The process for requesting CCTV depends on the individual case.
Reporting an incident
If you are a victim of a crime and you think there was a CCTV camera near the scene, inform the police.
Please give them the exact location of the camera. The police can then request the CCTV material from us.
Subject access requests
You have the right to request access to CCTV footage of yourself. This doesn’t include access to that of any third parties.
Any requests must comply with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and other legislation.
If your request would identify another individual without their permission, we will consider the level of privacy that person should expect in that location. We will also operate in line with the relevant legislation.
Your request will be refused if you have been the victim of a crime. If we provided the footage, it may impact the work of the police.
You must be specific about the information you are requesting. Requests without clear guidelines may be refused.
To make a request, visit our freedom of information section.
Requests from insurance companies
Releasing CCTV to insurance companies or solicitors involves a non-refundable payment of £100.
You can ask your insurance company to make a request on your behalf. This applies if your request is related to damage to your vehicle while it was parked and unattended. You cannot use a subject access request, which applies only to footage of yourself.
Your insurance company or solicitor can only make a request in relation to a non-criminal matter. If it is a criminal related offence, we will only deal with the relevant bodies (such as the police).
We will make sure the request is legitimate and genuine before releasing images. We also check it complies with data protection legislation.
Requests by police and other investigators
Access to CCTV under the Data Protection Act 2018 is discretionary. It may be allowed to support with:
- preventing or detecting crime
- apprehending or prosecuting offenders
- the assessment or collection of any tax or duty
The exemption applies to the purpose for which the request is being made. It does not apply to the type of organisation making the request.
Most requests are made by police for crime detection and prevention purposes. We may receive requests from the government or partner agencies.
The police can request a viewing appointment at the CCTV control room. They can seize any relevant CCTV data under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984.
Requests must be made in writing e.g. letter, email etc, or via a NICE business request.
The council will not respond to NICE public requests, or a request made verbally.
There is an appointment system to ensure a CCTV operator is available to assist officers uninterrupted.
We try to accommodate as best we can but be mindful that CCTV staff can lone work and carry out other job roles.
Provision of evidence to the police
Newport CCTV uses the NICE investigate digital evidence management system (DEMS). A master copy of CCTV images is uploaded along with a witness statement of production.
A portable player is provided to verify the integrity of the master copy. Any exported CCTV data is given a unique reference.
We will only accept NICE business requests. Public requests will not be opened.
All requests must include:
- start and end dates and times
- locations
- a description or reason for requesting CCTV data
- a crime or incident log number
Please include a contact such as an email or mobile number.
We might require an investigator to attend and narrow-down the requested timeframe. This is due to:
- staffing
- resources
- export times
- drive space
- limited internet bandwidth
This might be required depending on the amount of CCTV being requested.
Newport CCTV does not retain master copies after export or upload from the CCTV system. It does not provide additional working copies or other converted formats.
Still images can also be produced. These images are stored securely and are
deleted as soon as they are no longer needed. Hard copies are not produced.
There is a documented process throughout the request, viewing, and upload process. This ensures continuity of evidence and follows the council’s data retention policy.
If a request for CCTV from schools or community centres relates to something that happened off site (public space), you will need permission from the relevant manager or data controller. This is because those cameras are intended for site security and not intended for public space surveillance.
Newport CCTV staff do not carry out retrospective reviews (playback) of CCTV unless a live incident is in progress. This is regardless of timeframe.
The use of portable devices such as smartphones and bodycams to capture images off the CCTV screens is not permitted.