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What it is

Rules for police use of video cameras in public places

BOE step 7 of 7 · Passed

It is a government bill. Introduced by the Government. It was introduced on 24 September 1996. Introduced by: Gobierno.

Official title: Organic Government bill regulating the use of video cameras by Security Forces and Corps in public places.

Follow this law

Source: Congreso de los Diputados, file 121/000014· updated 11 Nov

Automatic summary, not yet reviewed

  1. The law regulates the use of video cameras by the Security Forces and Corps to record images and sounds in public places, in order to ensure peaceful coexistence, prevent violence, and prevent crimes and public security offenses.
  2. Installing fixed video cameras requires prior authorization, granted by the Government Delegate after a report from a Commission chaired by the President of the Superior Court of Justice. If the report is negative, no authorization is possible. The authorization lasts at most one year and can be revoked.
  3. Mobile video cameras also need authorization from the top provincial police official, except in cases of maximum urgency, in which case notice is given within 72 hours. If the Commission's report is negative, the recording is destroyed immediately.
  4. The use of video cameras must respect the principle of proportionality: only when suitable and with the least possible interference. Cameras may not record inside homes or private conversations, and anything captured by accident must be destroyed immediately.
  5. If a recording captures possible crimes, it must be handed to the courts within a maximum of 72 hours. Recordings are destroyed within one month, unless they relate to serious or very serious offenses, ongoing police investigations, or open proceedings. Sharing or copying them outside these cases is forbidden.
  6. The public will be informed about the existence of fixed cameras and the responsible authority, and anyone may request access to or deletion of recordings in which they appear, although this may be denied for security reasons or ongoing investigations.

Words worth knowing

Ley Orgánica (Organic Law)
A Spanish law reserved for major matters, such as fundamental rights, which requires a special majority in Congress to pass.
Principio de proporcionalidad (principle of proportionality)
The duty to make sure a measure is suitable for its purpose and affects people's rights as little as possible.
Atestado (police report)
A document the police write to describe events and bring them to a judge's attention.
Vía contencioso-administrativa (judicial review of administrative decisions)
A type of appeal filed with the courts to review decisions made by public authorities.

It summarizes the law as published in the BOE. It is written by artificial intelligence and may contain mistakes: the official text is what counts. Read the official text · How we make summaries

Where it stands

How far did it get?

It took 7 of 7 steps. It reached BOE, and today it is passed.

  1. Introduced24 September 1996Someone registers the text in the Congreso.
  2. Admitted30 September 1996The Bureau of the Congreso accepts it and, for a members’ bill, the plenary decides whether to consider it.
  3. Amendments4 October 1996Groups propose changes.
  4. Committee25 October 1996A committee goes through the text in detail.
  5. Plenary7 May 1997All 350 deputies vote.
  6. Senate22 May 1997The Senate can pass it, amend it or veto it.
  7. BOE17 July 1997It is published in the Official State Gazette (BOE) and comes into force.
See the 10 official steps on a timeline
Sept 1996Dec 1996Mar 1997Jun 199711. 24 September 1996: Presentación22. 30 September 1996: Comisión de Justicia e Interior Publicación desde 30/09/1996 hasta 04/10/199633. 30 September 1996: Calificación44. 4 October 1996: Comisión de Justicia e Interior Enmiendas desde 04/10/1996 hasta 25/10/199655. 25 October 1996: Comisión de Justicia e Interior Debate de totalidad desde 25/10/1996 hasta 31/10/199666. 31 October 1996: Comisión de Justicia e Interior Informe desde 31/10/1996 hasta 09/04/199777. 9 April 1997: Comisión de Justicia e Interior Dictamen desde 09/04/1997 hasta 07/05/199788. 7 May 1997: Pleno Aprobación desde 07/05/1997 hasta 22/05/199799. 22 May 1997: Senado desde 22/05/1997 hasta 17/07/19971010. 17 July 1997: Concluido - (Aprobado con modificaciones) desde 17/07/1997 hasta 16/09/1997

Was there a plenary vote?

We have no plenary vote linked to this law in the Congreso’s data.

What happens next

What happens now?

It is law, or will be once published in the BOE. It comes into force on the date its own text sets.

The same initiative in the other chamber:

Published in the BOE: Organic Law 4/1997, of 4 August, regulating the use of video cameras by Security Forces and Corps in public places.

Sources

Where does all this come from?

  • The data comes from the open files of the Congreso, the Senate and the BOE, unaltered.
  • Each deputy’s province is the one of their seat on the day of the vote.
  • We only say “passed” or “rejected” when the majority needed is certain; otherwise we say which side had more votes.

Read the full method · Report an error