Vehicle recording policy approved

Plans are in the works to install cameras in county-owned vehicles.

Jay County Commissioners approved a vehicle recording policy and consent form for employees during their meeting Monday.

The policy, which mainly impacts employees of Jay Emergency Medical Service and Jay County Highway Department, has been in discussion for months following an accident involving one of the county’s ambulances.

In April, Jay Emergency Medical Service director Gary Barnett shared estimates for dash cameras to record audio and video and share location services. At that time, county attorney Wes Schemenaur suggested amending the county’s personnel policy to address employees being recorded while in vehicles.

Cameras would likely face toward the road as well as inside the cab of the vehicle. (Per privacy laws, cameras are not allowed in the back of an ambulance where patients are being treated.)

Consulting firm Waggoner, Irwin, Scheele and Associates developed a policy for the county to consider. According to the document, using recording devices in county vehicles is intended to “ensure the safety and accountability of employees, protect County assets, and promote efficient operations.”

The policy applies to all county-owned vehicles and county employees who operate or ride in such vehicles while on duty.

It stipulates recording devices in county vehicles will:

•Have the capability to record audio, video and the vehicle’s Global Position System location

•Be activated when the vehicle is in operation

•Be tamper-proof and securely installed to prevent unauthorized access or removal

•Comply with applicable laws and regulations regarding privacy and data protection

Authorized personnel may access recordings for official purposes only, and employees are not allowed to disable, tamper with or obstruct the devices. According to the policy, “access to recordings shall be restricted to individuals with a legitimate need-to-know” and personally identifiable information of employees or members of the public on recordings will be handled per applicable privacy laws.

Recordings will be stored and retained for a period of time — Schemenaur suggested they should be kept for at least six months in accordance with the filing cutoff for tort claims — before they will be deleted.

Employees will be trained as needed for using the devices. Any suspected tampering, misuse or unauthorized access to the recorded data should be reported to county officials. Failure to comply with the policy could result in disciplinary action, it states, up to and including termination.

The document also includes a consent form for employees to sign. If they refuse, it says, their usage of county vehicles could be restricted. (Similar to other consent forms within the personnel policy, if an employee does not sign the form, it’s documented that they received a copy and refused to sign it.)

Schemenaur noted the recordings could help with questions about liability in the future, such as with vehicle accidents.

Commissioners president Chad Aker added he has heard concerns about employees’ privacy.

“One of the biggest complaint(s) that I heard was from employees that we’re spying on them, trying to catch them doing something wrong,” he said. “That’s not the purpose — the purpose is for our liability.”

Aker pointed out the policy could benefit employees in different situations, such as false allegations.

“I’ve heard that same complaint, too, it’s not that we’re trying to be ‘big brother,’ it’s really for their protection,” said Schemenaur.

Commissioner Brian McGalliard added that the footage will only be reviewed if there is an incident.