EWU to allow Spokane County Sheriff’s Office access to its cameras during emergencies

Spokane County Sheriff’s deputies could soon have access to a live feed from Eastern Washington University’s camera system if there is a bomb threat, disaster or out-of-control protest on campus.

Last summer 11 school districts agreed to allow law enforcement to view a livestream from their cameras during an emergency, but EWU is the first local college to do so. Jay McNall, a lieutenant with the sheriff’s department who is coordinating the camera agreements with school districts, said accessing a livestream of footage is “strictly for safety.”

“Shootings occur on college campuses, too,” he said. “It’s all about keeping the students and faculty safe.”

Law enforcement agencies have argued that access to school cameras during an emergency could give them more accurate information before officers are on the scene in hostage or school shooting situations.

So far the Freeman School District, where one student died and several were injured in a shooting in 2017, as well as the Central Valley, East Valley, Medical Lake and Cheney school districts, among others, have agreed to allow the sheriff’s department to access their cameras in case of an emergency.

According to the agreements, law enforcement personnel would be able to view live feeds of footage only in the case of an “imminent threat to the life, safety, health, or property of the University, its students, its employees, and other occupants of University Facilities.” The agreements list several specific situations that are pertinent, including “active shooters, hostage-taking, fire, terrorism, bomb threats, threatened or actual use of firearms or other potentially deadly or seriously injurious weapons, health-related emergencies, lock downs, after-hours burglary alarm activation, or other situation as determined by the University.”

David Meany, an EWU spokesman, said the agreement has been in the works since June.

“The safety of our students, faculty and staff is a top priority for Eastern Washington University,” he said. “This agreement gives us another tool to assist law enforcement with real time information in an emergency situation.”

Law enforcement agencies normally need a warrant or prior permission to access cameras, but under the agreement with EWU, a representative of the sheriff’s office would make the decision that law enforcement or first responders needed access cameras for the “duration of the emergency.” They would then be required to notify the university within 24 hours of accessing it.

Kendrick Washington, the American Civil Liberties Union’s youth policy counsel, said the county’s agreement with the college was concerningly vague and that cameras are not likely to address the root cause of violence. Even if law enforcement isn’t using the cameras often, he said the agreement’s vague definition of what constitutes an emergency is ripe for abuse.

“How many times has something like that actually stopped a shooting or violence?” he asked. “It’s counselors, it’s therapists, it’s people to talk about the issues where things are stemming from that actually makes a difference. It’s not a camera pointed at someone.”

He said campuses, where students are exploring their free speech rights, are places where students shouldn’t be worried that they’re being monitored by law enforcement.

“It seems chilling,” he said. “You’re talking about kids on college campuses trying to express themselves, coming into their own, trying to feel free. Now, instead, they’re concerned about who’s watching them from every camera that’s on campus. That isn’t the sort of free environment that’s conducive to learning.”

In non-emergency situations, the sheriff’s office would have to work with EWU Chief of Police Tim Walters to obtain video. It may also access the camera system for training, but must notify the university in advance.

Walters said allowing sheriff’s deputies camera access would give them a better idea of the layout of the campus in advance and could be helpful for a variety of emergencies.

As an example, he pointed to an instance last year when a large protest occurred on campus and it may have been helpful for law enforcement to have camera access.

“There was several hundred people, and we had just a couple handful of officers available,” he said. “We needed help.”

That protest involved hundreds of students as well as a few preachers who denounced LGBTQ rights and abortion. EWU police, worrying the large demonstration could turn violent, called in backup from the sheriff’s office and Cheney Police Department. One pastor at the protest was arrested for spitting on a student and for allegedly spanking another.

McNall said the agreement and camera access are not meant for a “standard protest,” but for one that “turns ugly” and where there is violence.

While EWU police can access the campus camera system and has the ability to go back and look at recording, the sheriff’s office currently does not have that ability.

Sheriff’s office spokesman Mark Gregory said it will not save or record the footage it views during an emergency.

“We don’t have it set up to record, nor is that our intention,” Gregory said.

McNall said he is in talks with other local universities about moving forward with agreements similar to the one with Eastern Washington.

The sheriff’s office has not yet accessed cameras at the school districts it has agreements with. McNall said there were a couple of situations that the sheriff’s office was preparing to use its camera access, but ended up not needing to.

“If we never have to use it, I’d be very happy,” he said.