Police Public Relations (Santa Monica Police Department)

Dear Joey Scott:

Thank you for your interest in public records of The City of Santa Monica Police Department. Your request has been received and is being processed in accordance with California Government Code, Section 6253(c). Your request was received in this office on 11/17/2024 and given the reference number P031812-111724 for tracking purposes. Records Requested: To Whom It May Concern:

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

1. List of all employees employed in units or bureaus dedicated to public relations, communications, community engagement, and marketing. The list should include the name of each employee, rank, position, department, and earnings for each year, including overtime pay and benefits. The list should span 2018-2024.

2. List of all contractor and vendor payments related to public relations, communications, community engagement, hiring and recruitment, merchandise, and marketing. This should include, but not be limited to, videographers, photographers, video editors, media consulting firms, and social media managers. The list should span 2018-2024.

3. All department expenditures related to public relations, communications, community engagement, hiring and recruitment, merchandise, and marketing, including expenses related to community events. The list should span 2018-2024.

4. We also request any training, reports, and marketing presentations from companies contracted or bidding on a communications contract for public relations, communications, community engagement, hiring and recruitment, merchandise, and marketing.

5. Scripts or statements written by the department for police shootings and alleged police misconduct from 2018 to today. Include any email communication related to drafts and edits.

6. Scripts, templates, or outlines written for the department by an outside entity including companies the department works with and public relations firms contracted or paid by the city. This would include technology companies the department uses, local businesses and corporations, and nonprofit groups. Scripts should be related to speeches, media interviews, and press conferences.

7. Templates for department-run social media accounts, press statements, or other written communications.

8. Documents related to talking with and interacting with news and media.

Please release in rolling production.

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 calendar days, as the statute requires.

Sincerely,

Joey Scott

Upload documents directly: https://www.muckrock.com/
Your request will be forwarded to the relevant 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 within the next 10 calendar days about the availability and/or provided with copies of the records in question. PLEASE NOTE: The California Government Code, Section 6253(c) does not require a governmental body to create new information, to do legal research, or to answer questions.
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.

Santa Monica Police Department

--- Please respond above this line ---

December 31, 2024
RE: PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST of November 17, 2024., Reference # P031812-111724.
Dear Joey Scott,
The City of Santa Monica received a public information request from you on November 17, 2024. Your request mentioned: "To Whom It May Concern:

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

1. List of all employees employed in units or bureaus dedicated to public relations, communications, community engagement, and marketing. The list should include the name of each employee, rank, position, department, and earnings for each year, including overtime pay and benefits. The list should span 2018-2024.

2. List of all contractor and vendor payments related to public relations, communications, community engagement, hiring and recruitment, merchandise, and marketing. This should include, but not be limited to, videographers, photographers, video editors, media consulting firms, and social media managers. The list should span 2018-2024.

3. All department expenditures related to public relations, communications, community engagement, hiring and recruitment, merchandise, and marketing, including expenses related to community events. The list should span 2018-2024.

4. We also request any training, reports, and marketing presentations from companies contracted or bidding on a communications contract for public relations, communications, community engagement, hiring and recruitment, merchandise, and marketing.

5. Scripts or statements written by the department for police shootings and alleged police misconduct from 2018 to today. Include any email communication related to drafts and edits.

6. Scripts, templates, or outlines written for the department by an outside entity including companies the department works with and public relations firms contracted or paid by the city. This would include technology companies the department uses, local businesses and corporations, and nonprofit groups. Scripts should be related to speeches, media interviews, and press conferences.

7. Templates for department-run social media accounts, press statements, or other written communications.

8. Documents related to talking with and interacting with news and media.

Please release in rolling production.

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 calendar days, as the statute requires.

Sincerely,

Joey Scott

Upload documents directly: https://www.muckrock.com/
We appreciate your patience.  We do have responsive records, however, we wanted to reach out to you and seek clarification of your request.  Many items above do not indicate whether you are seeking only Santa Monica Police Department records or generally City of Santa Monica records.  If you can please clarify this point so we can determine which Departments may hold the records you seek, and we may have some additional follow-up questions to focus your request once we receive your response.
Thank you in advance.
Sincerely,
Police Records

--- Please respond above this line ---

January 03, 2025
RE: PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST of November 17, 2024., Reference # P031812-111724.
Dear Joey Scott,
The City of Santa Monica received a public information request from you on November 17, 2024. Your request mentioned: "To Whom It May Concern:

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

1. List of all employees employed in units or bureaus dedicated to public relations, communications, community engagement, and marketing. The list should include the name of each employee, rank, position, department, and earnings for each year, including overtime pay and benefits. The list should span 2018-2024.

2. List of all contractor and vendor payments related to public relations, communications, community engagement, hiring and recruitment, merchandise, and marketing. This should include, but not be limited to, videographers, photographers, video editors, media consulting firms, and social media managers. The list should span 2018-2024.

3. All department expenditures related to public relations, communications, community engagement, hiring and recruitment, merchandise, and marketing, including expenses related to community events. The list should span 2018-2024.

4. We also request any training, reports, and marketing presentations from companies contracted or bidding on a communications contract for public relations, communications, community engagement, hiring and recruitment, merchandise, and marketing.

5. Scripts or statements written by the department for police shootings and alleged police misconduct from 2018 to today. Include any email communication related to drafts and edits.

6. Scripts, templates, or outlines written for the department by an outside entity including companies the department works with and public relations firms contracted or paid by the city. This would include technology companies the department uses, local businesses and corporations, and nonprofit groups. Scripts should be related to speeches, media interviews, and press conferences.

7. Templates for department-run social media accounts, press statements, or other written communications.

8. Documents related to talking with and interacting with news and media.

Please release in rolling production.

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 calendar days, as the statute requires.

Sincerely,

Joey Scott

Upload documents directly: https://www.muckrock.com/ Thank you for your response. With your clarification, we will need additional time to further search and review for exemptions. We anticipate that we will provide our first production of nonexempt records in approximately four weeks. Thank you for your cooperation regarding this matter.
Sincerely,
Police Records

--- Please respond above this line ---

January 31, 2025
Joey Scott
MuckRock News, DEPT MR176270 263 Huntington Ave
Boston MA 02115
RE: PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST of November 17, 2024, Reference # P031812-111724
Dear Joey Scott,

The Santa Monica Police Department ("SMPD") received a public records request from you on November 17, 2024. You requested the following:
"To Whom It May Concern:

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

1. List of all employees employed in units or bureaus dedicated to public relations, communications, community engagement, and marketing. The list should include the name of each employee, rank, position, department, and earnings for each year, including overtime pay and benefits. The list should span 2018-2024.

2. List of all contractor and vendor payments related to public relations, communications, community engagement, hiring and recruitment, merchandise, and marketing. This should include, but not be limited to, videographers, photographers, video editors, media consulting firms, and social media managers. The list should span 2018-2024.

3. All department expenditures related to public relations, communications, community engagement, hiring and recruitment, merchandise, and marketing, including expenses related to community events. The list should span 2018-2024.

4. We also request any training, reports, and marketing presentations from companies contracted or bidding on a communications contract for public relations, communications, community engagement, hiring and recruitment, merchandise, and marketing.

5. Scripts or statements written by the department for police shootings and alleged police misconduct from 2018 to today. Include any email communication related to drafts and edits.

6. Scripts, templates, or outlines written for the department by an outside entity including companies the department works with and public relations firms contracted or paid by the city. This would include technology companies the department uses, local businesses and corporations, and nonprofit groups. Scripts should be related to speeches, media interviews, and press conferences.

7. Templates for department-run social media accounts, press statements, or other written communications.

8. Documents related to talking with and interacting with news and media.

Please release in rolling production.

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 calendar days, as the statute requires.

Sincerely,

Joey Scott

Upload documents directly: https://www.muckrock.com/
SMPD has located responsive records to your request.  Please log in to the GovQA system at the following link to retrieve the appropriate responsive documents.
Police Department - P031812-111724
In response to request No. 1, the City is providing a list of the employees involved in public relations, communications, community engagement, and marketing for the requested timeframe. Employee salary information can be located on the Transparent California website: Transparent California. Public Information Officers / Executive Staff- Community Affairs Unit: Lt. Dave Hunske – 2018-2019, Lt. Joseph Cortez – 2020-2021, Captain Candice Cobarrubias - 2021-2022, Lt. Rudy Flores – 2021-2023, Lt. Erika Aklufi – 2023- 2024 Public Information Coordinator: Myesha Morrison - 2022-2024 Community Affairs/Community Relations staff : Sergeant: Roberto Villegas – 2018-2019, Matthew Rice 2019-2021, Erika Aklufi 2021-2022, Jose Rodriguez 2022-2024, Richard Verbeck- 2024 Administrative Assistants : Teresa Tico- 2018-2024, CPC: Suzanne Lockwood-Kim – 2018-2024, Halima Barreto – 2018-2024, Myesha Morrison – 2018-2022, Alex Sanchez – 2018-2021 Neighborhood Resources Officer s: Richard Verbeck (2018-2019), Marilyn Amiache (2018-2019), Erik Milosevich (2018-2019), Gus Cortes (2019), Peter Lashley (19-22), Edgar Navarro (19-24), Robert Galvan (20-24), Stephanie Tovar (20-22), Aaron Alpert (21-23), Carlos Madrid (21-22), Danny Melendez (21-22), Jessica Medina (21-22), Steven Hollowell (21-24), David Wang (23-24) In response to request Nos. 2 and 3, the City is providing the expense reports for the requested date range of 2018-2024. We have redacted personal and private contact information pertaining to individual citizens, including email addresses, Social Security numbers, driver’s license numbers and phone numbers, as the information is exempt from disclosure under Section 7922.000 of the Government Code. This section permits a public agency to withhold a record where “the public interest served by not disclosing the record clearly outweighs the public interest served by disclosure of the record.” In enacting the Act, the California Legislature was “mindful of the right of individuals to privacy.” (Gov. Code, § 7921.000.) When it comes to disclosing personal information under the Act, the public interest which must be weighed is whether such disclosure “would contribute significantly to public understanding of government activities” and serve the legislative purpose of ‘‘shed[ding] light on an agency's performance of its statutory duties.’’ ( City of San Jose v. Superior Court (1999) 74 Cal.App.4th 1008, 1019.) Recognizing that the California Constitution grants individuals the right to privacy, the California Legislature enacted the California Consumer Privacy Act (“CCPA”), effective as of January 1, 2020, to require businesses to implement security measures to safeguard personal information. The term personal information, as defined in Civil Code section 1798.3(a), covers a wide range of data. “The term ‘personal information’ means any information that is maintained by an agency that identifies or describes an individual, including, but not limited to, his or her name, social security number, physical description, home address, home telephone number, education, financial matters, and medical or employment history. It [also] includes statements made by, or attributed to, the individual.” In weighing the public interest, the City finds that disclosure of personal and private contact information pertaining to individual citizens would constitute an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy. The public interest served by nondisclosure such information clearly outweighs the public interest served by disclosure. Disclosure of the private and personal contact information reveals little or nothing about the City’s business and operational functions while disclosure would compromise privacy rights of individuals. Under the circumstances presented here, the City determined that disclosure of the withheld information would compromise substantial privacy interests. (Gov. Code § 7922.000.) In response to request Nos. 4, 5, and 6, no responsive documents were located. In response to request No. 7, the City is providing the Press Release Template and Public Information Bulletin Template. In response to request No. 8, the City is providing a link to Santa Monica Police Department’s media policy: Media policy. After a reasonable search, the City believes it has provided all non-exempt responsive records. The City will now close this request and deem it complete. Thank you for your cooperation regarding this matter.

Sincerely,
Rebecca Adams

City Attorney