Use of Force/Complaints Data (Department of Public Safety)
| Multi Request | Use of Force/Complaints Data |
| Submitted | Dec. 29, 2018 |
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Communications
From: Samuel Sinyangwe
To Whom It May Concern:
Pursuant to the California Public Records Act, I hereby request the following records:
1. The total number of police use of force incidents, by type of force used, between 2013-2017 (separated by year).
2. The total number of people that police used force against, between 2013-2017 (separated by year).
3. The total number of police use of force complaints reported between 2013-2017 (separated by year).
4. The total number of police use of force complaints sustained between 2013-2017 (separated by year).
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
From: Department of Public Safety
Good Morning Samuel Sinyangwe,
This is to acknowledge receipt of your public records act request. Pursuant to Government Code Section 6253(c), the City will review and respond to you by January 8, 2019.
Regards,
[cid:image005.png@01D4A26B.3C730BC0]
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Phuong Fromm
Public Safety Records Manager
Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety
Phone: 408-730-7163
Fax: 408-730-7705
From: Department of Public Safety
Good Afternoon Samuel Sinyangwe,
Below is responsive records pertaining to your PRA request involving police use of force. We were only able to pull up records from April 2014 until 2017.
Pertaining to your bullet point #1 request, there is a total of 442 police use of force incidents between April 2014-2017. Below is the breakdown of the numbers by year as well as the different types of force used.
DATES
NUMBER OF INCIDENTS
TYPE OF FORCE USED
APRIL 2014 - DECEMBER 2014
105
Gun - Display Only
CEW
CEW - Display Only
CEW - Display Only/ Hands
CEW & Gun - Display Only
CEW /Hands
CEW/Gun - Display Only
CEW/hands
CEW/Hands/ASP
Foot/K9
Gun - Display Only
Gun /CEW- Display Only
Gun/CEW/Sage - Display Only
Hands/CEW - Display Only
Hands
Hands - Control Hold
Hands/Baton
Hands/CEW
Hands/Gun Display Only
Hands/K9
Hands/Knee Strikes
Hands/Leg
K9
K9/Hands
Leg
OC
WRAP
WRAP/ Hands
Wrap/Hand
2015
114
CEW/Hands
Gun & CEW - Display Only
ASP/Hands
Baton
CEW
CEW - Display Only
CEW Display Only/Hands
CEW/Hands
CEW/K-9
Feet
Gun
Gun - Display Only
Gun-Display Only/CEW
Hands
Hands & CEW - Display Only
Hands/ASP
Hands/ASP/Wrap/CEW Display
Hands/CEW
Hands/Gun - Display Only
Hands/OC
Hands/OC, CEW, ASP WRAP
Hands/WRAP
K-9
OC
WRAP
WRAP/Hands
2016
108
Hands
CEW
CEW - Displayed
CEW - Effective, Hands
CEW Display Only
CEW Laser-Display Only, Flashlight
Cew/ASP-Gun - Displayed Only
CEW-Display Only-Gun-Display Only
CEW-Displayed, Sage-Deployed
CEW-Gun Display Only-Laser
CEW-Hands-ASP
CEW-OC-WRAP
Gun
Gun - Display Only
Gun-Display Only, Hands
Gun-Display Only/Foot
Gun-Displayed & Hands, Flash Light Knee
Gun-Displayed & SAGE
Hands
Hands & Baton
Hands & CEW
Hands & CEW - Display Only
HANDS & FEET
Hands & Gun - Displayed Only
Hands & OC
Hands & Wrap
Hands/ASP/K9
Hands-CEW
Hands-CEW Displayed
Hands-CEW-WRAP
Hands-Gun Displayed
Hands-Gun Displayed-K9
Hands-OC
Hands-Shield
Hands
K9
K9-Flashlight
OC Pepper Ball-K9
Wrap
2017
115
Hands
ASP/Baton
CEW
CEW Displayed Only
CEW Displayed Only, Gun Displayed Only
CEW Displayed Only, Hands
CEW Displayed Only, Gun Displayed, K9
CEW Displayed Only/WRAP
CEW, ASP
Gun Displayed Only
Gun Displayed Only/Hands
Gun Displayed Only/K9
Gun, Displayed Only
Hand/WRAP
Hands
Hands CEW
Hands, CEW Displayed Only
Hands, CEW Displayed Only, Gun Displayed Only
Hands, OC, CEW, ASP, GUN Displayed Only
Hands, SAGE
Hands, WRAP
Hands, CEW Displayed only
Hands/Body
Hands/CEW
Hands/CEW Displayed Only/WRAP
Hands/CEW/ASP
Hands/Gun Displayed Only/CEW
Hands/Knees
Hands/WRAP
Hands-Flashlight
K9
K9/Baton
Knee
OC
OC/Wrap
WRAP
Pertaining to your bullet point #2 request, the logging mechanism is not consistent in tracking the number of people involved in each of the incidents so I am unable to provide you with an accurate count.
Pertaining to your bullet point #3 request, the total use of force complaints reported and received are as follow:
2013 - 1
2014 - 0
2015 - 2
2016 - 2
2017 - 0
Pertaining to your bullet point #4 request, the total use of force sustained complaints are as follow:
2013 - 0
2014 - 0
2015 - 0
2016 - 0
2017 - 0
Please review and let me know if you need anything further.
Regards,
[cid:image001.png@01D4A360.19098830]
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Phuong Fromm
Public Safety Records Manager
Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety
Phone: 408-730-7163
Fax: 408-730-7705
From: Samuel Sinyangwe
Thanks for sending this. Can you please also send the number of applications of each type of force? For example, how many times a taser was used, a baton was used, etc. by year for each year (2013-17)?
Thank you!
Sam
From: Muckrock Staff
To Whom It May Concern:
I'm following up on the following California Public Records Act request, copied below, and originally submitted on Dec. 29, 2018. You had previously indicated that it would be completed on Jan. 8, 2019. I wanted to check on the status of my request, and to see if there was a new estimated completion date.
Thanks for your help, and let me know if further clarification is needed.
From: Department of Public Safety
Hello Sam,
I have been out of the office and just returned yesterday. I noticed that you sent me a follow-up request on 1/14/19 for further information. I will see if I can provide you with the data by this Friday, 2/1/19. Thank you for your patience. Please let me know if you have any questions.
Regards,
Phuong
From: Department of Public Safety
Good Morning Sam,
Please see below for records pertaining to your follow-up request on 1/14/19: Can you please also send the number of applications of each type of force? For example, how many times a taser was used, a baton was used, etc. by year for each year (2013-17)?
Just as a reminder, we were only able to pull up data from April 2014 until 2017. Please let me know if you need anything else. Again, thank you for your patience.
DATES
NUMBER OF INCIDENTS
TYPE OF FORCE USED / # of incidents associated to each Type of Force Used
APRIL 2014 - DECEMBER 2014
105
CEW
6
CEW - Display only
8
CEW - Display Only/ Hands
1
CEW & Gun - Display Only
1
CEW /Hands
1
CEW/Gun - Display Only
2
CEW/hands
1
CEW/Hands/ASP
1
Foot/K9
1
Gun - Display Only
23
Gun /CEW- Display Only
1
Gun/CEW/Sage - Display Only
1
Hand/CEW - Display Only
1
Hands
23
Hands - Control Hold
1
Hands/Baton
1
Hands/CEW
3
Hands/Gun Display Only
1
Hands/K9
1
Hands/Knee Strikes
1
Hands/Leg
2
K9
3
K9/Hands
1
Legs
2
OC
1
WRAP
4
Wrap/Hand
13
2015
114
Gun & CEW - Display Only
1
ASP/Hands
2
Baton
1
CEW
1
CEW - Display Only
4
CEW Display only/Hands
2
CEW/Hands
2
CEW/K-9
1
Feet
1
Gun
1
Gun - Display Only
28
Gun-Display Only/CEW
1
Hands
41
Hands & CEW - Display Only
2
Hands/ASP
2
Hands/ASP/Wrap/CEW Display
1
Hands/CEW
1
Hands/Gun Display Only
4
Hands/OC
3
Hands/OC, CEW,ASP WRAP
1
Hands/WRAP
3
K-9
3
OC
1
WRAP
4
WRAP/Hands
3
2016
108 should be 109
CEW
3
CEW - Displayed
1
CEW - Effective, Hands
1
CEW Display Only
CEW Displayed Only
5
CEW Laser-Display Only, Flashlight
1
Cew/ASP-Gun - Displayed Only
1
CEW-Display Only-Gun-Display Only
1
CEW-Displayed,Sage-Deployed
1
CEW-Gun Display Only-Laser
1
CEW-Hands-ASP
1
CEW-OC-WRAP
1
Gun
2
Gun-Display Only
26
Gun-Display Only, Hands
1
Gun-Display Only/Foot
1
Gun-Displayed & Hands, Flash Light Knee
1
Gun-Displayed & SAGE
1
Hands
22
Hands & Baton
2
Hands & CEW
2
Hands & CEW - Display Only
1
HANDS & FEET
1
Hands & Gun - Displayed Only
1
Hands & OC
1
Hands & Wrap
9
Hands/ASP/K9
1
Hands-CEW
1
Hands-CEW Displayed
1
Hands-CEW-WRAP
1
Hands-Gun Displayed
1
Hands-Gun Displayed-K9
1
Hands-OC
1
Hands-Shield
1
Hands
1
K9
3
K9-Flashlight
1
OC Pepper Ball-K9
1
Wrap
7
2017
115 should be 114
ASP/Baton
1
CEW
7
CEW Displayed Only
5
CEW Displayed Only, Gun Displayed Only
2
CEW Displayed Only, Hands
1
CEW Displayed Only,Gun Displayed, K9
1
CEW Displayed Only/WRAP
1
CEW, ASP
1
Gun- Displayed only
15
Gun Displayed Only/Hands
1
Gun Displayed Only/K9
1
Gun, Displayed Only
1
Hand/WRAP
1
Hands
41
Hands, CEW
3
Hands, CEW Displayed Only
2
Hands, CEW Displayed Only, Gun Displayed Only
2
Hands, OC, CEW, ASP, GUN Displayed Only
1
Hands, SAGE
1
Hands, WRAP
2
Hands,CEW Displayed only
1
Hands/Body
1
Hands/CEW
1
Hands/CEW Displayed Only
2
Hands/CEW Displayed Only/WRAP
1
Hands/CEW/ASP
1
Hands/Gun Displayed Only/CEW
1
Hands/Knees
1
Hands/WRAP
3
Hands-Flashlight
1
K9
4
K9/Baton
1
Knee
1
OC
2
OC/Wrap
1
WRAP
2
Thanks
Phuong
From: Department of Public Safety
Hi Sam, sorry, can you reiterate what you want to know further on email so I can track the request and to ensure I won't miss anything?
Thanks,
Phuong
From: Samuel Sinyangwe
Yes, as per my call, I want to know how the uses of force described above are calculated. In particular, how would the following situations be counted:
1. If a single officer used a CEW twice against the same civilian during an incident, would that be counted as one or two CEW uses above?
2. If two officers both used their CEWs one time each against the same civilian during an incident, would that be counted as one or two CEW uses above?
Thanks!
Sam
From: Department of Public Safety
Hello Sam,
This is a response to your follow up questions.
For question #1, 2 CEW uses would be counted.
1. If a single officer used a CEW twice against the same civilian during an incident, would that be counted as one or two CEW uses above?
For question #2, 2 CEW uses would be counted.
2. If two officers both used their CEWs one time each against the same civilian during an incident, would that be counted as one or two CEW uses above?
Please let me know if I can be of further assistance.
Regards,
Phuong