Drone Documents (Helena Police Department)

Answers to your request are included below.

Our department does not own or operate any aircraft - manned or
unmanned. There has been no discussion, RFPs, requests or suggestion
that we explore any such purchases in the past or in the future.
Therefore, none of the information you request exists.

Sincerely,

Captain Curt Stinson, #774
Criminal Investigations Division
Helena Police Department
221 Breckenridge Street
Helena, MT 59601
phone: (406) 447-8486
fax: (406) 443-2018
cstinson@helenamt.gov

Please take note of the change to helenamt.gov for all City of Helena
email addresses.

>>> <requests@muckrock.com> 10/15/2013 9:21 PM >>>

October 15, 2013
Helena Police Department

To Whom It May Concern:

Pursuant to Montana's Constitution, Article II, § 9, I hereby request
the following records:

All documents created from January 2005 to the date this request is
processed related to the agency's use of aerial drones, remotely piloted
vehicles (RPVs), remotely piloted aircraft (RPAs), unmanned aerials
(UAs), unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and/or unmanned aerial systems
(UASs)(hereinafter “drones”).

Please search specifically for the below document categories, and
respond to each of the categories and items:

1) Acquisition documents:

i) requests for proposals (RFPs), proposals/quotes submitted by
vendors, contracts, leases, budget requests, project/equipment budgets,
cost allocations or reimbursements for the purchase of drone equipment;
NONE

ii) Grant applications and award letters for drone equipment purchases;
NONE

iii) Insurance contracts for all drone equipment; NONE

iv) Communications (including electronic communications) between the
agency head or agency quartermaster (or individual responsible for
equipment purchases and maintenance) and drone vendors, manufacturers or
retailers; NONE

v) Communications (including electronic communications) between the
agency head and agency quartermaster (or individual responsible for
equipment purchases and maintenance) regarding acquisition, lease or use
of drone equipment; NONE

vi) Communications (including electronic communications) between the
agency head and the governor, mayor and city/town manager regarding the
acquisition of drones; NONE

vii) Applications (including all components and support documentation)
for Certificates of Waiver/Authorization (COA) from the Federal Aviation
Administration, as well as COA grant notifications and final agreement;
NONE

viii) Contracts for services related to drones, such as data storage,
data analysis, image storage, image analysis, video storage, video
analysis, operation, maintenance; NONE

2) Equipment logs:

i) Inventories/logs/lists/databases of all drones owned, leased or
operated by or for the agency; NONE

ii) Maintenance logs for all drones owned, leased or otherwise operated
by or for the agency; NONE

3) Policy documents:

i) Policies, guidelines, protocols, manuals and/or instructions on the
use/operation of drones and usage of data, images and video obtained
from drone flights; NONE

ii) Communications from the agency head, quartermaster (or individual
responsible for overseeing equipment purchases and maintenance) on
approved uses for drones; NONE

iii) Memorandums of understanding (MOUs), memorandums of agreement
(MOAs) or any other agreements or contracts with other government
agencies, private corporations, organizations or individuals to share
drone equipment, data, images or video or to operate drones on behalf of
the agency; NONE

4) Training documents:

i) Curriculum used to train drone operators and observers; NONE

ii) Training log for all drone operators and observers; NONE

iii) Certifications of training completion for all drone operators and
observers; NONE

iv) Contracts, purchase orders, budget requests or reimbursement orders
for training sessions for all drone operators and observers; NONE

5) Usage documents:

i) Flight logs for all drone flights, including training flights; NONE

ii) Flight logs transmitted to the Federal Aviation Administration
pursuant to Certificate of Waiver/Authorization (COA) requirements;
NONE

iii) Reprimands relating to drones, including misuse of equipment and
failure to properly maintain equipment. NONE

I also request that, if appropriate, fees be waived as I believe this
request is in the public interest. The requested documents will be made
available to the general public free of charge as part of the public
information service at MuckRock.com, processed by a representative of
the news media/press and is made in the process of news gathering and
not for commercial usage.

In the event that fees cannot be waived, 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
would request your response within ten (10) business days.

Sincerely,

Shawn Musgrave

Filed via MuckRock.com
E-mail (Preferred): requests@muckrock.com

For mailed responses, please address (see note):
MuckRock News
DEPT MR 8010
PO Box 55819
Boston, MA 02205-5819

PLEASE NOTE the new address as well as the fact that improperly
addressed (i.e., with the requester's name rather than MuckRock News)
requests might be returned by the USPS as undeliverable.