Video Privacy Ordinance Delayed Again
Initial consideration of a new ordinance regulating the use of public surveillance cameras has been postponed yet again – this time until July 1. The Ann Arbor city council’s action came at its June 17, 2013 meeting. The council had previously postponed the item at its May 20, 2013 meeting. Before that the council had postponed the item at its April 15 meeting – due to the length of that meeting – and again on May 6. [.pdf of ordinance as presented to the council on April 15, 2013]
The proposed video privacy ordinance would not apply to CTN cameras like this one mounted in the Ann Arbor city council chambers.
The new ordinance would apply only to a limited range of cameras – those used by the city of Ann Arbor “to monitor human activity without the physical presence of an operator, including cameras on remotely operated aerial vehicles.”
The ordinance would not apply to a range of city of Ann Arbor cameras, for example: cameras used to improve traffic design, security cameras operating in jails, prisons, water treatment facilities, public housing facilities, or the Ann Arbor Airport and other governmental facilities.
The new ordinance would allow for public surveillance cameras to be installed for 15 days or less at the discretion of the city administrator if the purpose is to address a specific criminal problem.
This brief was filed from the city council’s chambers on the second floor of city hall, located at 301 E. Huron. A more detailed report will follow: [link]