Policy Sex establishment Licensing Policy

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7. Appendix C - CCTV standards policy

Where the provision of CCTV system is a requirement of the conditions of a sex establishment licence the system must comply with at least the East Devon District Council’s CCTV minimum standard.  This has been set in consultation with the police to ensure that the systems provide a tool to prevent criminal and anti-social behaviour and to ensure that the images provided by the systems meet the recognition and identification standards necessary for the detection and prevention of crime and disorder.                                                                  

The minimum standard

  1. All installed CCTV systems must be of an evidential standard and installed and operated to the satisfaction of the licensing authority and the police.  It should cover all areas to which the public have access, excluding, where relevant, the inside of toilets.  Images must be recorded at a frame rate no less than 25 frames per second.  All cameras located on entrances must be able to produce images of an evidential standard as defined by the Home Office Guidance Manual or any guidance replacing it.  Entrance cameras must be capable of providing good quality head and shoulder images of persons entering/leaving the premises.  They should be high-resolution colour cameras complete with an auto iris varifocal lens.  Cameras in the main areas of the premises must be able to cope with the extreme lighting conditions that may be present.  The cameras, recording equipment and all ancillaries should be maintained according to the manufacturers' instructions to ensure that the standard of the image is not compromised.
  2. The numbers of cameras located within the premises and where appropriate for external coverage must be appropriate for the type of licensing activity carried out at the premises.  The numbers of cameras, locations and views provided by these cameras must be to the satisfaction of the East Devon District Council as the licensing authority and police.  All cameras must provide evidence of identification and be correctly maintained.
  3. Where, to satisfy the East Devon District Council and the Police, there is a requirement to provide an external camera for coverage of entrances it must be a high resolution, minimum of 450tvl colour day/night camera, complete with an auto iris varifocal lens, fitted in a heated weatherproof external housing.
  4. In all areas where cameras are operating including externally the lighting must be of sufficient brightness to complement the quality of the camera images.
  5. The CCTV recordings must be stored on a digital multiplex recorder with either an on board CD/DVD re-writer and/or a USB port for evidence recovery.
  6. The system must be capable of producing single images and forward, reverse, pause and slow motion at full screen resolution.
  7. CCTV images must be retained for a minimum of 14 days and be produced on the request of the police or a licensing Officer of East Devon District Council.  Recording media must be set to 25 frames per second.
  8. Recordings of incidents occurring at the premises must be made secure and held for possible inspection.
  9. All equipment shall have constant time/date generation.
  10. Unless otherwise agreed in writing by the licensing authority there must be sufficient members of trained staff available during the hours of operation to be able to download evidence at the request of the police including the creation of evidential discs.  Where an exemption to this requirement is agreed in writing then the evidence requested must be provided no later than 48 hours after the request.
  11. Premises licence holder must be able to demonstrate that they have devised a recording management system that prevents recordings being tampered with, stolen, misplaced or failure to record.  Recording equipment must be housed in a secure room/cabinet where access is restricted and the operation is strictly limited to authorised persons.
  12. The CCTV system must be operational at all times whilst the premises are trading.  If the system is faulty or not working then the police and East Devon Council’s licensing service must be informed immediately.  Details of the malfunction must be recorded in the premises incident book.
  13. A4 sized warning notices must be displayed in public areas of the premises and at all entrances advising that CCTV is in operation.  The signs located at entrances should be located on the exterior of the building at, and adjacent to, all public access doors.  All signs must comply with the requirements of the Data Protection Act 2002.