The City of Syracuse (the “City”) collects and shares data about a range of services, including complaints about road conditions, tax payment history, code violations, public safety services, and more. The City uses this data and information to better deliver services, and as more tools to collect data become available, the amount and range of data collected will increase as well. We know that protecting this data is important, and this privacy policy details how we will collect, manage, use, and protect it. We work to find a balance between using data to provide services and protecting your privacy. The data we collect is not sold to third-parties and it is only released publicly after review in accordance with our open data policy, or as required by New York State’s Freedom of Information Law. We think you should know the types of data being collected about you.

This data privacy policy is written with the City’s mission, vision, and values in mind.

Mission Syracuse will be a growing city that embraces diversity and creates opportunity for all

Vision As a model of innovation and citizen engagement, the City of Syracuse will consistently deliver high quality customer experiences through proactive and efficient service

Values Accountability, collaboration, constituent-focused, cultural competency, data-driven decisions, diversity, empathy and compassion, transparency

A growing city needs to analyze data to make informed decisions. Data allows the city’s staff to innovate and engage the public. Being open about what data is collected and how it is used provides the transparency that a government should strive for as well as what a community should expect. Though access to data may increase efficiency, engaging in constituent-focused outreach and having empathy for those in the community may limit how much data to collect or analyze. The collection or interpretation of data can be biased and lead us to poor conclusions. Careful understanding of these processes is important to ensure we are living up to the mission, vision, and values of the City, while also respecting the community.

Privacy Principles

1. Your privacy is important - personally identifiable information will only be released when legally obligated and/or when the benefit of such release outweighs the expectations. [INSERT EXAMPLE HERE]. In these cases, a review is conducted by our Office of Corporation Counsel and department directors or commissioners that oversee the collection of that respective piece of information.
2. We do not collect more data than we need - while there are an ever-growing number of ways to collect data, we consider how each piece of data will be used and work to ensure we collect only the data that helps us provide better services.
3. We tell you how the data is used - where possible, we will tell you how data collected will be used and in certain cases will allow you to opt-out of data being collected about you.
4. We are secure - your data is kept in ways that are secure and we constantly monitor and train employees about the potential ways data breaches can occur in an effort to avoid them in the future.
5. We pursue data accuracy - maintaining large amounts of data presents multiple challenges, but we work to maintain accurate data and update the information when it is inaccurate.

What We Collect

Each department within the City of Syracuse collects large amounts of data. Some is provided directly to us, like permit applications. Other data we may collect during a passive interaction with one of our departments, like your image captured on a security or law enforcement camera. We try to collect only as much data as is needed to provide services. The table below provides some examples of the types of data collected:

How Data Is Used

Data collected about the public is used in a variety of ways within the city government. Many times it serves as a way to check records about prior payments or outstanding tax balances or parking violations. Being able to look up an individual and ensure he or she has paid taxes prior to receiving a permit ensures we are doing our due-diligence in a permitting process, for example.

In many cases, this data can also be aggregated to better understand trends in the community. Analyzing where in the City the bulk of permits are filed, or which neighborhood reports the most potholes allows departments to make better decisions, and sometimes test new ways of doing work. In the cases where data is used in bulk, the City considers how to ensure data is accurate and understood before completing the analysis. Bulk data is typically aggregated based on location or date rather than individual, and personally identifiable information is removed as a part of this aggregation.

How We Will Review Data Collection

Especially in a world where sensors collects massive amounts of data about everything happening in a space, understanding the privacy implications of new technologies is critical. In the coming months, the City of Syracuse will formalize the policy for how it collects data from these technologies, as well as more traditional means. This policy will direct departments to review and publish what and how data is collected about individuals.