Drones: Policies/Procedures and Contracts from 2020-2021 (Seattle Police Department)

At this time, the Seattle Police Department’s Legal Unit is operating under an extreme backlog of requests, staffing shortages, the redeployment of supporting units to SPD’s frontline COVID-19 response, and, pursuant to CDC recommendations and City direction, reassignment to remote access. We apologize for any inconvenience, and deeply appreciate your understanding as we all pull together, in the face of this unprecedented, pandemic public crisis, to manage as best we can our business operations.

Dear Autumn Oaks:

Thank you for using the Seattle Police Public Records Request Center.

Your request was received on March 21, 2022and the reference number is P089040-032122.

If the City's representative entered your request into the system and you didn't specifically register:

* Access the Police Public Records Request Center
* Access the "My Records Request Center"
* Access the "View My Requests"
* Enter the E-Mail below (should be the E-Mail you gave the representative)
* At the login prompt click the forgotten password link
* You will be sent a temporary password to login and then change to a permanent password
Please use the center to track the progress of your requests, pay for your requests online, and download your records!

Here is your login: requests@muckrock.com
Request Summary Incident Information (if provided):

* Incident Number:
* Incident Date:
* Incident Time:
* Incident Location:
* Investigating Officers:
Request Description and Details (as provided):

* Overall Description:
To Whom It May Concern:

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

Please provide the following materials/information related to this department's usage of drones between 2020-2021:

-Contracts and agreements between third party organizations/companies/and other government agencies.
-Policies/Procedures of usage of drones, training/safety, and collecting of data.

I ask that your office consider waiving any fees associated with this request, as it is being made as part of a student project being conducted in the public interest and as part of a class within the University of Nevada, Reno Reynold’s School of Journalism.

Should any payment be necessary in order to fulfill this request, please provide a detailed estimate of those associated costs in advance of its work to process this request.

If you choose to deny this request, please supply a written explanation for the denial, including a reference to the specific statutory exemption(s) upon which you rely for each redaction and document that will not be disclosed. Please release all segregable portions of otherwise exempt material.

If access to the records I am requesting will take longer than the statutorily-described amount of time for processing records requests, please contact me with information about when I might expect copies or the ability to inspect the requested records.

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,

Autumn Oaks

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

03/22/2022

Autumn Oaks
requests@muckrock.com

RE: Public Disclosure Request #: P089040-032122

Dear Autumn Oaks,

This communication is in response to your public disclosure request.

The purpose of this correspondence is to provide you a status update. Your request status is: Assigned.

If you have any questions, you may send messages using the Police Records Request Center or call the Public Disclosure Desk at 206-684-5481.
Please add seattle@mycusthelp.net to your E-mail contacts/address book to ensure delivery of the record center E-mails to your Inbox. (mailto:seattle@mycusthelp.net)

This is an auto-generated email and has originated from an unmonitored email account. Please DO NOT REPLY.

SPD receives between 7000 and 8000 public records requests annually and is processing between 1400 to 1500 open requests at a time. This may result in a slower than anticipated response to your request. Thank you for your patience.

03/29/2022

Autumn Oaks
requests@muckrock.com

RE:  Public Disclosure Request#: P089040-032122

Dear Autumn Oaks,

This communication is in response to your public disclosure request.


The purpose of this correspondence is to provide you a status update.  Your request status is:  Being Researched/Reviewed.

If you have any questions, you may send messages using the Police Records Request Center or call the Public Disclosure Desk at 206-684-5481.


Please add seattle@mycusthelp.net to your E-mail contacts/address book to ensure delivery of the record center E-mails to your Inbox.

This is an auto-generated email and has originated from an unmonitored email account. Please DO NOT REPLY.

SPD receives between 7000 and 8000 public records requests annually and is processing between 1400 to 1500 open requests at a time. This may result in a slower than anticipated response to your request. Thank you for your patience.

--- Please respond above this line ---

03/29/2022

Autumn Oaks
requests@muckrock.com

RE: Public Disclosure Request#: P089040-032122

Dear Autumn Oaks,

Dear Autumn Oaks:
This communication is in response to your public disclosure request received on March 21, 2022. At this time, the Seattle Police Department’s Legal Unit is operating under an extreme backlog of requests, staffing shortages, the redeployment of supporting units to SPD’s frontline COVID-19 response, and, pursuant to CDC recommendations and City direction, reassignment to remote access. We apologize for any inconvenience, and deeply appreciate your understanding as we all pull together, in the face of this unprecedented, pandemic public crisis, to manage as best we can our business operations.
Pursuant to RCW 42.56.520, this is notification that the Seattle Police Department has received your public disclosure records request and needs additional time to respond.
We will provide the records to you by July 22, 2022.
We are initiating the process of researching your request, collecting responsive records, and/or preparing records for dissemination.
Thank you,
Nina Afereti
SPD Legal Unit

If you have any questions, you may send a message using the Police Records Request Center or call the Public Disclosure Desk at 206-684-5481.

Sincerely,
Penina Afereti
Seattle Police Department
Legal Unit

SPD receives between 7000 and 8000 public records requests annually and is processing more than 2000 open requests at a time. This may result in a slower than anticipated response to your request. Thank you for your patience.

As a reminder you can login at the Police Records Request Center where you can access Police online information, manage your profile, submit record requests, track your request status, receive and send messages, make payments, view frequently asked questions, and download your records.
Please add seattle@mycusthelp.net to your E-mail contacts/address book to ensure delivery of the record center E-mails to your Inbox. (mailto:seattle@mycusthelp.net)

--- Please respond above this line ---

07/22/2022

Autumn Oaks
requests@muckrock.com

RE: Public Disclosure Request#: P089040-032122

Dear Autumn Oaks,

Good afternoon,
This communication shall serve to provide you with a status update regarding your request.
At this time, the Seattle Police Department’s Legal Unit is operating under an extreme backlog of requests, staffing shortages, the redeployment of supporting units to SPD’s frontline COVID-19 response, and, pursuant to CDC recommendations and City direction, reassignment to remote access. We apologize for any inconvenience, and deeply appreciate your understanding as we all pull together, in the face of this unprecedented, pandemic public crisis, to manage as best we can our business operations.
Please be advised that SPD does not have any policies or training materials regarding the usage of drones.  At this time, I require additional time to research and review responsive records.  I am awaiting a response regarding grants and contracts for drones, and I hope to provide you with an update or the records no later than October 7, 2022.  I appreciate your patience and understanding. Please do not hesitate to contact our office if you have any further questions.
Thank you,
Nina Afereti
SPD Legal Unit

If you have any questions, you may send a message using the Police Records Request Center or call the Public Disclosure Desk at 206-684-5481.

Sincerely,
Penina Afereti
Seattle Police Department
Legal Unit

SPD receives between 7000 and 8000 public records requests annually and is processing more than 2000 open requests at a time. This may result in a slower than anticipated response to your request. Thank you for your patience.

As a reminder you can login at the Police Records Request Center where you can access Police online information, manage your profile, submit record requests, track your request status, receive and send messages, make payments, view frequently asked questions, and download your records.
Please add seattle@mycusthelp.net to your E-mail contacts/address book to ensure delivery of the record center E-mails to your Inbox. (mailto:seattle@mycusthelp.net)

--- Please respond above this line ---

10/21/2022

Autumn Oaks
requests@muckrock.com

RE: Public Disclosure Request#: P089040-032122

Dear Autumn Oaks,

Dear Autumn Oaks:

This communication is in response to your public disclosure request received on March 21, 2022.

Apologies for the delay.  We have searched our different units, and there are no records responsive to your request.  We do not have a record or the ability to readily create a record that contains the information you are seeking. The Public Record Act does not require us to perform research projects or develop data for information requests. RCW 42.56.080.
If you wish to appeal the search, production, or application of any exemption in connection with this request you may submit an appeal in writing to the Seattle Police Legal Unit within ten (10) business days from the date you received your records/this response.
Please include your name and address, a copy of any redacted files, and a copy of this letter together with a brief statement identifying the basis of the appeal.
Please mail or deliver your appeal to:
Seattle Police Department
Attn: Legal Unit
610 Fifth Avenue
P.O. Box 34986
Seattle, WA 98124-4986
This message completes and closes your request.
Thank you,
Nina Afereti
SPD Legal Unit

If you have any questions, you may send a message using the Police Records Request Center or call the Public Disclosure Desk at 206-684-5481.

Sincerely,
Penina Afereti
Seattle Police Department
Legal Unit

SPD receives between 7, 000 and 8, 000 public records requests annually and is processing between 2, 500 to 3, 000 open requests at any given time. This may result in a slower than anticipated response to your request. Thank you for your
patience.

As a reminder you can login at the Police Records Request Center where you can access Police online information, manage your profile, submit record requests, track your request status, receive and send messages, make payments, view frequently asked questions, and download your records.
Please add seattle@mycusthelp.net to your E-mail contacts/address book to ensure delivery of the record center E-mails to your Inbox. (mailto:seattle@mycusthelp.net)