9 20-0744 Subject: OPD Forensic Logic CopLink Privacy Use Policy And Contract
From: Oakland Police Department
Recommendation: Adopt A Resolution 1) Approving The Oakland Police Department (OPD) Forensic Logic CopLink Surveillance Use Policy (SUP); 2) Authorizing The City Administrator Or Designee To Enter Into A Three Year Contract With Forensic Logic, Inc., For The Period Of July 1, 2020 Through June 30, 2023, For One Hundred And Ninety Eight Thousand Dollars ($198,000) For The First Year, And Two Hundred Fifty Three Thousand Dollars ($253,000) Per Year For Years Two And Three, For A Total Contract Of Seven Hundred Four Thousand Dollars ($704,000), For Access To The CopLink Search And Analytics System And Related Network, Licensing, Technical Support, And Consulting Services; And 3) Waiving The City's Advertising/ Bidding And Request For Proposal Requirements For The Proposed Purchase
For decades, residents of California cities with the highest rates of gun violence have been forced to continue their lives knowing the murder of their loved ones remain unsolved. Guns, like bullets, are borderless and have no regard for government established boundaries.
Though we know Forensic Logic is useful for identifying perpetrators of gun violence, we know it can also be used to identify those within the gun industry who profit from irresponsible or illegal practices. Prevention requires working “upstream”— moving beyond the shooter. The upstream approach is not an unfamiliar concept. For example, when companies introduce waste into a public water source, we do not solely work to improve water quality downstream. Similarly, we need to focus on identifying retail gun dealers — wherever they are doing business — who divert firearms into the illegal market while working to address gun violence across our city. It becomes virtually impossible to stem the flow of illegal guns without a comprehensive understanding of the problem. Gun dealers who sell a disproportionate number of crime guns should be held accountable. A collaborative data sharing process, which includes a focus on gun tracing, is not just about an exchange of information — it’s an opportunity for OPD to demonstrate its commitment to protecting all Oakland residents.
For decades, residents of California cities with the highest rates of gun violence have been forced to continue their lives knowing the murder of their loved ones remain unsolved. Guns, like bullets, are borderless and have no regard for government established boundaries.
Though we know Forensic Logic is useful for identifying perpetrators of gun violence, we know it can also be used to identify those within the gun industry who profit from irresponsible or illegal practices. Prevention requires working “upstream”— moving beyond the shooter. The upstream approach is not an unfamiliar concept. For example, when companies introduce waste into a public water source, we do not solely work to improve water quality downstream. Similarly, we need to focus on identifying retail gun dealers — wherever they are doing business — who divert firearms into the illegal market while working to address gun violence across our city. It becomes virtually impossible to stem the flow of illegal guns without a comprehensive understanding of the problem. Gun dealers who sell a disproportionate number of crime guns should be held accountable. A collaborative data sharing process, which includes a focus on gun tracing, is not just about an exchange of information — it’s an opportunity for OPD to demonstrate its commitment to protecting all Oakland residents.
Thank you,
Erica Rice, Brady Program Manager