LoJack Vehicle Recovery System

To Whom It May Concern:

Pursuant to RCW Ch. 42.56 (Public Records Act), I hereby request the following records:

Many cars are equipped with stolen vehicle and roadside assistance devices, such as LoJack or OnStar, that permit service providers to monitor the car’s location in real time.
LoJack uses a proven and proprietary technology operating on a Radio Frequency allocated by the FCC for the recovery of stolen vehicles. When a vehicle equipped with a LoJack® system is stolen, the first step is to have vehicle’s owner alert local law enforcement. Once officers record the theft in the national stolen vehicle database, a silent signal is automatically sent out that activates the LoJack® system's transceiver hidden in the stolen vehicle.*
The LoJack Stolen Vehicle Recovery System is a law enforcement tool which transmits information on a radio frequency reserved for law enforcement use. The type of radio signal used by LoJack is classified as “wide band” by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
The LoJack Stolen Vehicle Recovery Unit is a small unmarked Radio Frequency transceiver that is about the size of a deck of cards.
When a vehicle is stolen, the victim can file a stolen vehicle report with the police. As soon as the theft is recorded in the national stolen vehicle database, the unit will be activated.
There is the option of a LoJack Early Warning upgrade; if the vehicle moves without the key pass present, Lojack will immediately notify the contracted party.
LoJack is the only provider of stolen vehicle recovery systems that is directly integrated with law enforcement
The FCC has mandated that all law enforcement and emergency radio frequency users switch from wide band to narrow band radio transmissions by May 27, 2019.

Unless that date is subsequently changed, LoJack Units will cease to function on that date.
• Please provide all documentation POPD has received and transmitted regarding the FCC mandated update/upgrade. Including interoffice memos.
• Steps that have been taken by POPD or contracted provider to prepare for the upcoming FCC mandated change.
• Please provide documents that show how the outdated devices will be handled or disposed of.

Law enforcement has the ability to track any LoJack equipped vehicle using Police Tracking Computers that are provided by LoJack at no cost to law enforcement agencies. These computers are installed in law enforcement vehicles, helicopters and planes and are used by law enforcement to find and recover the vehicle.

Please provide all information showing:
• Copy of invoices for device acquisition of devices and contract of services between POPD and LoJack,Inc.
• Copy of service agreements and service plans between POPD and LoJack Inc.
• How many Police and departmental use vehicles equipped with the LoJack “Tracking Computer” and/or equipment or software.
• Identification number of all police vehicles equipped with the LoJack "tracking computer" and/or equipment or software.

From the date of device acquisition and contract for service of LoJack devices and equipment;

• The number of stolen vehicle reports POPD has received.
• The number of stolen vehicles reported that when the stolen vehicle was equipped with Lojack
• The total number of recovered stolen vehicles.
• The total number of stolen vehicles recovered by the use of the LoJack recovery system.

Regarding POPD Departmental Vehicles- LoJack also offers fleet services for tracking large fleets.
Please provide:
• The total number of POPD departmental vehicles
• The total number of POPD department vehicles that are equipped with LoJack
• The total number of LoJack devices reserved for POPD Departmental vehicles only?
• The total number of LoJack devices reserved for POPD investigative/ surveillance use?
• Names of all officers in the department who are trained to install lojack devices.
• Names of all officers in the department who have access to LoJack computer system.
• Names of all officers who are equipped with a LoJack computer system.
• Names of all officers who have been trained in utilizing the LoJack system.
• Total number of LoJack devices owned or in use by POPD.
• How many loJack devices are reserved/ set aside to be used only for Department Investigations/surveillance purposes.
• Inventory listing of LoJack devices, computers, software licenses.

Considering the duties of Law Enforcement and the ability to investigate crime, from time to time it may be reasonable for covert surveillance measures. From January 2010 to current date please provide:
• Copy of the policy governing the day to day use of LoJack system; What standards are in place to protect the public from unauthorized use of the LoJack system.
• Number of cases when POPD has actively monitored suspects privately owned Lojack Devices during the course of an investigation.
• Number of LoJack devices that have been placed on ‘suspect’ vehicles which were not already equipped with LoJack.
• Type of equipment used during an investigation for the purpose of tracking a suspect when not using LoJack devices.

Certainly covert operations can uncover the innocence of a suspect. Considering when a citizen is cleared and the investigation of that person concludes, please provide the following information:
• Procedure for retrieving LoJack or other surveillance devices that were placed during the investigation.

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,

Penny Allen

Dear Ms. Circelli,
I did receive your September 19th response indicating more time would be needed to gather the requested documents for the August 3rd request before documents would be searched for this current inquiry of September 12th. I apologize for the needless request for update sent on my behalf on October 11. I'm working through a partially-automated system, Muckrock, which automatically generates follow-up reminders for requests that have not been closed.

Sincerely,
Penny Allen

Hi,

Thanks so much for your help with this request! I really appreciate it.

Sincerely,
Penny Allen

Hello Ms. Circelli,
I wonder if you would please clarify a discrepancy in the records response for the following request:
LoJack Vehicle Recovery System, DOC 112017-010
Where the request asks for “the total number of POPD department vehicles that are equipped with LoJack the response is “none”
Included in the records are some memos which discuss the installation of a LoJack removed from an old departmental vehicle, installed into an officer’s new departmental vehicle or patrol car.
Within that context, I wish to clarify the question as; how many POPD departmental vehicles are equipped with a LoJack unit and how many officers in the department are equipped with the LoJack Software on their computers.

Thank you,
Penny Allen