Shotspotter documents, Baltimore
It is a clone of this request.
| Tracking # |
20 1445 |
| Submitted | Aug. 5, 2020 |
| Est. Completion | None |
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Communications
From: Shawn Breen
To Whom It May Concern:
Pursuant to the Maryland Public Information Act, I hereby request the following records:
Media reports state that the Baltimore Police Department makes use of Shotspotter (https://baltimorefishbowl.com/stories/shotspotter-audio-sensors-deployed-in-east-west-baltimore-to-help-bpd-detect-gunfire/), which recently acquired a predictive policing firm (http://www.govtech.com/biz/Gunshot-Detection-Company-ShotSpotter-Acquires-Predictive-Policing-Software.html). Therefore, I am requesting the following records related to said program:
* A copy of any privacy impact assessments, use policies, standard operating procedures, data retention policies, legal opinions, warranties, non-disclosure agreements, contracts, liability waivers, insurance agreements, Requests for Proposals, Responses to Requests for Proposal, Memorandums of Understanding, Letters of Interest, usage policies, or informal agreements that reference "the software" or otherwise guide it use or the relationship between this agency and the provider or developer of the software.
* A copy of any funding opportunity announcements, grant applications and grantor status/progress reports, reports to legislative bodies, annual reports that mention the use of the Software, as well as audit records, including but not limited to security audits of the software, misuse reports, and reports to oversight bodies.
The requested documents will be made available to the general public, and this request is not being made for commercial purposes. It will be used in the course of reporting at rth-media.blogspot.com.
The requested documents will be made available to the general public, and this request is not being made for commercial purposes.
In the event that there are fees, I would be grateful if you would inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment if available or CD-ROM if not.
Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. I look forward to receiving your response to this request within 10 calendar days, as the statute requires.
Sincerely,
Shawn Breen
From: Muckrock Staff
To Whom It May Concern:
I wanted to follow up on the following Maryland Public Information Act request, copied below, and originally submitted on Aug. 5, 2020. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response.
Thanks for your help, and let me know if further clarification is needed.
From: Baltimore Police Department
Dear Mr. Shawn Breen:
This is an acknowledgement of your request below, for public information, submitted to the Document Compliance Unit ("DCU") of the Baltimore Police Department ("BPD"). Your request is governed by the Maryland Public Information Act ("PIA"), Maryland Code, General Provisions Article ("GP"), Sections 4-101 et seq. DCU will process your request promptly. However, our response may take longer than ten (10) working days, the reasons for which may include the scope of your request, the type and volume of potentially responsive records, and the nature of the search, review, and preparation that is required. In any event, DCU will respond to your request within thirty (30) days. GP § 4-203.
DCU will contact you with the availability of records and the possible costs associated with this request, as soon as the information is made available by the Custodian of Records. Likewise, if DCU and/or the Custodian of Records need you to clarify your request, DCU will contact you promptly.
Please refer to tracking # MPIA 20-1445 in any subsequent correspondence pertaining to this matter. All follow up correspondence should be made in writing and submitted to the DCU's e-mail:
Please understand that because of COVID-19, the Baltimore Police Department, Document Compliance Unit ("DCU") is working under a state of emergency and mandated to work remotely. DCU will work diligently to respond to your request as quickly as possible. Please note responses to document request may take longer than normal.
DCU@baltimorepolice.org<mailto:DCU@baltimorepolice.org>.
Ken Hurst
Contract Specialist
Baltimore Police Department
Office of Legal Affairs
Document Compliance Unit
410-637-8684
CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: The information contained in or attached to this e-mail message may be a privileged and confidential attorney/client communication, or otherwise confidential, and is intended only for the use of the individual or entity to whom it is addressed. If you are not the intended recipient, or the employee or agent responsible for delivering the message to the intended recipient, you are notified that any distribution or copying of this communication is strictly prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please notify the Legal Affairs Division immediately by telephone at 410-396-2496 and DELETE the message from your system immediately.
The materials in this e-mail are private and may contain sensitive law enforcement information. Please note that e-mail is not necessarily confidential or secure. Use of e-mail constitutes your acknowledgment of these confidentiality and security limitations. If you are not the intended recipient, be advised that any unauthorized use, disclosure, copying, distribution, or the taking of any action in reliance on the contents of this information is strictly prohibited as covered by the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, 18 U.S.C. §§ 2510-2521. If you have received this e-mail in error, please immediately notify the sender via telephone or return e-mail.
From: Muckrock Staff
To Whom It May Concern:
I wanted to follow up on the following Maryland Public Information Act request, copied below, and originally submitted on Aug. 5, 2020. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response. You had assigned it reference number #20 1445.
Thanks for your help, and let me know if further clarification is needed.
From: Muckrock Staff
To Whom It May Concern:
I wanted to follow up on the following Maryland Public Information Act request, copied below, and originally submitted on Aug. 5, 2020. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response. You had assigned it reference number #20 1445.
Thanks for your help, and let me know if further clarification is needed.
From: Baltimore Police Department
Good Morning:
I’m waiting on the proper unit to respond in reference to this request. As soon as they do I will respond to you.
Thank you
Ken Hurst
Contract Specialist
Baltimore Police Department
Office of Legal Affairs
Document Compliance Unit
410-637-8684
CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: The information contained in or attached to this e-mail message may be a privileged and confidential attorney/client communication, or otherwise confidential, and is intended only for the use of the individual or entity to whom it is addressed. If you are not the intended recipient, or the employee or agent responsible for delivering the message to the intended recipient, you are notified that any distribution or copying of this communication is strictly prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please notify the Legal Affairs Division immediately by telephone at 410-396-2496 and DELETE the message from your system immediately.
The materials in this e-mail are private and may contain sensitive law enforcement information. Please note that e-mail is not necessarily confidential or secure. Use of e-mail constitutes your acknowledgment of these confidentiality and security limitations. If you are not the intended recipient, be advised that any unauthorized use, disclosure, copying, distribution, or the taking of any action in reliance on the contents of this information is strictly prohibited as covered by the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, 18 U.S.C. §§ 2510-2521. If you have received this e-mail in error, please immediately notify the sender via telephone or return e-mail.
From: Baltimore Police Department
Date October 2, 2020
Shawn Breen
Muck Rock News
Dept MR 99926
411A Highland Avenue
Somerville, MA 02144-2516
Re: MPIA 20-1445 Shot Spotter Information
Dear Mr. Shawn Breen:
You have made a request for public records pursuant to the Maryland Public Information Act (MPIA), which is the General Provisions Article, § 4-101, et seq., of the Annotated Code of Maryland for "Information related to Shot Spotter."
Please see below in reference to your request:
We needed to confirm our official FOIA/MPIA responses for all of our products to ensure we had the required contractual documents and that took some time.
For the required response for predictive policing tools is as follows: ShotSpotter did acquire a company called Hutch Lab in 2018. We launched a predictive policing product called at the time Missions. Today, the product has been renamed Connect. Connect is an innovative patrol management software that enables more efficient resource usage through predictive techniques.
The city of Baltimore has not purchased the use of the Connect product (aka Missions), and thus we cannot offer MPIA assistance. The specifics of the MPIA deliverable however would be addressed within the city contract with ShotSpotter if one were to exist. We have no such contract. Thus, no response can be made. We have no knowledge of funding strategies or options on behalf of the city to acquire technology of this type. Further since ShotSpotter is a private company and performs no duty as a government entity, the company is not responsible to respond under a public records request for this or any product. In short, Baltimore Police Department cannot respond to a MPIA request with data it simply does not hold.
Because neither I nor any employee of Legal Affairs are the Custodian of Records of the records you requested, I have no personal knowledge of the existence of any documents with the exception of those forwarded to Legal Affairs. Please refer to Tracking Number # MPIA 20 1661 in any subsequent correspondence in this matter.
Ken Hurst
Contract Specialist
Baltimore Police Department
Office of Legal Affairs
Document Compliance Unit
410-637-8684
CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: The information contained in or attached to this e-mail message may be a privileged and confidential attorney/client communication, or otherwise confidential, and is intended only for the use of the individual or entity to whom it is addressed. If you are not the intended recipient, or the employee or agent responsible for delivering the message to the intended recipient, you are notified that any distribution or copying of this communication is strictly prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please notify the Legal Affairs Division immediately by telephone at 410-396-2496 and DELETE the message from your system immediately.
The materials in this e-mail are private and may contain sensitive law enforcement information. Please note that e-mail is not necessarily confidential or secure. Use of e-mail constitutes your acknowledgment of these confidentiality and security limitations. If you are not the intended recipient, be advised that any unauthorized use, disclosure, copying, distribution, or the taking of any action in reliance on the contents of this information is strictly prohibited as covered by the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, 18 U.S.C. §§ 2510-2521. If you have received this e-mail in error, please immediately notify the sender via telephone or return e-mail.
From: Shawn Breen
Hi,
Thanks so much for your help with this request! I really appreciate it.
Sincerely,
Shawn Breen
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