NH sheriff data collection (2017-2022)

Samuel Sinyangwe filed this request with the Sullivan County Sheriff's Office of Sullivan County, NH.

It is a clone of this request.

Status
Completed

From: Samuel Sinyangwe

To Whom It May Concern:

Pursuant to the New Hampshire Right to Know Law, I hereby request the following records:

1. the total number of use of force incidents from 2017-2022, separated by year. Please include as part of this a breakdown of how many use of force incidents in 2022 were related to law enforcement operations and how many were related to correctional/custodial operations.

2. the total number of use of force incidents, separated by year and type of force, from 2017-2022 (for example, information that specifies the number of taser incidents in 2022, baton incidents in 2022, etc.)
3. the total number of civilian complaints against law enforcement that were reported and the total number sustained from 2017-2022, separated by year.


4. the total number of civilian complaints alleging law enforcement use of excessive force that were reported and the total number sustained from 2017-2022, separated by year.

5. the total number of civilian complaints alleging biased policing or racial profiling that were reported and the total number sustained from 2017-2022, separated by year.


6. the total number of civilian complaints alleging criminal conduct that were reported and the total number sustained from 2017-2022, separated by year.

7. the total number of officer-involved shootings from 2017-2022, both fatal and non-fatal, separated by year.
8. the total number of people who the sheriff’s department used force against, broken down by race/ethnicity, in 2022.

When available, I would appreciate being sent individualized data for each item in this request in spreadsheet format. If individualized data are unavailable, please send information that includes aggregate statistics for the item instead.



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 5 business days, as the statute requires.

Sincerely,

Samuel Sinyangwe

From: Sullivan County Sheriff's Office

Good Morning,

Thank you for following up and I apologize for the delay in my response. Many of the statistics you are asking for in your request will be a “zero” however “use of force” incidents are documented any time there is any type of resistance by an arrestee to include pulling away during handcuffing. Your request will take some time to go back and investigate. During that time frame, employees have retired and files are in an archive.

I will be happy to provide you the requested information and I will work to have your response completed by close of business on Friday, April 18th. If I’m able to complete the research prior to that date, I will forward it on.

Respectfully,

John Simonds
Sheriff

From: Sullivan County Sheriff's Office

Good Morning,

Below is the information you requested. I apologize for the delay, I went on vacation and had a miscommunication as to sending the information out.

2017- No use of force reports
2018- No use of force reports
2019- One use of force. Resisting arrest of detention. Law enforcement related. No taser or O/C usage
2020- No use of force
2021- No use of force
2022- 6 use of force. Law enforcement related. Resist arrest or detention. Criminal Trespass. Protective custody. Detention/Escape. No taser or O/C usage. All uses of force were on Caucasian individuals.

No complaints of any kind for excessive force, or otherwise. No shootings from 2017-2022.

Respectfully,

John Simonds
High Sheriff