Wellesley council approves vehicle camera policy with staff-requested changes

New township policy will see dash cameras installed in municipal fleet vehicles, with footage used only for incidents such as collisions, complaints or investigations. Vecteezy photo

By Galen Simmons

Wellesley township council has approved a new policy dictating the use of onboard surveillance cameras in municipal fleet vehicles after incorporating changes requested by unionized township staff.

At its March 10 meeting, council voted to amend and adopt the township’s onboard mobile surveillance systems policy, clearing the way for the installation of front-facing and driver-facing cameras in all enclosed-cab township vehicles. The policy formalizes how the cameras will be used, accessed and monitored as part of the township’s broader risk-management strategy for its fleet.

“At the (Feb. 24) committee (of the whole) meeting, we discussed the onboard mobile surveillance system policy, and it was approved by committee at that time, and it would be up for ratification tonight,” CAO Rik Louwagie told councillors March 10. “Following that meeting, a couple of union members did approach the director of public works and asked for clarification and some potential amendments to that policy.

“What we’re recommending is two changes that are minor in nature but important to the operators.”

One amendment addresses the potential use of audio recording. While the surveillance equipment has the capability to record audio, the revised policy states the municipality will not use audio recording unless it is deemed beneficial and the vehicle operator is informed and provides consent prior to any recording taking place.

Staff also removed language referencing sun visors from the disciplinary section of the policy after determining the wording could create confusion about normal vehicle operation.

“Sun visors was written in there, in that section, as ‘operators are not to move the sun visors in a way to block the camera.’ Obviously, they need to be able to use those sun visors still for the purpose they’re intended. We’re proposing to take sun visors out,” Louwagie said. “The reason it was in originally; it was a cut and paste from a template we had. I believe the intent of that was to say the operator shall not twist and turn that sun visor in such a way that it would block it, but we can definitely take it out of the policy with no recourse.”

According to the policy, the cameras may capture both forward-facing and driver-facing video in fleet vehicles. However, recordings will not be monitored on a regular basis and will only be reviewed in specific circumstances such as collisions, complaints, claims or investigations related to fleet operations.

The footage may also be used for staff training or to investigate incidents involving personal injury or other legal matters

Township officials say the policy is intended to help improve accountability, support incident investigations and protect both employees and the municipality in the event of disputes or claims related to vehicle operation.

Installation of the cameras has already begun in some municipal vehicles, including public works, recreation and building department fleets, though data will not be accessed or collected until the amended policy is fully implemented and staff have been informed of its requirements.