Michigan Police Data Collection (Lansing Police Department)

Mr. Sinyangwe,

I am excited to inform you that we have significantly updated our FOIA process. If you go to our public portal here: https://lansingmi.govqa.us/WEBAPP/_RS/SUPPORTHOME.ASPX, you can create an account with your relevant information, which will persist across requests and which you can update as needed. From there you can submit requests, track their process, and receive responsive records. This will enable us to be much more effective and efficient in responding to FOIA requests.

Sincerely,

Gregory S. Venker
Assistant City Attorney
Office of the City Attorney
124 W. Michigan Ave. | Lansing, MI 48933
O: 517-483-4321 | C: 517-898-9780 | E: gregory.venker@lansingmi.gov<mailto:gregory.venker@lansingmi.gov>
Website<https://lansingmi.gov/> | Facebook<https://www.facebook.com/CityofLansingMi/> | Twitter<https://twitter.com/lansingmichigan> | Instagram<https://www.instagram.com/cityoflansingmi/>

[cid:image001.png@01D724B4.9FFC6330]

CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This e-mail contains information from the sender that may be CONFIDENTIAL, LEGALLY PRIVILEGED, PROPRIETARY or otherwise protected from disclosure. This e-mail is intended for use only by the person or entity to whom it is addressed. If you are not the intended recipient, any use, disclosure, copying, distribution, printing, or any action taken in reliance on the contents of this e-mail, is strictly prohibited. If you received this e-mail in error, please contact the sending party by replying in an e-mail to the sender, delete the e-mail from your computer system and shred any paper copies of the e-mail you printed.

Dear Samuel Sinyangwe:
Thank you for your interest in public records of Lansing Police Department. Your request has been received and is being processed in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act, Public Act 422 of 1976, as amended, MCL. 15.231 et. seq. Your request was received in this office on 8/26/2021 and given the reference number P000675-082621 for tracking purposes. With Electronic Requests, the statutory response time does not begin until the following business day. Records Requested: To Whom It May Concern:

Pursuant to the Michigan Freedom of Information Act, I hereby request the following records:

1. the total number of use of force incidents reported by the police department, separated by year and by type of force used from 2013-2015, and 2020 (for example, 27 taser incidents in 2013, 18 taser incidents in 2014, 3 baton incidents in 2013, 16 baton incidents in 2014, etc.)
2. the total number of civilian complaints alleging any form of law enforcement misconduct that were reported and the total number sustained from 2018-2020, separated by year (for example, 8 complaints in 2018, 2 complaints sustained in 2018, 4 complaints in 2019, 1 complaint sustained in 2019, etc.)
3. the total number of civilian complaints alleging law enforcement use of excessive force that were reported and the total number sustained from 2018-2020, separated by year.
4. the total number of civilian complaints alleging biased policing or racial profiling that were reported and the total number sustained from 2018-2020, separated by year.
5. the total number of civilian complaints alleging criminal conduct that were reported and the total number sustained from 2018-2020, separated by year.
6. all information reported to the FBI’s National Use-of-Force Data Collection program to date.
7. a list of all officer involved shootings that were directed at a person from 2013-20 (excluding shootings of animals and accidental discharges that are not directed at a person).

If only partial information is available responsive to one or more of these requests, please provide all of the information that is available.

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,

Samuel Sinyangwe
Your request will be forwarded to the relevant department(s) to locate the information you seek and to determine the volume and any costs associated with satisfying your request. You will be contacted about the availability and/or provided with copies of the records in question. PLEASE NOTE: The Freedom of Information Act, Public Act 422 of 1976, as amended, MCL. 15.231 et. seq.does not require a governmental body to create new information, to do legal research, or to answer questions.
You can monitor the progress of your request at the link below and you'll receive an email when your request has been completed. Again, thank you for using the FOIA Records Center.
Lansing Police Department
To monitor the progress or update this request please log into the FOIA Records Center (https://u8387778.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=6HtRfOYLt5fXvpttM-2FU1HXz3PLyJtlMGUaVDTgJ7Ubvgrr-2F9U-2FJA4EUvD95NxqAFKlPfKO0TVCux7JqwX3GnOAXA4-2Bp-2BbJy0almbk9klKi4-3D1aLz_mSq7c4UahdelM8Z64zq-2FWQjt2AUP-2BMpJ3MtMEkshxwNMjbtpmjU6Kplf2HRYNvdDIpln6BuHdMAFuzC4Jc7iLDgf1DtORG8-2FHWJUQS8izncwvzBEeHqCgfDBqwagRLAcA-2BkCGddno8wDqsde9nYYaJeGxShtFwtD8Dvj38Cp-2FAGRBKSNVjIkbRTq9HbghSLS3fQy9iSNV-2FeiejvIBQ7PjiwBR2vdrv-2BhmEZQ-2Bgh37DQ-3D)

Dear Samuel Sinyangwe:
Thank you for your interest in public records of Lansing Police Department. Your request has been received and is being processed in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act, Public Act 422 of 1976, as amended, MCL. 15.231 et. seq. Your request was received in this office on 8/27/2021 and given the reference number P000675-082621 for tracking purposes. With Electronic Requests, the statutory response time does not begin until the following business day. Records Requested: To Whom It May Concern:

Pursuant to the Michigan Freedom of Information Act, I hereby request the following records:

1. the total number of use of force incidents reported by the police department, separated by year and by type of force used from 2013-2015, and 2020 (for example, 27 taser incidents in 2013, 18 taser incidents in 2014, 3 baton incidents in 2013, 16 baton incidents in 2014, etc.)
2. the total number of civilian complaints alleging any form of law enforcement misconduct that were reported and the total number sustained from 2018-2020, separated by year (for example, 8 complaints in 2018, 2 complaints sustained in 2018, 4 complaints in 2019, 1 complaint sustained in 2019, etc.)
3. the total number of civilian complaints alleging law enforcement use of excessive force that were reported and the total number sustained from 2018-2020, separated by year.
4. the total number of civilian complaints alleging biased policing or racial profiling that were reported and the total number sustained from 2018-2020, separated by year.
5. the total number of civilian complaints alleging criminal conduct that were reported and the total number sustained from 2018-2020, separated by year.
6. all information reported to the FBI’s National Use-of-Force Data Collection program to date.
7. a list of all officer involved shootings that were directed at a person from 2013-20 (excluding shootings of animals and accidental discharges that are not directed at a person).

If only partial information is available responsive to one or more of these requests, please provide all of the information that is available.

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,

Samuel Sinyangwe
Your request will be forwarded to the relevant department(s) to locate the information you seek and to determine the volume and any costs associated with satisfying your request. You will be contacted about the availability and/or provided with copies of the records in question. PLEASE NOTE: The Freedom of Information Act, Public Act 422 of 1976, as amended, MCL. 15.231 et. seq.does not require a governmental body to create new information, to do legal research, or to answer questions.
You can monitor the progress of your request at the link below and you'll receive an email when your request has been completed. Again, thank you for using the FOIA Records Center.
Lansing Police Department

--- Please respond above this line ---

RE: PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST of August 27, 2021, Reference # P000675-082621
Dear Samuel Sinyangwe,
The Lansing Police Department received a public information request from you on August 27, 2021. Your request was stated as: “To Whom It May Concern:

Pursuant to the Michigan Freedom of Information Act, I hereby request the following records:

1. the total number of use of force incidents reported by the police department, separated by year and by type of force used from 2013-2015, and 2020 (for example, 27 taser incidents in 2013, 18 taser incidents in 2014, 3 baton incidents in 2013, 16 baton incidents in 2014, etc.)
2. the total number of civilian complaints alleging any form of law enforcement misconduct that were reported and the total number sustained from 2018-2020, separated by year (for example, 8 complaints in 2018, 2 complaints sustained in 2018, 4 complaints in 2019, 1 complaint sustained in 2019, etc.)
3. the total number of civilian complaints alleging law enforcement use of excessive force that were reported and the total number sustained from 2018-2020, separated by year.
4. the total number of civilian complaints alleging biased policing or racial profiling that were reported and the total number sustained from 2018-2020, separated by year.
5. the total number of civilian complaints alleging criminal conduct that were reported and the total number sustained from 2018-2020, separated by year.
6. all information reported to the FBI’s National Use-of-Force Data Collection program to date.
7. a list of all officer involved shootings that were directed at a person from 2013-20 (excluding shootings of animals and accidental discharges that are not directed at a person).

If only partial information is available responsive to one or more of these requests, please provide all of the information that is available.

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,

Samuel Sinyangwe”
The City of Lansing has reviewed its files and your request is granted in part and denied in part.
Your request for the total number of civilian complaints alleging biased policing or racial profiling that were reported and the total number sustained from 2018-2020, separated by year is denied pursuant to MCL 15.235(5)(b) no responsive records could be located, and this letter serves as a certificate that the requested documents do not exist under the name provided by you or another name reasonably known to the Lansing Police Department. Furthermore, the Lansing Police Department does not have the ability to run a report containing that information, and pursuant to MCL 15.233(4) & (5) the Lansing Police Department is not required to make a compilation, summary, or report of information, nor is the City required to create a new public record. Finally, not all of the responsive information was available to you in the specific format you specified, but information responsive to all of your remaining requests has been located and is being provided.
Your request for remaining records is granted, however the responsive documents were redacted of material based on the following statutory exemptions, and as logged on the responsive document(s):

* Portions of the information contained in the responsive records have been redacted, as this information is exempt from disclosure, pursuant to MCL 15.243(1)(a) (e.g.: personal address, phone numbers, e-mail address, etc.). The matters redacted and described above, are determined to meet the two pronged exemption test established by the Michigan Supreme Court, i.e. the information is personal in nature and its disclosure would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of the individual’s privacy. In addition, disclosure of the information would not advance the core purpose of FOIA, which is to contribute significantly to the public understanding of government.
Please log in to the FOIA Records Center at the following link to retrieve the appropriate responsive document(s): Police - FOIA Request - P000675-082621 (https://u8387778.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=6HtRfOYLt5fXvpttM-2FU1HXz3PLyJtlMGUaVDTgJ7UbvxNWcbDQT2caxUF-2BXRVWV4JEbozsHXNLKnJsDlB9WsPxZWT8EO4sG1OehBC4imm8w0S2LGNo089VR3GoLjiRT2CS0l_mSq7c4UahdelM8Z64zq-2FWQjt2AUP-2BMpJ3MtMEkshxwNMjbtpmjU6Kplf2HRYNvdDXdSgfwrfpGFVxWCwzaZ5gLW-2FfXlFICEZNiWIXtaQmBAVCC2l6Ka8C-2F2TmqjZkliMpA-2BHiThetGVcoYgiQwtKAjkjFLChf2pFo2mdtfDRtsNFhL-2Ba1x3LfHr3UqC-2BVKPAGl35qr07g18vkvu2-2F9eMvW8gHh3auoD6AOxlsUg2W-2FpJnMhXr4-2Fr3M62sGCBxspG)
Please be advised that the City has adopted Procedures and Guidelines and a Written Public Summary, both of which are available on the City’s website at:
https://content.civicplus.com/api/assets/5d087b72-e05a-4ed7-924a-1fedd81b3643 Appeal of denial of records. You are entitled under the Michigan Freedom of Information Act, MCL 15.240, to appeal this denial to the President of City Council or to commence an action in the Circuit Court within 180 days after the City’s final determination to deny a request, to compel disclosure of the requested records if you believe they were wrongfully withheld from disclosure. If, after judicial review, the court determines that the City has not complied with MCL 15.235 in making this denial and orders disclosure of all or a portion of a public record, you have the right to receive attorneys’ fees and damages as provided in MCL 15.240. If the court determines in an action commenced under this section that the public body has arbitrarily and capriciously violated this act by refusal or delay in disclosing or providing copies of a public record, the court shall order the public body to pay a civil fine of $1,000.00, which shall be deposited into the general fund of the state treasury. The court shall award, in addition to any actual or compensatory damages, punitive damages in the amount of $1,000.00 to the person seeking the right to inspect or receive a copy of a public record. Appeal of excessive fee. You are entitled under the Michigan Freedom of Information Act, MCL 15.240a, to appeal a FOIA fee that you believe exceeds the amount permitted under the City’s written Procedures and Guidelines to the President of City Council or to commence an action in the Circuit Court for a fee reduction within 45 days after receiving the notice of the required fee or a determination of an appeal to the President of City Council. If a civil action is commenced in court, the City is not obligated to compete processing the request until the court resolves the fee dispute. If the court determines that the City required a fee that exceeded the permitted amount, the court shall reduce the fee to a permissible amount.
If you have any questions or wish to discuss this further, you may contact my office at 517-483-4320.
Sincerely,
Gregory Venker
Assistant City Attorney
Office of the City Attorney

Hello Samuel,
This message is to notify you that your password has changed. This is an auto-generated email and has originated from an unmonitored email account. Please DO NOT REPLY