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Council adopts body‑worn camera policy for code enforcement; council asks for 90‑day trial report
Summary
The City Council approved a policy allowing body‑worn cameras for code enforcement personnel, modeled on the police policy and a template used by other cities. Council members pressed for privacy safeguards, disclosure requirements and a 90‑day report back on usage and costs.
Sierra Madre City Council voted to adopt a policy authorizing the use of body‑worn cameras by code enforcement staff and to receive a staff report on the policy’s implementation in 90 days.
City Attorney Gregosian said the draft policy is modeled on the police department’s body‑camera policy and on a comparable policy from another city. He told the council the policy sets retention schedules, limits on access, and circumstances under which recording is allowed or prohibited. Staff presented five scenarios that guide use: non‑code activities, code enforcement on public property, code enforcement on private property fully visible from public view, commercial property visible from public view, and code enforcement on private property not in public view.
The council asked for additional protections and clarity. Several members emphasized that officers should disclose when they are recording. The council discussed whether recordings captured from a public vantage (for example, from the sidewalk or other public right‑of‑way) could proceed without permission while recordings inside private areas would require the property owner’s permission; the item passed with council direction for staff to monitor how the policy functions and return in 90 days with a brief implementation report.
Staff noted equipment costs are manageable: the city will reassign a spare Axon camera from the police inventory; subscription and evidence‑hosting service costs were estimated at roughly $700–$850 per year for the code‑enforcement camera’s account, and a new camera (if purchased) was estimated at about $6,000 with service through 2028. Staff said audits of recordings will continue to follow existing evidence‑management practices.
Ending: Council asked staff to present a succinct 90‑day implementation report on usage patterns, access requests and any privacy or cost issues.
