UC Santa Cruz Police Department Policies related to this pillar:

Chapter 15: Body Worn Audio/Video Systems (Universitywide Police Policies and Administrative Procedures)

211: Electronic Information Resources

212: Electronic Mail

213: Department Technology Use

343: Information Technology Use

391: Department Use of Social Media

448: Mobile Digital Computer Use

804: Property and Evidence

812: Protected Information

814: Computers and Digital Evidence

1058: Employee Speech, Expression, and Social Networking

UC Santa Cruz Police Department Department Manuals

Daily Training Bulletins (DTBs) related/updating standing policies and general orders

3.1 RECOMMENDATION: The U. S. Department of Justice, in consultation with the law enforcement field, should broaden the efforts of the National Institute of Justice to establish national standards for the research and development of new technology. These standards should also address compatibility and interoperability needs both within law enforcement agencies and across agencies and jurisdiction and maintain civil and human rights protections.

The UC Santa Cruz Police Department supports this U.S. Department of Justice recommendation.

3.1.1 ACTION ITEM: The Federal Government should support the development and delivery of training to help law enforcement agencies learn, acquire, and implement technology tools and tactics that are consistent with the best practices of 21st century policing. 

The UC Santa Cruz Police Department supports this Federal Government action item.  

3.1.2 ACTION ITEM: As part of national standards, the issue of technology’s impact on privacy concerns should be addressed in accordance with protections provided by constitutional law. 

The UC Santa Cruz Police Department supports this Federal Government action item.  

3.1.3 ACTION ITEM: Law enforcement agencies should deploy smart technology that is designed to prevent the tampering with or manipulating of evidence in violation of policy. 

The UC Santa Cruz Police Department supports this action item.  We use computer systems to store electronic evidence. Each system has safeguards in place to prevent users from altering, manipulating or deleting original evidentiary files. To ensure the integrity of evidence, all users’ actions are recorded in a system log, which can be reviewed at any time.

3.2 RECOMMENDATION: The implementation of appropriate technology by law enforcement agencies should be designed considering local needs and aligned with national standards.

The UC Santa Cruz Police Department supports this recommendation item.  We engage in a wide array of Internet-based tools and platforms that allow for sharing information, such as the department website or social networking services.  

We have a fully functioning 911 dispatch center that was recently upgraded with a variety of technology.  We will have the capability to receive text 911 and will begin to advertise this function during the second half of 2020.

We have installed RAPID SOS technology that provides better accuracy to the 911 callers’ location, including what floor of a building they may be on, for both cellular and landline phones.  We are improving our radio system to increase coverage and interoperability with other first responders.  We have partnered with the Scotts Valley Police Department to increase the dispatch center redundancy, share resources, and improve services.

UC Santa Cruz Police Department patrol vehicles have computers installed in them to receive and provide information.  Our dispatchers monitor officer's whereabouts in real-time through GPS technology for safety and accountability. Officers can initiate reports in the field, allowing them to remain in the field longer.

3.2.1 ACTION ITEM: Law enforcement agencies should encourage public engagement and collaboration, including the use of community advisory bodies, when developing a policy for the use of a new technology. 

The UC Santa Cruz Police Department supports this action item.  

The Chief of Police has maintained an advisory board since October 2014.  As of July 2020, this advisory board has been transitioned to the UC Santa Cruz Campus Safety Community Advisory Board, consistent with the Presidential Task Force on Universitywide Policing. It will report to the Chancellor.

3.2.2 ACTION ITEM: Law enforcement agencies should include an evaluation or assessment process to gauge the effectiveness of any new technology, soliciting input from all levels of the department, from line officer to leadership, as well as assessment from the members of the community.

The UC Santa Cruz Police Department supports this action item.  We currently solicit input from all levels of the organization, as well as community partners, before implementing new technology.  For example, when choosing an in-car camera and body-worn camera system, an evaluation process encompassing members from all 10 UC Police departments was undertaken, along with members of Information Technology Services, Procurement, and Office of the President Risk Services.  When creating policy for the use of this technology, the Chiefs worked with the Office of General Counsel, FUPOA, local advisory boards, and various student groups before implementation.

3.2.3 ACTION ITEM: Law enforcement agencies should adopt the use of new technologies that will help them better serve people with special needs or disabilities. 

The UC Santa Cruz Police Department supports this action item.  We regularly review technologies and platforms to provide better service for those with special needs or disabilities.  Our website has been changing to meet accessibility needs and requirements for our community members with special needs or disabilities. We will have the capability to receive text 911 and will begin to advertise this function during the second half of 2020.

3.3 RECOMMENDATION: The U. S. Department of Justice should develop best practices that can be adopted by state legislative bodies to govern the acquisition, use, retention, and dissemination of auditory, visual, and biometric data by law enforcement. 

The UC Santa Cruz Police Department supports this U.S. Department of Justice recommendation.

3.3.1 ACTION ITEM: As part of the process for developing best practices, the U. S. Department of Justice should consult with civil rights and civil liberties organizations, as well as law enforcement research groups and other experts, concerning the constitutional issues that can arise as a result of the use of new technologies. 

The UC Santa Cruz Police Department supports this U.S. Department of Justice action item. 

3.3.2 ACTION ITEM: The U. S. Department of Justice should create toolkits for the most effective and constitutional use of multiple forms of innovative technology that will provide state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies with a one-stop clearinghouse of information and resources.

The UC Santa Cruz Police Department supports this U.S. Department of Justice action item.

3.3.3 ACTION ITEM: Law enforcement agencies should review and consider the Bureau of Justice Assistance’s (BJA) Body-Worn Camera Toolkit to assist in implementing BWCs. 

The UC Santa Cruz Police Department supports this action item.  We reviewed the BJA Toolkit and other government resources on best practices for Body-Worn Camera implementation.  All officers are issued body cameras, and we have in-car cameras in our patrol vehicles.  Officers are required to activate them in a wide variety of situations and encounters. 

3.4 RECOMMENDATION: Federal, state, local, and tribal legislative bodies should be encouraged to update public record laws. 

The UC Santa Cruz Police Department supports this federal, state, local, and tribal legislative recommendation.  The UC Santa Cruz campus legal unit and UC Santa Cruz Police Department participate in various workgroups with regional partners to continually evaluate existing public records laws and provide suggestions for change and improvement.

3.5 RECOMMENDATION: Law enforcement agencies should adopt model policies and best practices for technology based community engagement that increases community trust and access.

The UC Santa Cruz Police Department supports this recommendation item. Our policies relating to technology-based community engagement are based on continuous review of regional and nationwide model policies and best practices.  The UC Santa Cruz Police Department engages with our community via social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram), and our website to increase community awareness and access to department activities. The site contains information on crime prevention, crime statistics, policies and procedures, and how to make a complaint and commend an employee.

3.6 RECOMMENDATION: The Federal Government should support the development of new “less than lethal” technology to help control combative suspects. 

The UC Santa Cruz Police Department supports this Federal Government action item.  We deploy and train regularly in a variety of less than lethal use of force technologies.

3.6.1 ACTION ITEM: Relevant federal agencies, including the U. S. Departments of Defense and Justice, should expand their effort to study the development and use of new less than lethal technologies and evaluate their impact on public safety, reducing lethal violence against citizens, Constitutionality, and officer safety. 

The UC Santa Cruz Police Department supports this Federal Government action item.  

3.7 RECOMMENDATION: The Federal Government should make the development and building of segregated radio spectrum and increased bandwidth by FirstNet for exclusive use by local, state, tribal and federal public safety agencies a top priority. 

The UC Santa Cruz Police Department supports this Federal Government action item.