Vehicle Pursuit Dashcam video and body camera (Georgia State Patrol)
It is a clone of this request.
| Multi Request | Vehicle Pursuit Dashcam video and body camera |
| Submitted | Feb. 26, 2024 |
| Est. Completion | None |
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Communications
From: Michael Faulkner
To Whom It May Concern:
Pursuant to the Georgia Open Records Act, I hereby request the following records:
Copies of dashcam and or bodycam video of police pursuits from 01/02/2021 to 01/02/2024. I would like vehicle and foot pursuits. Please include an abbreviated processing note for each video
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 3 business days, as the statute requires.
Sincerely,
Michael Faulkner
From: Georgia State Patrol
Good day,
We are in receipt of your open records request. DPS will seek reimbursement for reasonable fees pursuant to our charging chart and consistent with Georgia law. For fee information, please see O.C.G.A. §50-18-71. You may review our charging chart at https://dps.georgia.gov/charging-fees-open-records-requests. If the costs exceed $25.00, we will wait for your agreement to pay the estimated costs before completing the request. Please see O.C.G.A. §50-18-71(d).
Generally, our requestors seek dashcam videos for known events, including citations, crashes, incidents, and arrests. At a minimum, the requestor provides the name of the subject person, which allows us to pull associated reports to locate any dashcam video. Even then, dashcam video is not releasable if there are citations issued, if an arrest has been made or if there is a pending investigation which is usually the case for pursuits. Please see O.C.G.A. 50-18-72(a)(4). When an investigation is pending, the requestor is tasked with providing either a criminal disposition sheet, a Judge’s Order, or the respective prosecutor’s written authorization before we may release the dashcam video.
If you request all GSP pursuits without a timeframe, we will have to go through hours of video footage without knowing the names of subjects involved and without being able to match those names to citations, crash, incident, or arrest reports. Then we will have to determine which videos were releasable. It will be an extremely costly and time-consuming task.
Please consider narrowing your request. If you have a specific video that you want to request, please advise so we may assist.
Thank you,
Patience Patterson
Project Data Analyst
Georgia Department of Public Safety
Legal Services Department
959 E. United Ave.
Atlanta, GA 30316
Open Records main line: 404-624- 7591
Fax: 404-624-7529
openrecords@gsp.net
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~WRD0001
From: Michael Faulkner
Hello Patience, thanks for the rapid response. Is it possible to search for just pursuits? If so, would it help if I reduced the request to just the last six months of 2021? In addition, are you saying that no video is releasable if someone was charged with any crime? What if the case is closed at this time?
From: Muckrock Staff
To Whom It May Concern:
I wanted to follow up on the following Georgia Open Records Act request, copied below, and originally submitted on Feb. 26, 2024. 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: Georgia State Patrol
Good day,
Both of your emails have been responded to. With pursuits, DPS cannot release evidence such as dashcam video unless we are provided with a disposition sheet showing that charges are no longer pending, or authorization from the designated prosecutor for release, or a Judge’s Court Order. Please refer to O.C.G.A. 50-18-72(a)(4). We have attached a sample form for your convenience. If you want to request a video from a pursuit and you have obtained authorization, please forward the completed authorization form to openrecords@gsp.net<mailto:openrecords@gsp.net> so we may assist.
Thank you,
Nkenge Green
Attorney Manager, Open Records Unit
Legal Division, Suite 440
Georgia Department of Public Safety
959 United Avenue SE
Atlanta, Georgia 30316
Phone: 404-624-7591
Fax: 404-624-7529
ngreen@gsp.net<mailto:ngreen@gsp.net>
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https://eports.gamccd.net/orportal
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