Vehicular Pursuit Policies (Bay County Sheriff)

Dear requester,

Thank you for submitting a Michigan Freedom of Information Act request for public records to Bay County, MI.

Your security key is 569039. Your request number is Request Number: 2023-472.

Please have this security key and request number available when communicating with FOIA staff regarding your request. To check the status of your submitted request, please visit the FOIA Request Portal and click the 'Track Status' link.

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Request Information:

Field NameResponse
NameSydnee Coggins-Prioleau
Phone617-299-1832
Fax
requests@muckrock.com
Firm
AddressMuckRock News, DEPT MR149255, 263 Huntington Ave
CityBoston
StateMassachusetts
Zip02115
DeliveryMethodEmail
RequestTypeElectronic
AnimalServicesFalse
BoardofComFalse
CentralDispatch911False
CallLogFalse
ClearedCallSummaryListFalse
911CallAudioRecordingFalse
RadioTrafficRecordingFalse
Date-TimeOfIncident
LocationOfIncident
IndividualsInvolved
PhoneNumberPlacingCall
ClerkFalse
FinanceFalse
HealthDepFalse
PersonnelDepFalse
RetirementFalse
SheriffTrue
IncidentReportFalse
ReportAttachmentsFalse
PhotographsFalse
UD10False
BookingInformationFalse
Other2False
OtherDesc2
ReportNumber
Date-TimeOfIncident-Sheriff
IndividualsInvolved-Sheriff
LocationOfIncident-Sheriff
TreasurerFalse
Other
OtherDesc
DescriptionTo Whom It May Concern: Pursuant to the Michigan Freedom of Information Act, I hereby request the following records: All current policies maintained by the department regarding vehicle pursuits (also known as: car chase, vehicular response policy, vehicular pursuit procedure). 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 5 business days, as the statute requires. Sincerely, Sydnee Coggins-Prioleau Upload documents directly: http://url4102.request.justfoia.com/ls/click?upn=XfJvxk0gd1RbNAoCtqw15shv484ucFFIazOudcBo6e6r3qGT-2BbxCMYJ-2FrnPJT37aRLJyGZxgjxTWzeo5NOMBW1Kh7-2F0lVLEBoE0q9toAN-2F1JX-2FDizz7QU2mJbrnf15fdU9rXkaFmAJo070A4n6zUkxLyF-2F5-2BxL3UFD-2FxRPx0Jo9AS29EQ1IB8HRXEjvF3WajW1n39x9bo80eEkKLsYi09FYo5NhAAwrbFjgJasqId9-2FjReyDJ1966MCdvol3LFxRLO4Ylh0ta8D69KHp0I9pj7KnHE3lIIECkJzusn0zVYOXk3fTe4BzAyKql5ZcGc5MSfSNGuJhPlVGXOIgBvLMzurPnbFmEn0mIDsUDhCBQ5Wz46ywwz3ar8iVaWcLQxPAojOIzfCn8YUIGTZpbW-2FmngXUdMA5Z2pMePotffFzs2gYG11SFiaDmWXplLLMhxi8QjELzTeFlkTo4VY1jBbrxZ117rdX-2FKzF7-2FMHyW21YmoMx65N2vR8KXkV1qoRzxCaU4oW_LWmqO46DiNmFWRSrCCl7G1w-2BjW4ZhPdZxkC4CrVhjOrVlHs0ru6BJ9zQv7nwXc0vx5BliBoJWI-2BR2SA5v6T1TjoBzCOwTu2NqaePjuhP-2BxoBxtNhrxdPaeTKsP9cJ71-2BD7ZoSUVurQ6t7dAwjEPySCQ-2FhVFrvl-2B3sKoLwFGjj4qOiEX6uPAT0shzRlmjDWqixwVKmsijucXf4-2BdKRuxTBwDCKm-2BCE39yTAiAgaMjNFTBBwKMbdu1VBUK3sMzouT88PR-2B1iZmAu-2B0AGT350ouiTLaKjwx6U1oMGReOFwVKUojj5uM8VrahkB75UyXTNAe3fllffzoLFzw0xP6N1OvCg-3D-3D
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If you need to change your submitted request (details, departments, etc.), please email foia@baycounty.net instead of submitting another request.

Bay County will respond within five business days after the request is received. If your request was submitted after 5:00 p.m. EST, it would be received by the County on the next business day. If needed, the County may issue a notice extending for up to ten additional business days the time it has to respond to the request. If you don't receive a response within five business days, please be sure to check your "Spam" folder in the event your email provider filters out our response. Our email response will come from baycountymi@justfoia.com.

If the request is granted or granted in part, the County will ask that payment be made for the allowable fees associated with responding to the request before the public record is made available.

Thank you,

Bay County FOIA Division
515 Center Avenue, Ste. 402
Bay City, MI 48708
(989) 895-4131
foia@baycounty.net

*Note: This is an automated email notification. Please do not respond to this email.

RE: FOIA Request Request Number: 2023-472

Dear Sydnee Coggins-Prioleau,

The Bay County Department of Corporation Counsel has received your request for public records and has processed it under the provisions of the Michigan Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), MCL 15.231 et seq.

After careful review, we have determined that the requested records are exempt from disclosure under various subsections of the Act. The pertinent provision of the statute upon which this response/exemption is based read as follows:

Sec. 13. (1) A public body may exempt from disclosure as a public record under this act any of the following:
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(s) Unless the public interest in disclosure outweighs the public interest in nondisclosure in the particular instance, public records of a law enforcement agency, the release of which would do any of the following:
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(v) Disclose operational instructions for law enforcement officers or agents.

(vi) Reveal the contents of staff manuals provided for law enforcement officers or agents.

(vii) Endanger the life or safety of law enforcement officers or agents or their families, relatives, children, parents, or those who furnish information to law enforcement departments or agencies.

Your request for current policies regarding vehicular pursuits is specifically exempt from disclosure under MCL 15.243(1)(s)(v),(vi),(vii). These internal policies provide specific operational instructions for law enforcement officers on conducting vehicle pursuits. The release of this sensitive information could compromise officer safety and the effectiveness of law enforcement operations. There is little to no interest in public disclosure of this information, especially in the generic format requested, and it could provide individuals with details that would allow them to evade capture or harm law enforcement officers.

Accordingly, your request has been denied, and no records will be provided.

In the event you are not satisfied with this response, I want to advise you of your appeal rights. You may file a written appeal to the Bay County Executive that states explicitly the word “APPEAL” and must give the reason or reasons for reversal of the denial, or if you are appealing a fee, specifically identify how the required fee exceeds the amount permitted. Alternatively, you may seek judicial review of this denial under MCL 15.240. If you seek judicial review and the Court determines the public body made an improper decision regarding the records sought, then you may be entitled to attorney fees and the potential damages outlined in the statute.

Bay County’s FOIA Procedures & Guidelines and Public Summary are available upon request or on our website at: http://url2602.justfoia.com/ls/click?upn=XfJvxk0gd1RbNAoCtqw15mSgbW7yMbHdVNcQ1pcoc-2FU-2BpptBreN6p6CjnYSY79cF1opXWTbfSSF-2BwyjhBNCA1yLvPaggELVrk06geQ66xXI-3D2q7z_LWmqO46DiNmFWRSrCCl7G1w-2BjW4ZhPdZxkC4CrVhjOrVlHs0ru6BJ9zQv7nwXc0vx5BliBoJWI-2BR2SA5v6T1TjoBzCOwTu2NqaePjuhP-2BxrQZZRct3T4isvxNpczefQ0Y1znPBUK6dX41P-2BF8Skq4k7UK4DyvniZrCkDU36DnkmAykTAfSD5-2FI1lySab0bNjchM4VhrRvUq2-2BmVWHFty46y15xxH7LDyBkB3yiXFckZVAtPCwMUy2dM9o0zcJ-2F9wo028gc97ORoTuh-2FccRRv3Y-2BKM4Rr-2FcsgswBxi8r7414qkTJvacH81RKU3xnIXgrgFS-2BeHVhz7irk1aDul3w-2FGw-3D-3D

Sincerely,

Jayson Hoppe
FOIA Coordinator

Bay County FOIA Division
515 Center Avenue, Ste. 402
Bay City, Michigan 48708
(989) 895-4131
foia@baycounty.net