The live feed from exterior surveillance cameras at Johnson County Library branches is being made available to county emergency management during the World Cup, a decision that gave some on the Johnson County Library Board pause when it was made last month.
The decision gives emergency management and law enforcement immediate access to the camera feeds through July 31. The last World Cup match in Kansas City Stadium will be July 11, but the final is July 19 in New Jersey.
At its May meeting, the library board voted 5-2 to add library exterior cameras to other Johnson County buildings, which are also providing access.
Tad Twidwell, the library’s physical security systems manager, said the request was “deliberately narrow,” allowing only exterior cameras and only for a set amount of time.
The move “is consistent with our history of coordinating with emergency management and best practices,” he told the board.
Library officials can end the access at any time if they feel uncomfortable, he said, adding the access is only available to select emergency personnel.
The library has a policy that covers video access by third parties, but it’s for recorded footage, and does not mention live access. The requestor has to ask for recorded footage and it’s reviewed in advance by library administration. Unless there’s a request for access, the video recordings are destroyed after 30 days.
“I would like to be able to revoke this — fast”
According to a briefing sheet provided to board members, the county emergency management agency “requested temporary live access to certain exterior Library surveillance cameras for emergency preparedness, public safety response, and coordination during the FIFA World Cup period.”
The footage could be shared with Johnson County Emergency Services, the
Johnson County Sheriff’s Office and “applicable municipal law enforcement partners,” if requested.
Two board members said they worried about unintended consequences. Board member Jodie Dietz, who is also a member of the Blue Valley school board, said she was concerned that the privacy of library patrons “is incredibly important” and was concerned that it be protected.
Dietz said she would be more comfortable with a slower process that requires a review of requests for camera footage.
“This livestream thing is concerning for me, honestly,” she said.
She said she’d prefer specific guardrails on how it would be used and “that it can’t be used for illegal immigration capture or something like that.”
“I would like to be able to revoke this — fast — if something were to occur,” Dietz said. “I would like to make sure we are being good stewards.”
No partnership with ICE, emergency official says
Board member Amanda Vega-Mavec said she also had reservations.
“Will they see something connected to the World Cup or is it on anything and everything during that timeframe?” she asked during the May meeting.
County Emergency Management Director Dan Robeson, contacted later, said the cameras are one tool that can be used for situational awareness at a time when a lot of things are going on with public gatherings, transportation and the weather.
The live feed will not be something department employees will be monitoring at all times, but could be called up if it’s needed, he said. There wouldn’t be enough employee time to monitor the library cameras constantly, anyway, he added.
Robeson said the county has no agreements with federal groups like Immigration and Customs Enforcement and that the access is not intended for law enforcement action.
Library officials can always shut it off, Robeson said. That might require a special meeting of the board or an independent decision by County Librarian Tricia Suellentrop, per the board discussion.
“We don’t want to ask something people don’t feel comfortable doing,” Robeson said.
A final 5-2 vote
Other board members said they supported given temporary access to local law enforcement agencies.
Board member Jennifer Hrabe said, “This sounds to me like it’s just for safety and quicker response times.”
Board member Charles McAllister said he trusts the emergency management department, having visited them and observed their preparedness exercises.
“I don’t see any danger for us or any unintended consequences,” he said.
The final vote was board members Hrabe, Chrysalyn Huff, Kelly Kilgore, McAllister and David Sims for the motion and Dietz and Vega-Mavec against.
