Sheriff's Use of Force/Complaints Data (Mendocino County Sheriff's Department)

Dear Mr. Sinyangwe,

I am responding to the Public Records Act request that you sent to the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office on June 3, 2018. I will address the items in your request individually as follows.

1. The Sheriff Offices does not have the data that you are requesting. The only way to get this data would be to review every individual report narrative during the time period in question. However, the Sheriff's Office is looking to see whether there is a way to identify data associated with some uses of force.
2. See response to item 1.
3. The information responsive to this request is as follows:
2013- 0
2014 - 2
2015 - 1
2016 - 3
2017 - 2
2018 - 2
4. The Sheriff's Office needs clarification regarding this item of your request. It is not clear from your request what you mean by "sustained". Can you please clarify?
5. In the next week or so updated to a number of policies in the Sheriff's Office Policy Manual will occur. Would you agree to wait until those update are finalized? If not, I can provide you the current manual as of today but it will take a little while because I have to piece together two different manuals to have all current policies.
6. The current contract between the County and the Sheriff's Deputies union can be found at the follow web address: https://www.mendocinocounty.org/government/human-resources/labor-relations

Do not hesitate to contact me if you have any additional questions.

Brina Blanton, Deputy County Counsel
Mendocino County Counsel Office, Administration Center
501 Low Gap Rd., Rm. 1030, Ukiah, CA 95482
Main Office Line: (707) 234-6885; Fax: (707) 463-4592
Email: blantonb@mendocinocounty.org

*---------------------------------------
CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This transmission may contain information which is privileged, confidential, and protected by the attorney-client or attorney-work product privileges. If you are not the addressee, note that any disclosure, copying, distribution, or use of the contents of this message is prohibited and you may be subject to civil action and/or criminal penalties. If you have received this transmission in error, please destroy it and notify cocosupport@mendocinocounty.org.

I am currently out of the office and will be returning on July 9, 2019.

All emails will be reviewed and replied to when I return. I apologize
for any inconvenience.

Public Information and Media inquires should be directed to Lieutenant
Kirk Mason at masonk@mendocinocounty.org or 707-456-3877.

Can you confirm that you are now just asking for information from 2016 and 2017?

Brina Blanton, Deputy County Counsel
Mendocino County Counsel Office, Administration Center
501 Low Gap Rd., Rm. 1030, Ukiah, CA 95482
Main Office Line: (707) 234-6885; Fax: (707) 463-4592
Email: blantonb@mendocinocounty.org

*---------------------------------------
CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This transmission may contain information which is privileged, confidential, and protected by the attorney-client or attorney-work product privileges. If you are not the addressee, note that any disclosure, copying, distribution, or use of the contents of this message is prohibited and you may be subject to civil action and/or criminal penalties. If you have received this transmission in error, please destroy it and notify cocosupport@mendocinocounty.org.

>>> <requests@muckrock.com> 7/1/2019 12:24 PM >>>

Mendocino County Sheriff's Department
PRA Office
951 Low Gap Road
Ukiah, CA 95482
July 1, 2019
This is a follow up to a previous request:
Hi, thanks for this. By "Sustained" I mean the complaint was upheld/ruled in favor of the complainant. Let me know the number of use of force complaints sustained in 2016 and 2017. Thanks!
-Sam
Filed via MuckRock.com
E-mail (Preferred): requests@muckrock.com
Upload documents directly: https://www.muckrock.com/
Is this email coming to the wrong contact? Something else wrong? Use the above link to let us know.
For mailed responses, please address (see note):
MuckRock News
DEPT MR 74721
411A Highland Ave
Somerville, MA 02144-2516
PLEASE NOTE: This request is not filed by a MuckRock staff member, but is being sent through MuckRock by the above in order to better track, share, and manage public records requests. Also note that improperly addressed (i.e., with the requester's name rather than "MuckRock News" and the department number) requests might be returned as undeliverable.
---
On June 13, 2019:
Subject: California Public Records Act Request: Sheriff's Use of Force/Complaints Data
Dear Mr. Sinyangwe,
I am responding to the Public Records Act request that you sent to the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office on June 3, 2018. I will address the items in your request individually as follows.
1. The Sheriff Offices does not have the data that you are requesting. The only way to get this data would be to review every individual report narrative during the time period in question. However, the Sheriff's Office is looking to see whether there is a way to identify data associated with some uses of force.
2. See response to item 1.
3. The information responsive to this request is as follows:
2013- 0
2014 - 2
2015 - 1
2016 - 3
2017 - 2
2018 - 2
4. The Sheriff's Office needs clarification regarding this item of your request. It is not clear from your request what you mean by "sustained". Can you please clarify?
5. In the next week or so updated to a number of policies in the Sheriff's Office Policy Manual will occur. Would you agree to wait until those update are finalized? If not, I can provide you the current manual as of today but it will take a little while because I have to piece together two different manuals to have all current policies.
6. The current contract between the County and the Sheriff's Deputies union can be found at the follow web address: https://www.mendocinocounty.org/government/human-resources/labor-relations
Do not hesitate to contact me if you have any additional questions.
Brina Blanton, Deputy County Counsel
Mendocino County Counsel Office, Administration Center
501 Low Gap Rd., Rm. 1030, Ukiah, CA 95482
Main Office Line: (707) 234-6885; Fax: (707) 463-4592
Email: blantonb@mendocinocounty.org

*---------------------------------------
CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This transmission may contain information which is privileged, confidential, and protected by the attorney-client or attorney-work product privileges. If you are not the addressee, note that any disclosure, copying, distribution, or use of the contents of this message is prohibited and you may be subject to civil action and/or criminal penalties. If you have received this transmission in error, please destroy it and notify cocosupport@mendocinocounty.org.
---
On June 3, 2019:
Subject: California Public Records Act Request: Sheriff's Use of Force/Complaints Data (Mendocino County Sheriff's Department)
To Whom It May Concern:
Pursuant to the California Public Records Act, I hereby request the following records:
1. The total number of sheriff's deputy use of force incidents, broken down by type of force used, between 2013-2018 (separated by year).
2. The total number of people that deputies used force against, between 2013-2018 (separated by year).
3. The total number of use of force complaints reported between 2013-2018 (separated by year).
4. The total number of use of force complaints sustained between 2013-2018 (separated by year).
5. The policy manual of the sheriff's department.
6. The current union contract between the city and any sheriff's deputy/police officer unions.
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 10 calendar days, as the statute requires.
Sincerely,
Samuel Sinyangwe
Filed via MuckRock.com
E-mail (Preferred): requests@muckrock.com
Upload documents directly: https://www.muckrock.com/
Is this email coming to the wrong contact? Something else wrong? Use the above link to let us know.
For mailed responses, please address (see note):
MuckRock News
DEPT MR 74721
411A Highland Ave
Somerville, MA 02144-2516
PLEASE NOTE: This request is not filed by a MuckRock staff member, but is being sent through MuckRock by the above in order to better track, share, and manage public records requests. Also note that improperly addressed (i.e., with the requester's name rather than "MuckRock News" and the department number) requests might be returned as undeliverable.

Sam,

The addition information responsive to item 4 of your request is as follows:

2016 - 1
2017 - 2
2018 - 2

With regard to item 1 of you request, as noted previously the Sheriff's Office does not have the data request. The closest data that could be provided would be numbers related to types of crimes in which force is commonly used. However this would not be an accurate representation of the number of use of force incident. This information can be provided to you if you would like.

Additionally, the Sheriff's Office expects to be able to provide the policies that you have requested shortly.

Brina Blanton, Deputy County Counsel
Mendocino County Counsel Office, Administration Center
501 Low Gap Rd., Rm. 1030, Ukiah, CA 95482
Main Office Line: (707) 234-6885; Fax: (707) 463-4592
Email: blantonb@mendocinocounty.org

*---------------------------------------
CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This transmission may contain information which is privileged, confidential, and protected by the attorney-client or attorney-work product privileges. If you are not the addressee, note that any disclosure, copying, distribution, or use of the contents of this message is prohibited and you may be subject to civil action and/or criminal penalties. If you have received this transmission in error, please destroy it and notify cocosupport@mendocinocounty.org.

>>> <requests@muckrock.com> 7/1/2019 12:24 PM >>>

Mendocino County Sheriff's Department
PRA Office
951 Low Gap Road
Ukiah, CA 95482
July 1, 2019
This is a follow up to a previous request:
Hi, thanks for this. By "Sustained" I mean the complaint was upheld/ruled in favor of the complainant. Let me know the number of use of force complaints sustained in 2016 and 2017. Thanks!
-Sam
Filed via MuckRock.com
E-mail (Preferred): requests@muckrock.com
Upload documents directly: https://www.muckrock.com/
Is this email coming to the wrong contact? Something else wrong? Use the above link to let us know.
For mailed responses, please address (see note):
MuckRock News
DEPT MR 74721
411A Highland Ave
Somerville, MA 02144-2516
PLEASE NOTE: This request is not filed by a MuckRock staff member, but is being sent through MuckRock by the above in order to better track, share, and manage public records requests. Also note that improperly addressed (i.e., with the requester's name rather than "MuckRock News" and the department number) requests might be returned as undeliverable.
---
On June 13, 2019:
Subject: California Public Records Act Request: Sheriff's Use of Force/Complaints Data
Dear Mr. Sinyangwe,
I am responding to the Public Records Act request that you sent to the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office on June 3, 2018. I will address the items in your request individually as follows.
1. The Sheriff Offices does not have the data that you are requesting. The only way to get this data would be to review every individual report narrative during the time period in question. However, the Sheriff's Office is looking to see whether there is a way to identify data associated with some uses of force.
2. See response to item 1.
3. The information responsive to this request is as follows:
2013- 0
2014 - 2
2015 - 1
2016 - 3
2017 - 2
2018 - 2
4. The Sheriff's Office needs clarification regarding this item of your request. It is not clear from your request what you mean by "sustained". Can you please clarify?
5. In the next week or so updated to a number of policies in the Sheriff's Office Policy Manual will occur. Would you agree to wait until those update are finalized? If not, I can provide you the current manual as of today but it will take a little while because I have to piece together two different manuals to have all current policies.
6. The current contract between the County and the Sheriff's Deputies union can be found at the follow web address: https://www.mendocinocounty.org/government/human-resources/labor-relations
Do not hesitate to contact me if you have any additional questions.
Brina Blanton, Deputy County Counsel
Mendocino County Counsel Office, Administration Center
501 Low Gap Rd., Rm. 1030, Ukiah, CA 95482
Main Office Line: (707) 234-6885; Fax: (707) 463-4592
Email: blantonb@mendocinocounty.org

*---------------------------------------
CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This transmission may contain information which is privileged, confidential, and protected by the attorney-client or attorney-work product privileges. If you are not the addressee, note that any disclosure, copying, distribution, or use of the contents of this message is prohibited and you may be subject to civil action and/or criminal penalties. If you have received this transmission in error, please destroy it and notify cocosupport@mendocinocounty.org.
---
On June 3, 2019:
Subject: California Public Records Act Request: Sheriff's Use of Force/Complaints Data (Mendocino County Sheriff's Department)
To Whom It May Concern:
Pursuant to the California Public Records Act, I hereby request the following records:
1. The total number of sheriff's deputy use of force incidents, broken down by type of force used, between 2013-2018 (separated by year).
2. The total number of people that deputies used force against, between 2013-2018 (separated by year).
3. The total number of use of force complaints reported between 2013-2018 (separated by year).
4. The total number of use of force complaints sustained between 2013-2018 (separated by year).
5. The policy manual of the sheriff's department.
6. The current union contract between the city and any sheriff's deputy/police officer unions.
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 10 calendar days, as the statute requires.
Sincerely,
Samuel Sinyangwe
Filed via MuckRock.com
E-mail (Preferred): requests@muckrock.com
Upload documents directly: https://www.muckrock.com/
Is this email coming to the wrong contact? Something else wrong? Use the above link to let us know.
For mailed responses, please address (see note):
MuckRock News
DEPT MR 74721
411A Highland Ave
Somerville, MA 02144-2516
PLEASE NOTE: This request is not filed by a MuckRock staff member, but is being sent through MuckRock by the above in order to better track, share, and manage public records requests. Also note that improperly addressed (i.e., with the requester's name rather than "MuckRock News" and the department number) requests might be returned as undeliverable.