Sheriff Data Collection Request (2021)
| Submitted | Oct. 21, 2022 |
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Communications
From: Samuel Sinyangwe
To Whom It May Concern:
Pursuant to the Texas Public Information Act, I hereby request the following records:
1. the total number of use of force incidents, separated by type of force and year used in 2021 (for example, information that specifies the number of taser incidents in 2021, baton incidents in 2021, etc.). Please include as part of this a breakdown of how many use of force incidents in each year were related to law enforcement operations and how many were related to correctional/custodial operations.
2. the total number of civilian complaints alleging any form of law enforcement misconduct that were reported and the total number sustained in 2021.
3. the total number of civilian complaints alleging law enforcement use of excessive force that were reported and the total number sustained in 2021.
4. the total number of civilian complaints alleging biased policing or racial profiling that were reported and the total number sustained in 2021.
5. the total number of civilian complaints alleging criminal conduct that were reported and the total number sustained in 2021.
6. the total number of officer involved shootings in 2021, both fatal and non-fatal.
When available, I would appreciate being sent individualized data for each item in this request in spreadsheet format. If individualized data are unavailable, please send information that includes aggregate statistics for the item instead.
Note that my requests for civilian complaints are specifically for civilian complaints alleging police misconduct, please do not include complaints filed by one officer/the department against another officer.
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 business days, as the statute requires.
Sincerely,
Samuel Sinyangwe
From: Tarrant County Sheriff's Office
Dear Requestor,
Attached is a cost estimate to obtain records/information on item #1 of your Public Information Act listed below. It took a computer programmer one (1) hour to extract the data/numbers for 2021.
On items #4 and #6, both are 0. On items #2, #3, and #5, we do not rack records in the manner that you are seeking. The Internal Affairs Division investigated 348 complaints in the year 2021. Although there were only three (3) citizen complaints located for 2021 with one (1) of these being sustained, sometimes citizen complaints come in as an informal complaint. The informal complaint is then turned over to the local chain of command to investigate. If there is potential misconduct, the local chain of command will proceed with a formal complaint. The complaint then gets coded as a departmental complaint due to the initiation of the complaint coming from a direct supervisor. At times, citizens want the direct supervisor to be notified and look into the matter rather than complete formal complaint paperwork to be opened by Internal Affairs staff on the citizens' behalf.
Our current tracking system does not breakdown the types of complaints as far as misconduct type. The requested breakdowns are not able to be tracked with our current system.
Sincerely,
Jerry Rucker, CRM
Records Manager
Tarrant County Sheriff's Office
(817) 884-3700
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~WRD302
From: Samuel Sinyangwe
To Whom It May Concern:
Please find enclosed a check for $28.50 to satisfy the fee associated with the attached public records request.
Thank you.
Tarrant County Sheriff's Office
Records Division
Tarrant County Plaza Bldg. 6th Floor
200 Taylor Street
Forth Worth, TX 76196
From: Muckrock Staff
To Whom It May Concern:
I wanted to follow up on the following Texas Public Information Act request, copied below, and originally submitted on Oct. 21, 2022. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response.
Thanks for your help, and let me know if further clarification is needed.
From: Tarrant County Sheriff's Office
Sear Requestor,
Your check came in late on Friday, November 18, 2022 when I was out of the office. Once the check is processed, the records will be sent to you.
Sincerely,
Jerry Rucker, CRM
Records Manager
Tarrant County Sheriff's Office
(817) 884-3700
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~WRD391
From: Tarrant County Sheriff's Office
Dear Requestor,
I previously responded in an e-mail on November 3, 2022 to all of the other items listed below, except item #1. I provided you a cost estimate for the information listed in item #1 in the same November 3, 2022 e-mail that I sent you. The Tarrant County Sheriff's Office received your payment on November 18, 2022. Attached is the requested records.
Sincerely,
Jerry Rucker, CRM
Records Manager
Tarrant County Sheriff's Office
(817) 884-3700
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