Chapter 3: Educational Policies
- Adoption: 5/1/24
- Revised:
- Last Reviewed: 4/3/24 (SGC)
- Executive Team Approved: 4/24/24
- Next Review Date: 4/24/29
- Authority: MinnState 5.23 Security/Privacy of Information
- Custodian of Policy: Dean of the Public Safety and Police Science Program
Policy Statement
Purpose and Scope
This policy outlines the guidelines for the use of portable audio/video training recording devices within the Hennepin Technical College (HTC) Peace Officer and Public Safety program. These portable audio/video devices encompass both body-worn, hand-held recording systems and In-Car systems. All devices are the property of the HTC Public Safety and Police Science Program.
Definitions
Training camera: A portable audio/video training recording devices, such as body-worn an in-car cameras, capable of both video and audio recording of student activities and interactions with others.
Body-Worn Camera: A device worn by students and/or faculty capable of both video and audio recording of student activities and interactions with others.
In-Car Camera Systems: A device mounted inside a police vehicle for the purpose of recording video footage.
Policy
The Hennepin Technical College Peace Officer and Public Safety program adopts the use of training camera systems exclusively for educational purposes and reserves the right to review and update this policy as necessary.
Privacy Expectation
All recordings made by students or faculty on program devices during any educational scenario training shall be the property of HTC. Faculty and students shall not have any expectation of privacy or ownership interest in the content of these recordings. All recordings are for educational use only. Recordings are prohibited for use in any type of disciplinary proceedings.
Faculty and Student Responsibilities
Before usage, faculty and students are responsible for ensuring they are in possession of a properly functioning training camera. If they encounter any malfunctions or non-working conditions with the camera, they must promptly report the issue to the Instructor in charge of that training module.
Activation of the Training Recorder
While this policy does not encompass every conceivable situation for recorder usage, it encourages the appropriate use of training cameras in various scenarios, including but not limited to:
- Traffic stops and examinations
- High-risk stops
- Practical Tactical Management scenarios and examinations
- Domestic scenarios
- Sexual assault interviews
- Search and seizure operations
- Unknown risk situations
- Mental health scenarios
- Force-on-force examinations
Prohibited Use of the Training Recorder
Faculty and students are strictly prohibited from using school-issued portable recorders and recording media for personal use or creating personal copies of recordings while at HTC. Faculty and students shall not duplicate or distribute recordings. All recordings shall be retained in the cloud storage system provided by the College.
The use of personal recording devices to duplicate recordings from training recorders is strictly prohibited. Faculty and students shall not use training recorders in meetings or within locker room/bathroom facilities. Recordings must not be utilized for purposes of embarrassment, harassment, or ridicule.
Retention of Recordings
All recordings shall be securely stored by HTC faculty on HTC’s cloud-based system. Recordings will be retained for 48 hours but shall not exceed seven days.
Access to Recordings
Access to recordings shall be granted solely for educational purposes. Recordings may be reviewed by the dean, staff, faculty, and students participating in educational initiatives or by specific request within the retention period.
Accountability
Any faculty, staff, or student who accesses or releases recordings without proper authorization may be subject to disciplinary action by HTC.