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Pittsfield School Committee approves MOU to give police limited access to school livestreams during active incidents
Summary
The committee approved a memorandum of understanding allowing Pittsfield Police limited access to school livestream cameras during active critical incidents only, after administrators said legal counsel reviewed the agreement and exemplars from other districts were consulted.
The Pittsfield School Committee voted Dec. 18 to approve a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Pittsfield Police Department that would permit police to access district livestream camera feeds during active critical incidents only.
District security lead Mister Lamoreaux told members that cameras already exist in every school (interior and exterior) and that administrators and district office staff currently have live access. "If there was any type of an emergency, bomb threat, active shooting, active assailant, they would not have the ability to rely on that live information to dispatch their officers," he said, explaining the rationale for the MOU.
Committee members asked how the arrangement relates to a recently passed city ordinance on surveillance technologies. Mayor Marchetti and other members said the ordinance was focused on vetting new surveillance equipment and not on this existing system. Superintendent and administration representatives said legal counsel reviewed the presented version and that exemplars from other districts were consulted in drafting.
The motion to approve the MOU was made, seconded and carried by voice vote. Chief Dolly of the Pittsfield Police Department attended the meeting and was available for questions. The committee did not add operational details at the meeting beyond limiting police access to active incidents and relying on a formal MOU and legal review.
