CC SR 20250902 E - CC Policy 59 Video Camera RetentionCITY COUNCIL
AGENDA REPORT
MEETING DATE: 09/02/2025
AGENDA HEADING: Consent Calendar
AGENDA TITLE:
Consideration to amend City Council Policy No. 59 on Security Cameras and Video
Retention
RECOMMENDED COUNCIL ACTION:
(1)Approve amending City Council Policy No. 59 (Security Cameras and Video
Retention) to reduce the required video retention period from 180 to 60 days with
exemptions.
FISCAL IMPACT: There is no fiscal impact with the proposed amended policy.
Amount Budgeted: N/A
Additional Appropriation: N/A
Account Number(s): N/A
ORIGINATED BY: Chloe Steffen, Intern CS
REVIEWED BY: Catherine Jun, Deputy City Manager CJ
APPROVED BY: Ara Mihranian, AICP, City Manager
ATTACHED SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS:
A.Amended City Council Policy No. 59 (Page A-1)
B.November 6, 2024 City Council Staff Report (Linked)
C.September 17, 2024 City Council Staff Report (Linked)
BACKGROUND:
Security cameras are installed and utilized by the City and Los Angeles County Sheriff’s
Department (LASD) to deter and investigate public safety incidents that may occur on
City property. At this time, the City has installed security cameras at Ladera Linda
Community Park, Point Vicente Interpretive Center, and two public counters at the Civic
Center. Additionally, the City has trail cameras designed for outdoor/trail use installed at
key Preserve trailheads and trail intersections. On September 17, 2024, the City Council
also approved, as a pilot program, the purchase and installation of 12 additional security
cameras to be installed at nine different parks and open space areas, and City-owned
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parking lots, which are in progress to be completed in the months to come (Attachment
C). Lastly, the City is preparing to install additional cameras at the lobby or public
counters at the following City park buildings: Hesse, Eastview, Ryan, and Point Vicente
Interpretive Center. This combination of cameras located within City facilities, parking lots,
and key points along trails and at trailheads will allow the City to deter and better monitor
for incidents of vandalism, accidents, and crimes. Footage will be accessible by a limited
number of authorized City personnel and LASD, in the event a crime occurs and requires
investigation.
On November 6, 2024, the City Council established Council Policy No. 59 (Attachment
B) to provide detailed guidance on the appropriate placement, installation, and access of
security cameras on City property. Namely, it outlines the limits on allowable uses of
camera footage, including intelligence gathering for criminal conduct and the identification
and apprehension of suspected criminals. Furthermore, the policy also requires that
camera footage be stored digitally with restricted access to authorized persons for 180
days.
DISCUSSION:
The City is actively working with a security camera company that provides both camera
equipment and cloud-based storage of video footage. Storage durations and associated
costs vary depending on the level of service selected.
Under Council Policy No. 59 (Attachment B), footage recorded by the City’s cameras is
to be retained for 180 days before being deleted. Upon review, staff determined that this
retention period exceeded the City’s operational needs. In most cases, incidents are
reported within a short period of time. When footage is identified as relevant to an
investigation, the City permanently downloads and preserves it until the matter is
resolved.
The proposed amendment to Policy No. 59 (Attachment A) would reduce the standard
retention period from 180 days to 60 days. This change is intended to reduce costs for
cloud-based storage and improve efficiency, while still allowing for exceptions when
longer retention is warranted.
Proposed Amended Policy Language (underlined as added text and strikethrough as
deleted text):
All video will be recorded and stored digitally with restricted access to
authorized persons. Records will be retained for up to 180 60 days. After 180
60 days, the records will be automatically deleted or overwritten with no
backups on the server unless it is required for an investigation and must be
preserved permanently until it is resolved.
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CONCLUSION:
Staff recommends that the City Council approve the proposed amendment to Policy No.
59 to improve efficiency and reduce costs, while still allowing for exceptions as necessary.
ALTERNATIVES:
In addition to Staff recommendations, the following alternative actions are available for
the City Council’s consideration:
1. Do not amendment Council Policy No. 59.
2. Identify other options for Staff to explore and return at a later date
3. Take other action, as deemed appropriate.
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CITY COUNCIL POLICY
NUMBER: 59
DATE ADOPTED/AMENDED: Adopted 11/6/2024
Amended 08/19/2025
SUBJECT: Security Camera and Video Retention
BACKGROUND:
The City of Rancho Palos Verdes (“City”) is committed to establishing and
maintaining a safe and secure environment for both City employees and visitors of City
property and facilities. To assist with creating a safer environment, the City operates and
maintains a security camera system in and around various public trails, parks, parking
lots, and facilities.
This Policy provides a comprehensive guideline for approval, placement,
monitoring, access, and operation of the City’s security camera equipment, storage, and
retention of capture images including the dissemination of stored data related thereto.
This Policy does not address, restrict, enhance, or modify standards for portable video or
still recording of City sponsored program, events, or activities.
POLICY
A. Scope
The City recognizes the need to protect the public’s constitutional standards of
privacy. Any use of the data produced by security cameras other than the uses described
below are strictly prohibited. Security camera recorded images may be used for and/or
assist with the following purposes:
• Identification and prevention of threats;
• Identification, apprehension, and prosecution of individuals suspected of
committing criminal offenses;
• Intelligence gathering to prevent or prosecute criminal conduct;
• Response to emergency services personnel for emergency events; and
• Assistance in resolving citizen or employee complaints, internal investigations, or
other City or law enforcement investigations.
Footage shall not:
• Be used to target legally protected individual characteristics including, but not
limited to race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, disability, gender, or sexual
orientation; and
• Be used to harass, intimidate, or discriminate against any individual or group.
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B. Responsibilities
• The City Council is responsible for approval and oversight of the City’s security
camera use.
• The City Manager, Risk Manager, and Los Angeles County Sheriff share
responsibility for managing public safety and security around City facilities.
• The Information Technology (“IT”) Division Manager or designee and the
Recreation and Parks Director or designee are responsible for maintaining storage
of electronic data from the security camera systems. The IT Division Manager or
designee and the Recreation and Parks Director or designee are also responsible
for maintaining the functionality of the security camera systems.
• Authorized staff are responsible for maintaining the physical media within the
cameras. IT and designated Recreation and Parks Staff are responsible for directly
implementing or overseeing the placement of the security cameras by consultants.
Any new camera locations require approval by the Director of Recreation and
Parks and the City Manager.
• Camera feeds or recordings shall be viewable only by the City Manager, IT
Manager, the Director of Recreation and Parks, Open Space Management Staff,
the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office, and the City Attorney, or their designees.
C. Equipment
City’s security camera equipment:
• Will be in a fixed, visible location;
• Will only monitor City facilities, trails, and public areas where no reasonable
expectation of privacy exists;
• May be located inside and outside buildings, facilities, and/or trails, and will not be
directed to look through windows to areas outside the buildings, facilities, or trails
unless necessary to protect external assets in the promotion of the personal safety
of individuals, or deter criminal activity;
• Will not be directed to look into adjacent, non-City owned buildings or private
property;
• Will be marked in a conspicuous manner with signage informing the public and
employees that the area is under surveillance. Signs will be posted in letters of a
size that is easy to read, include pictures, and have no visibility obstructions;
• Will not intentionally invade the privacy of individuals or observe areas where a
reasonable expectation of privacy exists;
D. Access and Third Party Sharing of Security Camera Data
• All recorded video images gathered by the security camera equipment are for the
official use of the City. Recorded information will never be sold and will not be
publicly viewed or distributed in any other manner, except as provided by this
policy and applicable to federal and state law (5 U.S.C.A. § 552 et seq.; Gov. Code
§ 7920.000 et seq.).
• Camera systems that do not have a dedicated physical server must have their
access passwords changed and a list of authorized users updated on a monthly
basis.
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• Routine video monitoring records are investigative records and not subject to
disclosure pursuant to Government Code 7922.000 et seq., apart from the
exception described in section (F) below.
• Victims of crimes or insurance carriers against whom a claim has been or might
reasonably be made will have access to information acquired through routine video
monitoring, but only to the extent required by law. (Gov. Code § 7922.000 et seq.)
• Requests for recorded video images from other law enforcement agencies will be
referred to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s office for release in accordance with
law enforcement purposes.
• Recorded video images that are the subject to a court order or subpoena document
production request will be produced in accordance with the established City
Department(s) subpoena process. This process will require coordination with the
City Clerk.
• Any viewing of the security camera feed or recordings by anyone other than
expressly permitted personnel is prohibited. The City Manager, the City Attorney,
and the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department must review and may grant access to
an individual requesting to view a recording from the security system and only as
may be required by applicable law and this policy.
• All authorized personnel will receive training, in order to access the system.
• Images stored on servers will only be accessed and retrieved by the IT Manager,
the Recreation and Parks Director, the Open Space Management personnel, and
any designee authorized by the City Manager for the purposes prescribed by this
Policy.
Note: Any employees found to have accessed information without granted access
pursuant to these guidelines will be subject to discipline, up to and including termination.
E. Data Storage of Security Cameras
• All video will be recorded and stored digitally with restricted access to authorized
persons. Records will be retained for up to 180 60 days. After 180 60 days, the
records will be automatically deleted or overwritten with no backups on the server
unless it is required for an investigation and must be preserved permanently until
it is resolved.
• Certain recorded images needed as evidence in a criminal, civil, or administrative
proceeding will be copied to a suitable medium and booked into evidence in
accordance with Los Angeles County Sheriff’s evidence procedures.
• Security camera images relating to potential criminal charges that are not filed will
be retained for at least one year after the statute of limitations has expired.
• Security camera recordings related to complaints of employee misconduct
(whether externally or internally) shall be retained in accordance with relevant law
and in coordination with the City Attorney and law enforcement or until the matter
has been resolved, whichever is later.
• Any downloaded media will be stored in a secure area with access restricted to
authorized persons from the office of the City Manager or the office of the City
Attorney. A copy of the downloaded media will be retained by the IT Division
• Storage devices will be securely kept in a controlled access area.
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F. Security Camera Training
Any personnel authorized to operate or access the security camera systems will
be informed of the policies that affect their responsibility and receive appropriate training.
Training will include guidance on the usage of the security cameras and a review of
relevant policies and procedures, including this Policy. Training will also address state
and federal law related to the use of security camera equipment and public privacy.
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