Capitol’s New AI Security System Now Generates Physical Descriptions of Every Visitor
A Shorter Retention Window and New Technology
The Vermont Statehouse has a new security camera policy that makes significant changes to how surveillance footage is handled in the building. The most notable shift: video from security cameras will now be deleted after 14 days, down from the 30-day standard established in 2016.
The change was overseen by the Joint Rules Committee, the bipartisan legislative body that manages internal operations of the General Assembly. The committee’s current membership includes Rep. Jill Krowinski as chair and Sen. Philip Baruth as vice chair, along with members from both parties.
This policy shift comes during a period of transition for Statehouse security. Agatha Kessler was elected as the new Sergeant at Arms in early 2024, and John Poleway was appointed Chief of the Capitol Police in March 2024. Poleway previously served as police chief in Larchmont, New York, and as interim chief at Norwich University.
The Technology Behind the Cameras
The Statehouse security system now uses Avigilon technology, which includes a feature called “Appearance Search.” This is more sophisticated than traditional security cameras.
Appearance Search uses artificial intelligence to analyze video footage. Rather than requiring staff to manually scroll through hours of recordings, the system allows operators to search for individuals based on physical characteristics such as clothing color, gender presentation, or approximate age. If security personnel identify a person of interest on one camera, they can search across all cameras to track that individual’s movement through the building.
Government security applications of Avigilon describe these features as tools for improving situational awareness and reducing the staff time needed to review footage.
The analysis document notes that the public-facing policy does not explicitly mention these AI capabilities, describing the system in more general terms as security cameras.
Committee Meetings Are Not Affected
An important distinction: the 14-day retention limit applies only to security surveillance footage, not to recordings of legislative proceedings.
According to explanations provided during committee review, the security cameras monitored by the Sergeant at Arms and Capitol Police are separate from the cameras operated by Legislative Information Technology for public broadcasts. Security cameras provide “situational awareness” in hallways and entrances and do not record audio. Committee meeting cameras, by contrast, create a public record with full audio.
Recent amendments to Vermont’s Open Meeting Law require that recordings of public body meetings be retained and posted for a minimum of 30 days following the approval and posting of official minutes. In practice, the General Assembly posts these recordings to YouTube, where archives dating back months and years remain accessible.
The Previous Standard
The 2016 Camera Use Policy and Data Retention Procedure established a 30-day retention period for security footage. That policy stated cameras were “for the safety and security of the State House” and that footage would be erased after 30 days unless needed for a criminal investigation, court proceeding, or security necessity.
The reduction to 14 days aligns with standards used in other contexts. Vermont’s draft statewide policy for body-worn cameras allows for deletion of mistakenly recorded footage after 14 days. A Vermont study on speed safety cameras referenced the 14-day retention period used in Maryland’s traffic enforcement systems.
How the Policy Was Developed
The Joint Rules Committee operates differently from committees that handle public legislation. Its decisions on internal operations often take the form of administrative policies rather than full statutory processes with public testimony.
Meeting minutes from the committee show votes with high consensus, typical for administrative matters where members often defer to security professionals’ recommendations.
Recent legislative changes may also affect how such policies are discussed. Amendments to Vermont’s Open Meeting Law in 2024 and 2025 added allowances for public bodies to enter executive session to discuss cybersecurity matters if doing so would otherwise jeopardize public safety. This could allow portions of security policy discussions to occur outside public view.
The Building in Transition
These policy changes are occurring alongside physical renovations at the Statehouse. Building updates have included HVAC improvements and accessibility work, with security infrastructure upgrades occurring as part of the broader modernization effort.
The Vermont Statehouse has historically maintained a more open atmosphere than many state capitols, reflecting the tradition of a citizen legislature where lawmakers don’t have private offices and committee rooms regularly fill with members of the public.
What Happens Next
The new 14-day retention standard is now in effect for Statehouse security footage. Members of the public who wish to request security camera footage would need to do so within that two-week window before automatic deletion occurs.
Committee meeting recordings remain accessible through the General Assembly’s YouTube channels and the legislature’s website, where documents and meeting materials are posted.
Vermonters with questions about the policy can contact the Sergeant at Arms office or the Capitol Police Department. Those who wish to provide feedback on internal legislative policies can reach out to members of the Joint Rules Committee through the General Assembly’s contact information.