Demand the records
You can ask the city directly.
A lot of what we still don't know — the drone vendor, the cost, the data rules — is sitting in public records. Anyone can request them. Here are ready-to-send requests; copy one, paste it into the city's form, and add your name.
The drone program
Vendor, cost, policy, and the required public review.
Under the Michigan Freedom of Information Act (MCL 15.231 et seq.), I request copies of the following public records: 1. Any Surveillance Technology Specification Report (STSR) prepared under the CIOGS ordinance for unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) or a "drone as first responder" program. 2. All requests for proposals (RFPs), bids, quotes, and contracts relating to police drones or UAS, including vendor names and pricing, from January 1, 2024 to the present. 3. The current DPD directive governing unmanned aerial vehicles (Directive 303.6), including any data-retention, access, and data-sharing provisions. 4. Any records identifying the funding source for a drone program (general fund, federal grant, or asset forfeiture). I am willing to receive these records electronically. If any portion is exempt, please release the remainder and cite the specific exemption. If fees exceed $25, please notify me first. Please respond within the statutory timeframe.
License-plate reader searches
Who searched the data, why, and who it's shared with.
Under the Michigan Freedom of Information Act (MCL 15.231 et seq.), I request copies of the following public records: 1. A log of all searches of the Detroit Police Department's automated license-plate-reader (ALPR) system, including any Flock Safety network, for the most recent 90 days, showing the requesting user/agency and the stated reason for each search. 2. All data-sharing agreements between DPD and any outside or federal agency (including ICE or CBP) concerning ALPR or camera data. 3. The current data-retention policy for ALPR data, and the contract(s) governing the ALPR system, including total cost and term. I am willing to receive these records electronically. If any portion is exempt, please release the remainder and cite the specific exemption. If fees exceed $25, please notify me first. Please respond within the statutory timeframe.
Facial-recognition audit
The audit the 2024 settlement required.
Under the Michigan Freedom of Information Act (MCL 15.231 et seq.), I request copies of the following public records: 1. The audit of all cases since 2017 in which the Detroit Police Department used facial-recognition technology to obtain an arrest warrant, as required by the 2024 settlement in Williams v. City of Detroit. 2. Any reports, summaries, or correspondence produced pursuant to that settlement. 3. DPD's current facial-recognition use policy and any annual reports submitted under the CIOGS ordinance. I am willing to receive these records electronically. If any portion is exempt, please release the remainder and cite the specific exemption. If fees exceed $25, please notify me first. Please respond within the statutory timeframe.
Surveillance spending
What the city has paid, and to whom.
Under the Michigan Freedom of Information Act (MCL 15.231 et seq.), I request copies of the following public records: 1. All contracts, purchase orders, invoices, and payment records for surveillance technology from January 1, 2020 to the present, including but not limited to Project Green Light, the Real-Time Crime Center, ShotSpotter/SoundThinking, DataWorks Plus facial recognition, and license-plate readers. 2. Any annual surveillance procurement and use reports required under the CIOGS ordinance. I am willing to receive these records electronically. If any portion is exempt, please release the remainder and cite the specific exemption. If fees exceed $25, please notify me first. Please respond within the statutory timeframe.
Where to send it
A few tips
- 01Include your name and a way to reach you (email is fine).
- 02Be specific about records and dates — it speeds things up and lowers fees.
- 03The city generally must respond within 5 business days (it can extend by 10).
- 04You can ask to inspect records in person for free instead of paying copy fees.
- 05If they miss the deadline or deny without basis, that's appealable — tell an organization on our coalition page.
Got records back? Share them with us or with a group on the coalition page — sunlight works best together.
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