Police data collection project (Pinellas County Sheriff's Office)

Dear Samuel Sinyangwe:
Thank you for your interest in public records of the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office. This is an automated reply confirming receipt of your request submitted on 7/7/2020. Your request has been provided with reference number P051623-070720 for tracking purposes. In accordance with Florida Public Records Law, Chapter 119 of the Florida State Statutes, we are in the process of researching your request and will notify you when it is available for release. Records Requested: To Whom It May Concern:

Pursuant to the Florida Sunshine Law, I hereby request the following records:

1. the total number of use of force incidents, separated by year and by type of force used from 2016-2019 (for example, "27 taser incidents in 2016, 3 baton incidents in 2017, etc.)
2. the total number of civilian complaints alleging any form of law enforcement misconduct that were reported and the total number sustained, separated by year (for example, 8 complaints in 2016, 2 complaints sustained in 2017, 4 complaints in 2018, 1 complaint sustained in 2019, etc.)
3. the total number of civilian complaints alleging law enforcement use of excessive force that were reported and the total number sustained from 2016-2019, separated by year
4. the total number of civilian complaints alleging biased policing or racial profiling that were reported and the total number sustained from 2016-2019, separated by year

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.

Sincerely,

Samuel Sinyangwe

Upload documents directly: https://https://www.muckrock.comhttps://www.muckrock.com/ Your request will be forwarded to the relevant county department(s) to locate the information you seek and to determine the volume and any costs associated with satisfying your request. You will be contacted about the availability and/or provided with copies of the records in question.

PLEASE NOTE: The Florida Freedom of Public Information Act (Florida Sunshine Law) does not require a governmental body to create new information, to do legal research, or to answer questions.
Please do not reply to this correspondence You can monitor the progress of your request at the link below and you'll receive an email when your request has been completed. Again, thank you for using the Public Records Center.
Pinellas County Sheriff's Office

--- Please respond above this line ---
08/03/2020 RE: PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST of July 07, 2020, Reference # P051623-070720. Dear Samuel Sinyangwe, The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office received a public records request from you on July 07, 2020. Your request mentioned: “To Whom It May Concern: Pursuant to the Florida Sunshine Law, I hereby request the following records:

1. the total number of use of force incidents, separated by year and by type of force used from 2016-2019 (for example, "27 taser incidents in 2016, 3 baton incidents in 2017, etc.)
2. the total number of civilian complaints alleging any form of law enforcement misconduct that were reported and the total number sustained, separated by year (for example, 8 complaints in 2016, 2 complaints sustained in 2017, 4 complaints in 2018, 1 complaint sustained in 2019, etc.)
3. the total number of civilian complaints alleging law enforcement use of excessive force that were reported and the total number sustained from 2016-2019, separated by year
4. the total number of civilian complaints alleging biased policing or racial profiling that were reported and the total number sustained from 2016-2019, separated by year

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.

Sincerely,

Samuel Sinyangwe

Upload documents directly: https://https://www.muckrock.comhttps://www.muckrock.com/ Your request will require us to conduct extensive research to determine whether we have any responsive documents. Below is an estimate for us to conduct the initial research to determine whether we have any responsive records. Upon payment, we will identify the potentially responsive documents, and depending on the nature and volume of the results of the search, will either supply the records identifying any applicable exemptions, or if voluminous we will send a revised estimate. Fees Charged: Labor:  45 minutes  (0.75 hours @$28.33/hour) Total: $21.25 Payments must be made within 60 days or your request will be considered withdrawn. Please send a check made out to the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office, with “PRR No. P051623-070720” written in the memo section and mail to: Pinellas County Sheriff's Office PRPU P. O. Drawer 2500 Largo, FL 33779-2500 Your public records request will be processed upon receipt of your payment. Should the processing of the request exceed the estimated time, you will be invoiced for the difference.  In the event the request takes less time than originally estimated, we will refund the difference. Sincerely, Kimberly Preston Public Records Specialist Public Records Processing Unit

--- Please respond above this line ---

09/11/2020
RE: PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST of July 07, 2020, Reference # P051623-070720.
Dear Samuel Sinyangwe,
The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office received a public records request from you on July 07, 2020. Your request mentioned:
“To Whom It May Concern:

Pursuant to the Florida Sunshine Law, I hereby request the following records:

1. the total number of use of force incidents, separated by year and by type of force used from 2016-2019 (for example, "27 taser incidents in 2016, 3 baton incidents in 2017, etc.)
2. the total number of civilian complaints alleging any form of law enforcement misconduct that were reported and the total number sustained, separated by year (for example, 8 complaints in 2016, 2 complaints sustained in 2017, 4 complaints in 2018, 1 complaint sustained in 2019, etc.)
3. the total number of civilian complaints alleging law enforcement use of excessive force that were reported and the total number sustained from 2016-2019, separated by year
4. the total number of civilian complaints alleging biased policing or racial profiling that were reported and the total number sustained from 2016-2019, separated by year

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.

Sincerely,

Samuel Sinyangwe

Upload documents directly: https://https://www.muckrock.comhttps://www.muckrock.com/
In response to your request, the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office completed a search of our records and there are potential items responsive to your public records request. Your request has taken in excess of fifteen minutes, as such, the cost for these records is as follows:
Fees Charged:
Labor: $62,173.02  (2,194.6 hours @$28.33/hour)
Total: $62,173.02
Payments must be made within 60 days or your request will be considered withdrawn. Please send a check made out to the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office, with “PRR No. P051623-070720” written in the memo section and mail to:
Pinellas County Sheriff's Office PRPU
P. O. Drawer 2500
Largo, FL 33779-2500
Your public records request will be processed upon receipt of your payment. Should the processing of the request exceed the estimated time, you will be invoiced for the difference.  In the event the request takes less time than originally estimated, we will refund the difference.
Sincerely,
Kimberly Preston
Public Records Specialist
Public Records Processing Unit