Business Security Surveillance Cameras

1. Business Security – Section 24
Code of Ordinances
January 2016
Billy Couch - Assistant Chief of Police

2. Introductions
• Jarvis Parsons – District Attorney, Brazos
County
• Shamsuddin “Sam” Maredia – Board of
Directors for the Greater Houston Retailers
Cooperative Association
• Billy Couch – Assistant Police Chief, College
Station Police Department

3. Purpose
• The convenience store industry is more
vulnerable to the criminal element due to 24
hour cash operations with minimal staff.
• The ordinance intent is to help reduce the
likelihood of robbery through additional safety
measures to include the requirement for video
surveillance.

4. Business Regulations
• Definitions
– Store – Means a convenient store, gas
station, retail store selling Convenience
Goods, Liquor store with less than 10,000
sq.ft. of retail space.
– Convenience Goods – basic food and drink
items, household products and goods and
pharmaceutical items.

5. Requirements
• Registration – All stores must register
with the Police Department. No fee will
be charged with the registration
• Inspection – All stores will be inspected
by the Police Department to ensure
compliance
– New stores coming online will have 30 days
after receiving their CO

6. Owner/Manager
requirements
• Maintain operable monitoring, recording, and
storage equipment in the store.
• Back up the security camera footage for 21
days
• Post signage that cameras are in use
• Provide LE investigating a crime a copy of
security camera data
• Train Managers to retrieve data

7. Security Camera
requirements
• Cameras shall be located at;
– All public entrances and exits
– All point of sale locations
– Fuel pump areas

8. Camera Equipment
requirements
• Must record in digital color format and in
high resolution
• Display correct date and time of the
recording
• Capture clear images in low lighting
environment

9. Additional Store
requirements
• A store owner shall provide a safe on
premise to minimize cash available to
employees
• A store owner shall have a store policy
mandating the maximum amounts of cash
that may be kept in registers
• Signage to reflect these requirements

10. Additional requirements
• Security Signage posted which states “No
Loitering” and “No Trespassing”
• Height strips posted at all public exits
• Trespass Affidavit on file with the police
department
• A store owner shall have a silent panic or holdup
alarm system on premises and within reach of the
cash register

11. Store Notifications
• Upon completion of the original draft
ordinance, members of the police
department delivered a copy to forty (40)
of College Stations impacted businesses
asking for feedback
• The feedback gathered was used to
modify the ordinance draft placed before
Council

12. Thank You/Questions?