires that the gathering of Police evidence be both procedurally correct and as far as possible, technically verifiable. It therefore puts the emphasis on improving the standard of evidence required, to catch suspects 'in the act' of committing a crime.

The use of video recordings have already proved their worth in court proceedings, enabling the viewing of events as they took place and as an added bonus, the publicity surrounding such events can act as a form of Crime Prevention. This preventative effect will only last as long as prosecutions using video evidence succeeds. It is vital therefore that total integrity of any system is maintained from beginning to end.

Quality

It should be established at the outset whether the purpose of the system is intended to identify an incident or to provide identification evidence of suspects suitable for presentation to the courts.

The quality of any recording depends on the standard and condition of both the video tape and the system used to make the recording. Equipment used must be in good order and regularly, professionally maintained and serviced, details of which should be recorded from the date of purchase and commissioning of the system.

Unless the camera is set to record a fixed point, eg a particular door or piece of equipment, a preference should tend towards pan, tilt and zoom cameras. This will facilitate the provision of an identifiable picture of the subject but successful system operation is dependent on an operator being available to manually control the system.

Adequate lighting (colour cameras) or infra red assisted (monochrome) recording should be employed for night-time operation of a CCTV system.

A member of staff should be in a position to explain to any court, procedures relating to the systems installation and use.

Video Tape Purchase, Usage and Storage

Much criticism is levelled by the police and others that the standard of video reproduction is of poor quality. There may be many reasons for this but the most common is over-use of the recording tape. In an ideal world tapes would be used only once. It is appreciated that cost effectiveness is a necessity, therefore it is suggested that a library of 31 tapes is established, one for each day of the month. With the complete library being changed at the end of the twelve month period, this gives a maximum usage of twelve times per tape at which point it would tend to show signs of wear and deterioration.

Obviously, the more recording machines used, the greater number of 'libraries' will be required. It should be borne in mind that although this may appear to be excessive, the cost of the tapes is only a small percentage of the overall cost of the complete video based security system.

Tapes should be stored in a secure cupboard or cabinet so that their integrity can be maintained also avoiding the possibility of accidental damage or use. Once purchased it is important that the life of the tapes are fully recorded, a guide to this is shown at the end of this document.

Cataloguing

It is of the utmost importance, when presenting a video recording as evidence, that the tapes have not been interfered with and that their integrity can be proved. The best manner to prove this is to establish strict procedures for usage, these being fully documented in a prepared register which can be subsequently produced at court if required. Each tape should be given a unique reference number and labelled accordingly. The principle aim of the register is to be able to prove the life of the tape, its movements and usage.

The register will also prove to be a useful management tool in evaluating the system as it will contain information relating to the number of tapes used and the number of cases where video evidence was presented. In conjunction with this, where manually monitored, a daily 'incident log' should be kept on which the person monitoring the system can record details of occurrences that have been recorded on the tape. The log should include the date, time, a brief description of the incident and the tape counter reading at the start and finish of the incident. It should also bear details of the person who monitored the incident. It follows therefore that not only will provision have to be made for the secure storage of video cassettes but also for the tape register and daily incident logs.

Making Recordings

• Before recording check that the equipment is in good working order
• See that the tape counter is set to zero
• Check that the time and date generator is correctly set and is being recorded from a single source only

All recordings should be made without interruption unless it is absolutely necessary, any interruptions should be recorded so that allegations of malpractice can be disproved.

Tape Re-usage

Before re-using a tape it should be erased by the use of a bulk eraser, which uses a magnetic field to erase previously recorded material. It should be erased just prior to its re-use, thereby giving you one month in which to decide if any recordings on the tape are required for possible future use. By starting with a freshly erased tape that has been documented to that effect, its integrity is enhanced.

The Video Tape As Evidence - Conclusions

• There must be evidence of continuity of handling of the videotape from the time it is first taken into use, up to its production as an exhibit in court.
• The videotape evidence must be the original recording and there must be no evidence of editing, either by physically cutting and splicing or mechanically recording from separate sources.
• The tape used should either be new or evidence should be produced to show that it was erased prior to its use.
• Time and date must be encapsulated to the tape.
• At no time during an incident, nor in the period following, should the recording be touched until the Police Officer investigating the incident arrives. Under no circumstances should a member of staff be allowed to remove the tape from the recorder or playback the video recording of the incident. This is against Police procedure and will effect both the quality of the recording and the usefulness of the tape for evidential purposes.
• It should be appreciated that the identification of a defendant must not exclusively rely on evidence from the videotape, the proof of the crime must be supported by other testimony.

Action to be taken by Police

When Police are called to a venue where a CCTV system is installed and it is apparent that what has taken place may have been recorded the officer will request permission to remove the recording cassette from the recorder. It is of the utmost importance that the tape is not rewound or reviewed.

• A member of staff who is capable of proving the system and who can provide details of the equipment used.
• The member of staff who last placed the tape into the video library store following normal use procedures.
• The member of staff who erased the video tape (if applicable) and put it into the recorder.
• The member of staff who monitored the incident (if applicable and if different from above).

The officer will then treat the tape as he would any other exhibit in the case except that the plastic exhibit bag should be of the perforated type in order to avoid the build up of condensation which could harm the tape.

The video tape recording should then be transported to the laboratory or other designated place, where a working copy will be made. From this working copy all viewing or further copies will be made, the original retained as the exhibit for production at court.

Further statements will be required from the person who transported the tape for copying, the person who copied the tape and the person who retrieved the original.

The fact that there is video tape evidence in a case must be declared to the Crown Prosecution Service at the earliest opportunity in order that its existence can be declared to the defence.

Written by http://www.cctv-information.co.uk/