Surveillance San Francisco (San Francisco Sheriff's Department)

The San Francisco Sheriff's Office received a public records request from you on December 01, 2022.
Your request mentioned the following: To Whom It May Concern:

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

Recent media reports show San Francisco PD may have the ability to use robots to kill:

https://missionlocal.org/2022/11/killer-robots-to-be-permitted-under-sfpd-draft-policy/
https://sfgov.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&ID=11449771&GUID=9FC57C5A-6E68-4485-A989-632C3837B909
https://sfgov.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=5664065&GUID=71062664-A857-437A-8C49-97D48CF9F2A2&Options=ID%7CText%7C&Search=220641

"Robots will only be used as a deadly force option when risk of loss of life to members of the public or officers is imminent and outweighs any other force option available to SFPD."

Therefore, I request the following:

1) All instructional materials, presentations and presentation materials (including recorded video and audio, PowerPoint files, prepared remarks, and slides formats), and other guidance on police use of robots, including but not limited to REMOTEC F5A, REMOTEC F6A, REMOTEC RONS, QinetiQ TALON, QinetiQ DRAGON RUNNER, IRobot FirstLook, Recon Robotics Recon Scout ThrowBot. This includes A) any notes taking during meetings that discussed the use of these robots, B) any explanations (whether internally or externally generated) of how this program works, and C) any other document that has been used to help explain the use of this program to any party, including internal documentation, public relations materials, and executive summaries.

2) Any guidance, legal opinions, presentations, memos, on the use of deadly force by robots.

3) A copy of any privacy impact assessments, use policies, standard operating procedures, data retention policies, legal opinions, warranties, non-disclosure agreements, contracts, liability waivers, insurance agreements, Requests for Proposals, Responses to Requests for Proposal, Memorandums of Understanding, Letters of Interest, usage policies, or informal agreements between the police department (or the city of San Francisco) and manufacturers of these robots.

4) Any digital communications including but not limited to emails and text messages) as well as documents, (including but not limited to PDF, word processing, excel, and slide documents) related to this legislation and its implementation.

5) Please include all attachments to any responsive emails.

This will be used in the course of reporting for Motherboard, VICE Media's science and tech site (www.motherboard.vice.com). Because of the time sensitive nature of this new law, I request expedited processing.

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,

Jason Koebler

Upload documents directly: https://www.muckrock.com/

Your request was received and given the reference number P001574-120122 for tracking purposes. You will receive a response to your request on or before December 12, 2022.

Sincerely, San Francisco Sheriff's Office

--- Please respond above this line ---

RE: Public Records Request of December 01, 2022, Reference # P001574-120122 Dear Jason Koebler, On December 01, 2022, the San Francisco Sheriff's office received your request for records pursuant to the California Public Records Act (CPRA) wherein you requested the following: To Whom It May Concern:

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

Recent media reports show San Francisco PD may have the ability to use robots to kill:

https://missionlocal.org/2022/11/killer-robots-to-be-permitted-under-sfpd-draft-policy/
https://sfgov.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&ID=11449771&GUID=9FC57C5A-6E68-4485-A989-632C3837B909
https://sfgov.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=5664065&GUID=71062664-A857-437A-8C49-97D48CF9F2A2&Options=ID%7CText%7C&Search=220641

"Robots will only be used as a deadly force option when risk of loss of life to members of the public or officers is imminent and outweighs any other force option available to SFPD."

Therefore, I request the following:

1) All instructional materials, presentations and presentation materials (including recorded video and audio, PowerPoint files, prepared remarks, and slides formats), and other guidance on police use of robots, including but not limited to REMOTEC F5A, REMOTEC F6A, REMOTEC RONS, QinetiQ TALON, QinetiQ DRAGON RUNNER, IRobot FirstLook, Recon Robotics Recon Scout ThrowBot. This includes A) any notes taking during meetings that discussed the use of these robots, B) any explanations (whether internally or externally generated) of how this program works, and C) any other document that has been used to help explain the use of this program to any party, including internal documentation, public relations materials, and executive summaries.

2) Any guidance, legal opinions, presentations, memos, on the use of deadly force by robots.

3) A copy of any privacy impact assessments, use policies, standard operating procedures, data retention policies, legal opinions, warranties, non-disclosure agreements, contracts, liability waivers, insurance agreements, Requests for Proposals, Responses to Requests for Proposal, Memorandums of Understanding, Letters of Interest, usage policies, or informal agreements between the police department (or the city of San Francisco) and manufacturers of these robots.

4) Any digital communications including but not limited to emails and text messages) as well as documents, (including but not limited to PDF, word processing, excel, and slide documents) related to this legislation and its implementation.

5) Please include all attachments to any responsive emails.

This will be used in the course of reporting for Motherboard, VICE Media's science and tech site (www.motherboard.vice.com). Because of the time sensitive nature of this new law, I request expedited processing.

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,

Jason Koebler

Upload documents directly: https://www.muckrock.com/ The Sheriff's Office responds to your public records request as follows: The Sheriff’s office is conducting an extensive review to locate and review responsive records in order to respond to your public records request. Please be advised that because of the need to consult with another unit in our department, the Sheriff’s office is hereby invoking an extension of time of 14 days under Gov. Code section 6253(c). On or before  December 23, 2022, the Sheriff’s office will notify you if we locate any records that are responsive and not exempt from disclosure to your request, in addition to providing a date that non exempt records will be provided to you. You will receive the Sheriff's office response no later than December 23, 2022. Sincerely, Juliana Petani
Legal Assistant
San Francisco Sheriff's Office
Central Records & Warrants Unit

--- Please respond above this line ---

RE: Public Records Request of December 01, 2022, Reference # P001574-120122 Dear Jason Koebler, On December 01, 2022, the San Francisco Sheriff's Office received your request for records pursuant to the California Public Records Act (CPRA) wherein you requested the following: To Whom It May Concern:

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

Recent media reports show San Francisco PD may have the ability to use robots to kill:

https://missionlocal.org/2022/11/killer-robots-to-be-permitted-under-sfpd-draft-policy/
https://sfgov.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&ID=11449771&GUID=9FC57C5A-6E68-4485-A989-632C3837B909
https://sfgov.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=5664065&GUID=71062664-A857-437A-8C49-97D48CF9F2A2&Options=ID%7CText%7C&Search=220641

"Robots will only be used as a deadly force option when risk of loss of life to members of the public or officers is imminent and outweighs any other force option available to SFPD."

Therefore, I request the following:

1) All instructional materials, presentations and presentation materials (including recorded video and audio, PowerPoint files, prepared remarks, and slides formats), and other guidance on police use of robots, including but not limited to REMOTEC F5A, REMOTEC F6A, REMOTEC RONS, QinetiQ TALON, QinetiQ DRAGON RUNNER, IRobot FirstLook, Recon Robotics Recon Scout ThrowBot. This includes A) any notes taking during meetings that discussed the use of these robots, B) any explanations (whether internally or externally generated) of how this program works, and C) any other document that has been used to help explain the use of this program to any party, including internal documentation, public relations materials, and executive summaries.

2) Any guidance, legal opinions, presentations, memos, on the use of deadly force by robots.

3) A copy of any privacy impact assessments, use policies, standard operating procedures, data retention policies, legal opinions, warranties, non-disclosure agreements, contracts, liability waivers, insurance agreements, Requests for Proposals, Responses to Requests for Proposal, Memorandums of Understanding, Letters of Interest, usage policies, or informal agreements between the police department (or the city of San Francisco) and manufacturers of these robots.

4) Any digital communications including but not limited to emails and text messages) as well as documents, (including but not limited to PDF, word processing, excel, and slide documents) related to this legislation and its implementation.

5) Please include all attachments to any responsive emails.

This will be used in the course of reporting for Motherboard, VICE Media's science and tech site (www.motherboard.vice.com). Because of the time sensitive nature of this new law, I request expedited processing.

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,

Jason Koebler

Upload documents directly: https://www.muckrock.com/
The Sheriff's Office has performed a diligent search and determined that the department owns one AB481 device. This Sheriff's Office has never utilized, trained, or implemented policies and procedures for this device. The Sheriff's Office has no duty to create a record that does not exist at the time of the request. Sander v. State Bar of California (2013) 58 Cal.4th 300. This completes the Sheriff’s Office response to your request under the California Public Records Act, and your request is now closed. If you would like to make a new public records request of the Sheriff's Office, please make your request at the Records Request System. Sincerely, Juliana Petani
Legal Assistant
San Francisco Sheriff's Office
Central Records & Warrants Unit