Lansing, MI PD Citizen Complaints
| Tracking # |
18-060 |
| Submitted | Aug. 5, 2017 |
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Communications
From: Alexander Cartwright and Jennifer Dirmeyer
To Whom It May Concern:
Pursuant to Michigan's Freedom of Information Act ("FOIA"), I hereby request the following records:
We are Economics Professors in the College of Business at Ferris State University, and are engaged in an empirical research project on police behavior and citizen complaints. This project requires us to request data from your department. If you have questions about this request or suggestions, we would be happy to discuss them with you.
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.
Please include the type of complaint (i.e., use of force, abuse language, unwarranted search) and the result of complaint (i.e., sustained, exonerated).
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.
Please include the type of complaint (i.e., use of force, abuse language, unwarranted search) and the result of complaint (i.e., sustained, exonerated).
3. 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.
4. How many officer-involved-shootings were there per year for the last 10 years in your department? Any documentation or reports that detail the annual number of officer-involved shootings in your department for the past 10 years would be sufficient.
Please include documentation regarding how many of these officer-involved shootings involved disciplinary action. (Please list officer firearm discharge directed at a person separately from a shooting involving an animal and separately from accidental firearm discharges).
Please include the number of officer-involved shootings resulting in discipline.
5. Which of the above data are published publicly? Please provide a link to any and all publicly available reports containing the data above.
Collecting this information is very important to our research, so we would like to emphasize, if you have questions about my request or suggestions, we 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 5 business days, as the statute requires.
Sincerely,
Alexander Cartwright and Jennifer Dirmeyer
From: MuckRock.com
To Whom It May Concern:
I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on Aug. 5, 2017. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed.
Thanks for your help, and let me know if further clarification is needed.
From: Cruz, Sarah
We have 5 business days to respond to your request.
Thank you,
Sarah Cruz
Lansing Police Department
Central Records
120 West Michigan Avenue
Lansing, MI 48933
Phone: (517) 483-4681
Fax: (517) 483-4688
sarah.cruz@lansingmi.gov<mailto:sarah.cruz@lansingmi.gov>
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From: O'Boyle, Amanda
Dear Mr. Cartwright and Ms. Dirmeyer:
Please be advised that your FOIA request is in process. In order to determine whether the City possesses records responsive to your request, we are extending the time for responding to your request by ten (10) business days, as permitted under MCL 15.235, Section 5(2)(d). Therefore, a written response will be issued on or before August 28, 2017.
Per your first question, please note that records about citizen complaints cannot be categorized to be limited to "allegations of misconduct." Please advise as to whether you would like to amend your request to include all citizen complaints, otherwise this request will be denied as no such document limited to allegations of misconduct exists.
Thank you,
Amanda O'Boyle, J.D.
Office of the City Attorney
City of Lansing
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From: Alexander Cartwright and Jennifer Dirmeyer
Hello,
I understand that our request is extensive, and the need for an extension is understandable. I look forward to your response.
Respectfully,
Alex Cartwright
From: O'Boyle, Amanda
Dear Mr. Cartwright,
Can you please address the question raised in the second paragraph. Your request for citizen complaints based upon allegations of misconduct cannot be supplied as such compilation of records do not exist. Pursuant to MCL 15.233(4) a public body is not required to compile records. However, if you amend your request to all citizen complaints, we will be able to grant your request. Please supply an amended FOIA request if you would like to follow this alternative solution.
Thank you,
Amanda O’Boyle, J.D.
Office of the City Attorney
City of Lansing
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From: Alexander Cartwright and Jennifer Dirmeyer
Hello,
Attached hereto please find our amended open records request:
Pursuant to Michigan's Freedom of Information Act ("FOIA"), I hereby request the following records:
We are Economics Professors in the College of Business at Ferris State University, and are engaged in an empirical research project on police behavior and citizen complaints. This project requires us to request data from your department. If you have questions about this request or suggestions, we would be happy to discuss them with you.
1. What is the total number of citizen complaints 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.
Please include the type of complaint (i.e., use of force, abuse language, unwarranted search) and the result of complaint (i.e., sustained, exonerated).
2. What is the total number of complaints police officers made against their peer officers in department annually for the last 10 years? (total internal complaints) If your department logs complaints in a database, spreadsheet, or other log, a copy of those logs is fine instead.
Please include the type of complaint (i.e., use of force, abuse language, unwarranted search) and the result of complaint (i.e., sustained, exonerated).
3. How many officer-involved-shootings were there per year for the last 10 years in your department? Any documentation or reports that detail the annual number of officer-involved shootings in your department for the past 10 years would be sufficient.
Please include documentation regarding how many of these officer-involved shootings involved disciplinary action. (Please list officer firearm discharge directed at a person separately from a shooting involving an animal and separately from accidental firearm discharges).
Please include the number of officer-involved shootings resulting in discipline.
4. Which of the above data are published publicly? Please provide a link to any and all publicly available reports containing the data above.
Collecting this information is very important to our research, so we would like to emphasize, if you have questions about my request or suggestions, we 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 5 business days, as the statute requires.
Sincerely,
Alexander Cartwright and Jennifer Dirmeyer
From: MuckRock.com
To Whom It May Concern:
I'm following up on the following Freedom of Information Act request, copied below, and originally submitted on Aug. 5, 2017. You had previously indicated that it would be completed on Aug. 28, 2017. I wanted to check on the status of my request, and to see if there was a new estimated completion date. You had assigned it reference number #18-060.
Thanks for your help, and let me know if further clarification is needed.
From: O'Boyle, Amanda
Dear Mr. Cartwright:
I have placed an inquiry with the Lansing Police Department regarding your questions below. I do believe that a few more days will be required due to the amendments to your request made on August 24, 2017.
Thank you,
Amanda O’Boyle, J.D.
Office of the City Attorney
City of Lansing
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From: Alexander Cartwright and Jennifer Dirmeyer
Hello,
Thank you very much for the update. Thank you for accommodating our request. I look forward to receiving the data.
Respectfully,
Alex Cartwright
From: O'Boyle, Amanda
Dear Mr. Cartwright and Ms. Dirmeyer:
Please find attached the partial grant letter and responsive documents to your FOIA request, 18-060.
Amanda O'Boyle, J.D.
Office of the City Attorney
City of Lansing
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From: Alexander Cartwright and Jennifer Dirmeyer
Hi,
Thanks so much for your help with this request! I really appreciate it.
Sincerely,
Alexander Cartwright and Jennifer Dirmeyer
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