Police Data Collection Request (2016; 2021)

Dear Samuel Sinyangwe:
Thank you for submitting a records request to the City of Charleston Police Department to be processed under the South Carolina Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). Your request was received on June 28, 2023, and is being processed in accordance with S.C. Code Ann. § 30-4-10, et seq. Your request has been assigned the reference number L008381-062823 for tracking purposes.
Records Requested: To Whom It May Concern:

Pursuant to the South Carolina Public Records Law, I hereby request the following records:

1. the total number of use of force incidents for 2016.

2. the total number of use of force incidents, separated by type of force, used in 2016 (for example, information that specifies the number of taser incidents in 2016, baton incidents in 2016, etc.)

3. the total number of civilian complaints alleging any form of law enforcement misconduct that were reported and the total number sustained in 2016 and 2021.

4. the total number of civilian complaints alleging law enforcement use of excessive force that were reported and the total number sustained in 2016 and 2021.

5. the total number of civilian complaints alleging biased policing or racial profiling that were reported and the total number sustained in 2016 and 2021.

6. the total number of civilian complaints alleging criminal conduct that were reported and the total number sustained in 2016 and 2021.

When available, I would appreciate being sent individualized data for each item in this request in spreadsheet format. If individualized data are unavailable, please send information that includes aggregate statistics for the item instead.

Note that my requests for civilian complaints are specifically for civilian complaints alleging police misconduct, please do not include complaints filed by one officer/the department against another officer.

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 15 business days, as the statute requires.

Sincerely,

Samuel Sinyangwe

Upload documents directly: https://www.muckrock.com/
The City of Charleston Police Department will provide a formal acknowledgment within 10 business days informing you of the availability of the non-exempt “public records” that you have requested and providing a time and cost estimate to make those public records available to you. For records more than 24 months old, the City has 20 business days to respond on availability and cost. We do not guarantee that a records search will result in any responsive records being located.
Fulfillment of FOIA requests is subject to fees for search, retrieval and redaction, as well as fees for providing copies of documents. A deposit of twenty-five (25%) percent of the total reasonably anticipated cost for fulfilling the request may be required prior to searching for or making copies of records. The full amount of the total cost must be paid at the time of the production of the request.
If the request is granted, the records will be furnished or made available for inspection or copying no later than thirty (30) calendar days from the date on which the formal acknowledgement was provided, unless the records are more than two (2) years old, in which case they will be made available no later than thirty-five (35) calendar days from the date on which the formal acknowledgement was provided. If a deposit is required, the records will be furnished or made available for inspection or copying no later than thirty (30) calendar days from the date on which the deposit is received, unless the records are more than two (2) years old, in which case they will be made available no later than thirty-five (35) calendar days from the date on which the deposit was received to fulfill the request. The Charleston Police Department may impose reasonable rules concerning time and place of access to records.
* Please note that pursuant to S.C. Code Ann. §30-2-50, obtaining or using public records for commercial solicitation directed to any person in this State is prohibited. A person who knowingly violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be fined an amount not to exceed five hundred dollars or imprisoned for a term not to exceed one year, or both.
We do not make public, and will not produce in response to your request, those records that are exempt from disclosure under S.C. Code Ann. § 30-4-40 or other state and federal laws.

You can monitor the progress of your request at the FOIA Records Request Center. You'll receive a formal acknowledgment e-mail from the City within 10 business days (or within 20 business days for records more than 24 months old) when availability and cost have been determined.
Sincerely,
Charleston Police Department

--- Please respond above this line ---

RE: FOIA REQUEST of June 28, 2023, Reference # L008381-062823

Dear Samuel Sinyangwe,

The Charleston Police Department received a FOIA request from you on June 28, 2023 for the following records:
“To Whom It May Concern:

Pursuant to the South Carolina Public Records Law, I hereby request the following records:

1. the total number of use of force incidents for 2016.

2. the total number of use of force incidents, separated by type of force, used in 2016 (for example, information that specifies the number of taser incidents in 2016, baton incidents in 2016, etc.)

3. the total number of civilian complaints alleging any form of law enforcement misconduct that were reported and the total number sustained in 2016 and 2021.

4. the total number of civilian complaints alleging law enforcement use of excessive force that were reported and the total number sustained in 2016 and 2021.

5. the total number of civilian complaints alleging biased policing or racial profiling that were reported and the total number sustained in 2016 and 2021.

6. the total number of civilian complaints alleging criminal conduct that were reported and the total number sustained in 2016 and 2021.

When available, I would appreciate being sent individualized data for each item in this request in spreadsheet format. If individualized data are unavailable, please send information that includes aggregate statistics for the item instead.

Note that my requests for civilian complaints are specifically for civilian complaints alleging police misconduct, please do not include complaints filed by one officer/the department against another officer.

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 15 business days, as the statute requires.

Sincerely,

Samuel Sinyangwe

Upload documents directly: https://www.muckrock.com/

The Charleston Police Department has reviewed its files and has located responsive records to your request which may be accessed through the following link:
https://www.charleston-sc.gov/1357/Information-Reports

This completes the Charleston Police Department response to your FOIA request and this matter is now considered closed.

You may reply to this email if you have any questions.

Sincerely,

Carmen Grimes

Charleston Police Department