Employee Interviews

(1) Due to the privacy rights of both staff and inmates and the serious nature of correctional issues, each request for access to any employee ofthe Department as an official who has been authorized to speak on the Department’s behalf shall be directed to the director of public affairs and be evaluated by the director of communications and outreach. the director of public affairs shall coordinate the interview upon the approval oftheemployee, Commissioner, and the superintendent of the employee’s institution if the result of the interview does not: (a) Violate any employee’s privacy rights; (b) Violate an inmate’s privacy rights; or (c) Interfere with the orderly operation of a correctional institution. (2) Those employees designated by the Commissioner to respond to news media inquiries have the permission to speak on behalf of the Commissioner or Department in an official capacity and are obligated to adhere to the privacy rights of inmates as well as fellow employees. Any employee not designated by the Commissioner to respond to news media inquiries is not speaking on behalf of the Department nor acting in the capacity of Department spokesperson. 131:13: Documentaries (1) Representatives of the news media desiring to make documentary films or tape recordings must make said request to the director of public affairs, in writing, which will be evaluated by the director of communications and outreach. Such request for permission shall state the purpose of the documentary, the length of time that the filmingor tape recording shall last, the type of activities to be filmed or tape recorded, and the person or persons to be interviewed. To expedite entrance procedures, news media representatives are encouraged to keep equipment needs to a minimum. (2) The Commissioner, or a designee, may execute an agreement with the makers of the documentary setting forth the conditions (e.g., areas of access, time of day) for filming or tape recording the documentary. (3) The superintendent of the correctional institution shall assign an employee to accompany the makers of the documentary to ensure that any inmate photographedinan identifiable manner, or whose voice has been recorded in such a way as to identify the inmate, has signed a consent form to appear in the film or be heard on tape. Additionally, the assigned employee shall ensure any staff photographed in an identifiable manner, or whose voice has been recorded in such a way as to identify him/her, has signed a consent form to appear in the film or be heard on tape. (4) The Commissioner or a designee, and the maker of the documentary, shall be entitled to view the documentary before it is shown publicly to ensure that the agreement has been complied with, and that all required consent forms have been signed.