Evansville Indiana, PD, Citizen Complaints 2007-2010

Mr. Cartwright,

In response to your request below for statistical data from the EPD for the past ten years, but more specifically during the years of 2007 – 2010, I am sending that information on this reply. As you stated, you have access to our published web reports from 2011 through 2016. I have data from 2008 – 2010, however I do not have the information requested from 2007.

I have written the department’s response in blue under each numeral from your listed requests.

Respectfully,

Andy Chandler

August 1, 2017
Evansville Police Department
Evansville Police Department
15 NW Martin Luther King Jr. BLVD
Evansville, IN 47708

To Whom It May Concern:

Pursuant to the Indiana Access to Public Records Act, I hereby request the following records:

I am an Economics Professor in the College of Business at Ferris State University, and I am engaged in an empirical research project on police behavior and citizen complaints. This project requires me to request data from your department. If you have questions about my request or suggestions, I would be happy to discuss them with you.

The data I am looking for is in your annual reports, but I could not find publications of the report for years 2007-2010. Can you please provide reports for those years? Or, please send me the data described below.

1. What is the total number of citizen complaints (allegations of misconduct) made against your department’s officers annually for the last 10 years? If your department logs complaints in a database, spreadsheet, or other log, a copy of those logs is fine instead.

2008 – 10 formal IA complaints – 4 sustained and 6 either non-sustained or exonerated / 40 informal IA complaints – 12 sustained and 28 either non-sustained or exonerated.

2009 – 12 formal IA complaints – 2 sustained and 10 either non-sustained or exonerated / 46 informal IA complaints – 9 sustained and 37 either non-sustained or exonerated.

2010 – 10 formal IA complaints – 2 sustained and 8 either non-sustained or exonerated / 44 informal IA complaints – 12 sustained and 32 either non-sustained or exonerated.

2011 – 2016 info found on the department’s website in the annual web reports

2. What is the total number of complaints police officers made against their peer officers in department annually for the last 10 years? If your department logs complaints in a database, spreadsheet, or other log, a copy of those logs is fine instead.

None

2. What is the total number of calls for service your department received annually for the past 10 years? If your department logs calls for service in a database, spreadsheet, or other log, a copy of those logs is fine instead.

2008 – 135,435

2009 – 145,128

2010 – 144,746

2011 – 145,965

2012 – 153,294

2013 – 159,463

2014 – 2016 info found on the department’s website in the annual web reports

3. What is the annual number of officers involved in shootings in your department for the past 10 years? Any documentation or reports that detail the annual number of officer-involved shootings in your department for the past 10 years would be sufficient.

2008 – 1

2009 – 1

2010 – 0

2011 – 2

2012 – 0

2013 – 1

2014 – 4

2015 – 2

2016 – 2

All officer involved shootings were investigated, reviewed by the county prosecutor’s office and all determined to be legal and justified.

All officer involved shootings were evaluated and determined to be within departmental policy and legal. No disciplinary action resulted.

None of the Officer involved shootings listed, involved an accidental discharge of a weapon or in the course of shooting at or putting down an animal.

Collecting this information is very important to my research, so I would like to emphasize, if you have questions about my request or suggestions, I would be happy to discuss them with you.

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 7 business days, as the statute requires.

Sincerely,

Alexander Cartwright and Jennifer Dirmeyer

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You are welcome.

The EPD considers an Officer Involved Shooting to be as follows:
Whenever an officer uses a firearm against someone or discharges their firearm at someone while in performance of their duties. This includes any shots that were fired whether they struck a person or not. OIS investigations do not include the use of a firearm to put down an animal.