B.13.05 Videotaping Planned Use of Force Events and Major Incidents (National Procedure)

Procedure Standard

• Videotaping planned use of force events or major incidents (defined as an incident requiring a formal response to be declared and deployed) is to be managed in a manner that promotes the safety of staff involved and ensures the validity of its use as evidence

Necessary Forms and Requirements

Form:

• F1 Video Recording Label

Requirements:

• R1 Managing Video Equipment
• R2 Handling Video Recording
• R3 Video Recording Management
• R4 Disposal of Video Tapes

Procedure

1. PPM E.02 National Incident Response Policy outlines the authority for declaring and deploying the different levels of formal response.
2. Approval is given by the Prison Manager for a Control and Restraint Team to be used (see B.13.01).
3. A Video Camera Operator is assigned as part of the Control and Restraint team by the Prison Manager, or
4. The Prison Manager assigns a Video Camera Operator as part of the formal incident response.
5. The Video Camera Operator shall uplift a video camera, videotape and spare battery.
6. The Video Camera Operator films the entire incident from commencement to end including Brief, Debrief, Negotiation, Relocation and Medical assistance.
7. The Video Camera Operator ensures that they capture on film the final Intervention.
8. The Video Camera Operator is to maintain a safe distance from the incident at all times.
9. The Video Camera Operator shall enter the date and time electronically on the video camera and by verbally stating the date and time.
10. The Video Camera Operator shall state the date and time prior to stopping the video recording when an incident ends or if maintenance, such as changing batteries or video recording is required or when any other interruption occurs.
11. The Video Camera Operator shall state, while recording, the reason for stopping the camera.
12. When an Incident is not recorded a report is to be written by the Team Leader explaining the inability to record the event and submitted to the Prison Manager
13. Only a person of the same sex as the prisoner may view strip search footage of a video recording.
14. All requests for video recordings must be managed in accordance with the Official Information Act 1982 and the Privacy Act 1993 (refer to PPM E.16 Processing Official Information Requests and PPM E.17 Collection of Personal Information).

Key Roles and Responsibilities

Prison Manager

1. Approves the use of Control and Restraint Teams.
2. Assigns the Video Camera Operator in a planned Use of Force event.
3. Assigns the Video Camera Operator when a formal incident response is declared.

Video Camera Operator

1. Ensures equipment is operational.
2. Films entire incident.
3. Maintains safe distance.
4. Manages Video Recordings.

Team Leader

• Prepares report when an incident is not able to be recorded on video and submits report to the Prison Manager