LOS ANGELES COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT
EXECUTIVE DIVISION
SHERIFF’S INFORMATION BUREAU
Unit Order:
20-01
Effective Date:
03-10-2020
Subject:
Photographer and Videographer Procedures and Processing Photo or Video Services Request Forms
Reference:
N/A
PURPOSE OF ORDER
The purpose of this order is to define the procedures by which Sheriff’s Information Bureau (SIB) assists Department members and outside agencies with requests for a photographer or a videographer.
SCOPE OF ORDER
There is only one official photographer for the Sheriff, Jaime Lopez, who is assigned to Sheriff’s Information Bureau. There are many events which occur throughout the County of Los Angeles on a daily basis, wherein the Sheriff or a designee of the Sheriff are representing the Department and photography or video documentation of the event is requested or desired. The Sheriff’s Photographer has the ultimate discretion to handle the photography projects or to assign replacement photographers when he is unavailable. He should also be made aware of all photo or video projects being produced by volunteer or other Department photographers, the SIB Video Productions Specialist or the Video Productions Unit (VPU).
With the surge of social media platforms and the advancements in cellular smartphone technology, photographs and videos of Department events are being downloaded onto the social media platforms with or without the permission of SIB. In an effort to mitigate unauthorized or inappropriate photos and videos being downloaded onto the internet and other social media platforms, the Sheriff’s Photographer, SIB or trained unit Public Information Officers (PIOs), designated recruitment personnel and supervisors have the responsibility of reviewing and authorizing all photos or videos before they are posted. To help facilitate this process and the assignment of photographers or videographers, a new form has been created. This form will allow SIB and the Photography Unit to track photographer or videographer assignments, account for digital media projects that are taking place throughout the Department, calendar events and requests and note where the various media is being maintained or stored. The form will serve as a means for the Sheriff’s Photographer, or his designee, to assign a Department photographer and/or videographer to events and/or will provide awareness to the Sheriff’s
Photographer and Sheriff’s Information Bureau Captain when such assignments or events are taking place. In addition to completing and submitting the form and awaiting approval, the photographers and videographers are reminded to obtain photography waivers when necessary and to specifically inform Department members of their intent to photograph or video them when visiting units, bureaus or events. Objections to being photographed or videotaped made by any Department member should be noted and relayed to the SIB Photography Unit at the time the photos/videos or photo/video links are provided to SIB. The context of this order and the use of the request form applies to ALL volunteer and other photographers and/or videographers being requested to cover LASD or outside agency related events. Its intent is to provide direction and procedures for documenting the complete scope of any photography or videography requests, events, or projects from entities throughout the Department or those involving outside agencies.
ORDER
When there is a request for a photographer/videographer or SIB personnel become aware of any photography event or project involving or requiring an official Department photographer or videographer, volunteer or otherwise, they shall provide the requesting entity with the ‘Photography / Videography Services Request Form’ or complete the form themselves and submit it to the SIB Operations (SIBOpsAdmin@lasd.org) and SIB Photography (SIBPhoto@lasd.org) e-mail groups for processing. The SIB Video Production Specialist should also be included when relevant. SIB Photography will process the form for photography projects, “contents note” the project and/or assign an official photographer for the event or project. The SIB Video Production Specialist and SIB Operations will handle video requests.
The SIB Photography Unit representative, video specialist, or other SIB staff will notify the requesting party as to whether or not the event or project will be permitted or a photographer/videographer assigned. They will complete the lower portion of the form and ensure it is added to the SIB Teams Calendar once approved. All photos or videos of the Sheriff and the Department or its members shall be submitted to the SIB Media Group and the Sheriff’s Photographer or video specialist for final review, editing and approval before being posted on any platforms or used in any project or publication. The use of PhotoShop or any editing that changes the original content of any photograph requires the review and approval of the SIB Captain.
The ‘Photography / Videography Services Request Form’ form can be provided by SIB or found in the LASD Document Center at the following link: http://lasdweb/sites/eForms/default.aspx