Reno, NV PD Citizen Complaints

Alexander Cartwright and Jennifer Dirmeyer filed this request with the Reno Police Department of Reno, NV.
Tracking #

P012107-110718

Status
Completed

Communications

From: Alexander Cartwright and Jennifer Dirmeyer

To Whom It May Concern:

Pursuant to the Nevada Public Records Act, I hereby request the following records:

We are Economics Professors in the College of Business at Ferris State University, and are engaged in an empirical research project on police behavior and citizen complaints. This project requires us to request data from your department. If you have questions about this request or suggestions, we would be happy to discuss them with you.

1. What is the total number of citizen complaints (allegations of misconduct) made against your department’s officers annually for the last 10 years? If your department logs complaints in a database, spreadsheet, or other log, a copy of those logs is fine instead.

Please include the type of complaint (i.e., use of force, abuse language, unwarranted search) and the result of complaint (i.e., sustained, exonerated).

2. What is the total number of complaints police officers made against their peer officers in department annually for the last 10 years? If your department logs complaints in a database, spreadsheet, or other log, a copy of those logs is fine instead.

Please include the type of complaint (i.e., use of force, abuse language, unwarranted search) and the result of complaint (i.e., sustained, exonerated).

3. How many officer-involved-shootings were there per year for the last 10 years in your department? Any documentation or reports that detail the annual number of officer-involved shootings in your department for the past 10 years would be sufficient.

Please include documentation regarding how many of these officer-involved shootings involved disciplinary action. (Please list officer firearm discharge directed at a person separately from a shooting involving an animal and separately from accidental firearm discharges).

Please include the number of officer-involved shootings resulting in discipline.

4. Which of the above data are published publicly? Please provide a link to any and all publicly available reports containing the data above.

Collecting this information is very important to our research, so we would like to emphasize, if you have questions about my request or suggestions, we would be happy to discuss them with you.

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 5 business days, as the statute requires.

Sincerely,

Alexander Cartwright and Jennifer Dirmeyer

From: MuckRock

To Whom It May Concern:

Pursuant to the Nevada Public Records Act, I hereby request the following records:

We are Economics Professors in the College of Business at Ferris State University, and are engaged in an empirical research project on police behavior and citizen complaints. This project requires us to request data from your department. If you have questions about this request or suggestions, we would be happy to discuss them with you.

1. What is the total number of citizen complaints (allegations of misconduct) made against your department’s officers annually for the last 10 years? If your department logs complaints in a database, spreadsheet, or other log, a copy of those logs is fine instead.

Please include the type of complaint (i.e., use of force, abuse language, unwarranted search) and the result of complaint (i.e., sustained, exonerated).

2. What is the total number of complaints police officers made against their peer officers in department annually for the last 10 years? If your department logs complaints in a database, spreadsheet, or other log, a copy of those logs is fine instead.

Please include the type of complaint (i.e., use of force, abuse language, unwarranted search) and the result of complaint (i.e., sustained, exonerated).

3. How many officer-involved-shootings were there per year for the last 10 years in your department? Any documentation or reports that detail the annual number of officer-involved shootings in your department for the past 10 years would be sufficient.

Please include documentation regarding how many of these officer-involved shootings involved disciplinary action. (Please list officer firearm discharge directed at a person separately from a shooting involving an animal and separately from accidental firearm discharges).

Please include the number of officer-involved shootings resulting in discipline.

4. Which of the above data are published publicly? Please provide a link to any and all publicly available reports containing the data above.

Collecting this information is very important to our research, so we would like to emphasize, if you have questions about my request or suggestions, we would be happy to discuss them with you.

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 5 business days, as the statute requires.

Sincerely,

Alexander Cartwright and Jennifer Dirmeyer

From: Reno Police Department

Dear Alexander:

Thank you for your interest in public records of the City of Reno.

Your request was received in this office on November 07, 2018 and given the reference number: #P012107-110718 for tracking purposes.
Your request will be forwarded to the appropriate City department(s) to locate the information requested. Pursuant to NRS 239.0107 we will notify you within five (5) business days of receipt of the anticipated date your records will be available, and any estimated cost to produce them. Please note any confidential, proprietary, or protected information will be redacted prior to the release of your records.

From: Reno Police Department

Dear Alexander:
RE: Public Records Reference # P012107-110718
The Reno Police Department has received your public records request dated November 07, 2018 wherein you requested the following: To Whom It May Concern:
Pursuant to the Nevada Public Records Act, I hereby request the following records:
We are Economics Professors in the College of Business at Ferris State University, and are engaged in an empirical research project on police behavior and citizen complaints. This project requires us to request data from your department. If you have questions about this request or suggestions, we would be happy to discuss them with you.
1. What is the total number of citizen complaints (allegations of misconduct) made against your department’s officers annually for the last 10 years? If your department logs complaints in a database, spreadsheet, or other log, a copy of those logs is fine instead.
Please include the type of complaint (i.e., use of force, abuse language, unwarranted search) and the result of complaint (i.e., sustained, exonerated).
2. What is the total number of complaints police officers made against their peer officers in department annually for the last 10 years? If your department logs complaints in a database, spreadsheet, or other log, a copy of those logs is fine instead.
Please include the type of complaint (i.e., use of force, abuse language, unwarranted search) and the result of complaint (i.e., sustained, exonerated).
3. How many officer-involved-shootings were there per year for the last 10 years in your department? Any documentation or reports that detail the annual number of officer-involved shootings in your department for the past 10 years would be sufficient.
Please include documentation regarding how many of these officer-involved shootings involved disciplinary action. (Please list officer firearm discharge directed at a person separately from a shooting involving an animal and separately from accidental firearm discharges).
Please include the number of officer-involved shootings resulting in discipline.
4. Which of the above data are published publicly? Please provide a link to any and all publicly available reports containing the data above.
Collecting this information is very important to our research, so we would like to emphasize, if you have questions about my request or suggestions, we would be happy to discuss them with you.
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 5 business days, as the statute requires.
Sincerely,
Alexander Cartwright and Jennifer Dirmeyer

We have begun researching and identifying records responsive to your request.
Consequently, additional time is necessary to properly respond to your request for the following reasons:
Due to the voluminous amount of information you are requesting this will take longer than 5 business days.
We will notify you within ten (10) business days from 11/19/2018 as to whether the City is in possession of non-exempt records responsive to your request.
If you have any additional questions, please feel free to contact the Reno Police Department Records Division at 775-334-2155 x 0.
Thank you for contacting the City of Reno.
Sincerely,
Records Division
Reno Police Department Please note any confidential, proprietary, or protected information will be redacted prior to the release of the records. There could be a charge for copies of public records. If the estimated cost of the copies requested is $25.00 or more, the requester will be required to pay in full prior to reproduction. Materials will be held for 14 days. If not retrieved, the requester will be charged in full for a second reproduction in addition to any unpaid original charges. Advance payment will be forfeited if material is not retrieved.

From: Reno Police Department

--- Please respond above this line ---

Dear Alexander:
RE: Public Records Reference # P012107-110718
The Reno Police Department has received your public records request dated November 07, 2018 wherein you requested the following: To Whom It May Concern:
Pursuant to the Nevada Public Records Act, I hereby request the following records:
We are Economics Professors in the College of Business at Ferris State University, and are engaged in an empirical research project on police behavior and citizen complaints. This project requires us to request data from your department. If you have questions about this request or suggestions, we would be happy to discuss them with you.
1. What is the total number of citizen complaints (allegations of misconduct) made against your department’s officers annually for the last 10 years? If your department logs complaints in a database, spreadsheet, or other log, a copy of those logs is fine instead.
Please include the type of complaint (i.e., use of force, abuse language, unwarranted search) and the result of complaint (i.e., sustained, exonerated).
2. What is the total number of complaints police officers made against their peer officers in department annually for the last 10 years? If your department logs complaints in a database, spreadsheet, or other log, a copy of those logs is fine instead.
Please include the type of complaint (i.e., use of force, abuse language, unwarranted search) and the result of complaint (i.e., sustained, exonerated).
3. How many officer-involved-shootings were there per year for the last 10 years in your department? Any documentation or reports that detail the annual number of officer-involved shootings in your department for the past 10 years would be sufficient.
Please include documentation regarding how many of these officer-involved shootings involved disciplinary action. (Please list officer firearm discharge directed at a person separately from a shooting involving an animal and separately from accidental firearm discharges).
Please include the number of officer-involved shootings resulting in discipline.
4. Which of the above data are published publicly? Please provide a link to any and all publicly available reports containing the data above.
Collecting this information is very important to our research, so we would like to emphasize, if you have questions about my request or suggestions, we would be happy to discuss them with you.
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 5 business days, as the statute requires.
Sincerely,
Alexander Cartwright and Jennifer Dirmeyer

We have begun researching and identifying records responsive to your request.
Consequently, additional time is necessary to properly respond to your request for the following reasons:
We are waiting for a response from the people who handle this type of information.
We will notify you within ten (10) business days from 12/06/2018 as to whether the City is in possession of non-exempt records responsive to your request.
If you have any additional questions, please feel free to contact the Reno Police Department Records Division at 775-334-2155 x 0.
Thank you for contacting the City of Reno.
Sincerely,
Records Division
Reno Police Department Please note any confidential, proprietary, or protected information will be redacted prior to the release of the records. There could be a charge for copies of public records. If the estimated cost of the copies requested is $25.00 or more, the requester will be required to pay in full prior to reproduction. Materials will be held for 14 days. If not retrieved, the requester will be charged in full for a second reproduction in addition to any unpaid original charges. Advance payment will be forfeited if material is not retrieved.

From: Alexander Cartwright and Jennifer Dirmeyer

To Whom It May Concern:

I wanted to follow up on the following Nevada Public Records Act request, copied below, and originally submitted on Aug. 17, 2017. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response.

#P012107-110718 for tracking purposes.

I was told on 11/07 that I would get an ETA on my request within 5 days, yet more than 1 month has passed.

Thanks for your help, and let me know if further clarification is needed.

From: Reno Police Department

Dear Alexander:
RE: Public Records Reference # P012107-110718
The Reno Police Department has received your public records request dated November 07, 2018 wherein you requested the following: To Whom It May Concern:
Pursuant to the Nevada Public Records Act, I hereby request the following records:
We are Economics Professors in the College of Business at Ferris State University, and are engaged in an empirical research project on police behavior and citizen complaints. This project requires us to request data from your department. If you have questions about this request or suggestions, we would be happy to discuss them with you.
1. What is the total number of citizen complaints (allegations of misconduct) made against your department’s officers annually for the last 10 years? If your department logs complaints in a database, spreadsheet, or other log, a copy of those logs is fine instead.
Please include the type of complaint (i.e., use of force, abuse language, unwarranted search) and the result of complaint (i.e., sustained, exonerated).
2. What is the total number of complaints police officers made against their peer officers in department annually for the last 10 years? If your department logs complaints in a database, spreadsheet, or other log, a copy of those logs is fine instead.
Please include the type of complaint (i.e., use of force, abuse language, unwarranted search) and the result of complaint (i.e., sustained, exonerated).
3. How many officer-involved-shootings were there per year for the last 10 years in your department? Any documentation or reports that detail the annual number of officer-involved shootings in your department for the past 10 years would be sufficient.
Please include documentation regarding how many of these officer-involved shootings involved disciplinary action. (Please list officer firearm discharge directed at a person separately from a shooting involving an animal and separately from accidental firearm discharges).
Please include the number of officer-involved shootings resulting in discipline.
4. Which of the above data are published publicly? Please provide a link to any and all publicly available reports containing the data above.
Collecting this information is very important to our research, so we would like to emphasize, if you have questions about my request or suggestions, we would be happy to discuss them with you.
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 5 business days, as the statute requires.
Sincerely,
Alexander Cartwright and Jennifer Dirmeyer

We have begun researching and identifying records responsive to your request.
Consequently, additional time is necessary to properly respond to your request for the following reasons:
[Complexity of request, and staff shortages]
We will notify you within ten (10) business days from 12/20/2018 as to whether the City is in possession of non-exempt records responsive to your request.
If you have any additional questions, please feel free to contact the Reno Police Department Records Division at 775-334-2155 x 0.
Thank you for contacting the City of Reno.
Sincerely,
Records Division
Reno Police Department Please note any confidential, proprietary, or protected information will be redacted prior to the release of the records. There could be a charge for copies of public records. If the estimated cost of the copies requested is $25.00 or more, the requester will be required to pay in full prior to reproduction. Materials will be held for 14 days. If not retrieved, the requester will be charged in full for a second reproduction in addition to any unpaid original charges. Advance payment will be forfeited if material is not retrieved.

From: Reno Police Department

--- Please respond above this line ---
Your public records request seeks information for various forms of complaints filed with the Reno Police Department for the last 10 years.  After review, RPD does not believe it can fulfill the entire request for reasons which will be described below.  As you know, NRS 239.010(4) provides that a person may request a copy of a public book or record in any medium in which the public record is readily available. Attached are 6 years of the Reno Police Department’s Annual Reports (2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017) which are readily available.  These reports should cover all 4 specific areas in your request for the last 6 years.  Unfortunately RPD does not have annual reports that go back before this time that are readily available. As for the remaining 4 years of information requested, while Nevada law provides that when an agency has a computer program that can readily compile the requested information, the agency is not excused from its duty to produce and disclose that information. ( LVMPD v. Blackjack Bonding , 343 P.3d 608, 613 (2015).) However, the information you are seeking for the remaining four years cannot be readily compiled, even using computer programs. When a records request requires an agency to “ create new documents or customized reports by searching for and compiling information” from individual files or records, NRS 239 does not require their production and disclosure. ( Id.)  That is exactly the case with the remaining information you have requested.  While such information might exist (across thousands of case files), it cannot be sorted and exported without significant staff time devoted to going case by case and entering that data into a new document/medium. Public records law does not obligate RPD to undertake that task to create a new record.  In light of this, RPD does not maintain any records that are responsive to your request for years 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011.

From: Alexander Cartwright and Jennifer Dirmeyer

Hello,

Thank you for providing the information you are able. You stated that you sent some reports as an attachment to the email, but I do not see any attachment. Could you please re-send them?

Respectfully,
-Alex Cartwright

Files

pages

Close