Warden using cameras on staff.

[all4114all]

We have cameras in our institution. I have the DVR and monitor in my office. I use it to check on offender activities, like when a couple thugs visited from another unit to assault a crippled man. (Not politically correct but true.)

However, in the viewing of recordings to monitor offender activities I noticed that staff were doing things that were flat out WRONG!

Unfortunately, the same cameras used to watch offenders also watch staff. Someday I will tell you the story of the tattood twins. It's a doozy.

[Thorn]

Wardens using the cameras to spy in on staff...

This would be an illegal practice. Our union filed against our former Warden for doing this and just about had criminal charges placed on him.

[Movementarian]

How is it illegal? If the cameras are there and staff are caught with thier pants down, then how can a Warden be in the wrong for acting on it.

[Thorn]

Originally Posted by Movementarian

For what? If the cameras are there and staff are caught with thier pants down, then how can a Warden be in the wrong for acting on it.

Cause the cameras are there for "review" only, not for "spying" in on staff. The Union has an agreement with management that cameras placed throughout the institution are there for "review" only and not for "spying" in on the staff members. Our ex-warden admitted at a meeting that he was "spying" in on staff members in SHU. The union overhead him admit to this and they filed on him. He just about had criminal charges placed on him, but the Union dropped it before it went that far.

If a staff member does something wrong on the camera and the video is "reviewed" then it is acceptable to use that to prosecute the staff member. But, if the Warden or anybody is "spying" in on you by using the camera, then this would be an illegal act. Only when an incident occurs can the taped material be used for a review. That's what my union explained to me anyways.

[Movementarian]

So basically it is all about wordplay. I see.

[Crosstimbers Okie]

Originally Posted by all4114all

We have cameras in our institution. I have the DVR and monitor in my office. I use it to check on offender activities, like when a couple thugs visited from another unit to assault a crippled man. (Not politically correct but true.)

I find it hard to believe that The Great and Noble American Outlaw would assault a cripple! Surely that's just some propaganda that you evil po'lice are spreading!

[bigmodaco]

its good to hear we are all in the same ballgame...

[SeaLom94]

He has access to view cameras from his desktop. He watches staff at the jail from his office on a regular basis.

[GUNNER]

Cameras have burned plenty of staff here. And them watching staff with them is nothing unusual

[KBCraig]

Thorn, I'm sure you'll find a notice somewhere between the front door and your work site advising that video monitoring is in progress. That takes care of the "illegal" part (i.e., it's not).

Should administrators be so anxious to catch staff, instead of inmates? No. But that doesn't make it illegal.

The use of cameras is an internal security practice. It is not negotiable, except for I&I affecting bargaining unit staff. If they're only used by non-bargaining, we can't say anything about it.

The exception, of course, is where you have a reasonable expectation of privacy, such as the bathroom.