On Friday, August 1, CJP expanded our transparency work to South Bend, Indiana—specifically focusing on the South Bend Police Department (SBPD). As part of our ongoing commitment to government accountability, we submitted a series of open records requests under the Indiana Access to Public Records Act to help shine a light on the inner workings of the SBPD.

Our requests span a wide array of data points, including:

• Crime Incidents
• Arrests
• Case Status
• Gang Affiliation
• ShotSpotter Technology
• Surveillance Camera Locations
• Complaints Against Officers

📂 These datasets are essential tools for public oversight. We believe that making this information accessible not only strengthens civic engagement, but empowers South Bend’s residents to work collaboratively with local justice agencies toward a more equitable public safety system.

Transparency isn’t just a principle—it’s a pathway to progress. When communities can see how their institutions operate, trust can grow, and meaningful reform becomes possible.

Below, you’ll find the full text of our requests. As responses are received from the SBPD, we’ll provide detailed updates to keep the public informed and involved below the requests.

Request Content

August 1, 2025

To: South Bend Police Department

Re: Chicago Justice Project Access to Public Record Act Requests

In accordance with the Indiana Access to Public Records Act, Indiana Code 5-14-3, I request that your office please provide copies of the following public records:

FOIA A (Crime Incident Data)

1. Records that show, or are sufficient to show, the name(s) of any database that the SBPD maintains that contains crime incident data.
2. A copy of the data dictionary(ies) for any database(s) identified in section A1 of this request.
3. Records that show or are sufficient to show the official name(s) of any database created or maintained by a third party to which the SBPD has access, that contains SBPD crime incident data.
4. A copy of the data dictionary(ies) for any database(s) identified in section A3 of this request.
5. Crime incident data in comma-separated format for the years 2015-2024. Please reduce the address(es) to the hundred block(s). Please omit any data required by law, if there is any such data required to be omitted.

FOIA B (Arrest Data)

1. Records that show or are sufficient to show the name of any database(s) that the SBPD maintains that contains arrest data.
2. A copy of the data dictionary(ies) for any database(s) identified in section B1 of this request.
3. Records that show or are sufficient to show the official name(s) of any database created or maintained by a third party to which the SBPD has access, that contains SBPD arrest data.
4. A copy of the data dictionary(ies) for any database(s) identified in section B3 of this request.
5. Arrest data in comma-separated format for the years 2015-2024. Please reduce the address(es) to the hundred block(s). Please omit any data required by law, if there is any such data required to be omitted.

FOIA C (Case Statuses)

1. Records that show or are sufficient to show the name(s) of any database(s) that the South Bend Police Department (SBPD) maintains that contains case status data.
2. A copy of the data dictionary(ies) for any database(s) identified in section C1 of this request.
3. Records that show or are sufficient to show the official name(s) of any database created or maintained by a third party to which the SBPD has access, that contains SBPD case status data.
4. A copy of the data dictionary(ies) for any database(s) identified in section C3 of this request.
5. All the data related to the case status of all cases in comma-separated format for the years 2015-2024. Please omit any data required by law, if there is any such data required to be omitted.

FOIA D (Gang Affiliation Data)

1. Records that show or are sufficient to show the name(s) of any database that the South Bend Police Department (SBPD) maintains that contains gang affiliation data or any database they previously maintained that contained gang affiliation data.
2. A copy of the data dictionary(ies) for any database(s) identified in section D1 of this request.
3. Records that show or are sufficient to show the official name(s) of any database created or maintained by a third party to which the SBPD has access, that contains or previously contained SBPD gang affiliation data.
4. A copy of the data dictionary(ies) for any database(s) identified in section D3 of this request.
5. All data related to gang affiliation maintained by the SBPD in comma-separated format for the years 2015-2024. Please omit any data required by law, if there is any such data required to be omitted.
6. Please provide copies of all requests the SBPD received to share gang affiliation data with any entity outside the SBPD from 2015 to 2024. Provide all responses, associated correspondence, and attachments. For emails, provide them in .eml format.

FOIA E (ShotSpotter)

1. Copies of all promotional materials maintained by the SBPD that are in any way related to the ShotSpotter technology or the companies ShotSpotter and SoundThinking.
2. Copies of all emails to or from the SBPD from ShotSpotter or SoundThinking. Provide emails in .eml format.
3. Copies of all emails to or from the SBPD from anyone working with or on behalf of ShotSpotter or SoundThinking or their affiliated companies. Provide emails in .eml format.
4. Copies of all emails that are related to the ShotSpotter technology or the companies ShotSpotter and SoundThinking. Provide all responses, associated correspondence, and attachments. Provide emails in .eml format.
5. Copies of any evaluations, reviews, or analyses conducted on the ShotSpotter technology that are maintained by the SBPD, or that the SBPD contracted any outside company, consultant, researcher, or external organization to create.
6. Copies of all records maintained by the SBPD related to false positive alerts from the ShotSpotter technology.
7. Copies of all records maintained by the SBPD related to communications between SBPD and anyone affiliated with the ShotSpotter or SoundThinking companies discussing the classification of sounds as shootings. Provide all responses, associated correspondence, and attachments. Provide emails in .eml format.
8. Records that show or are sufficient to show where in the city of South Bend any ShotSpotter or SoundThinking technology is located or has been located for the years 2015-2024.
9. Contracts or other financial agreements between South Bend or SBPD and ShotSpotter or SoundThinking.
10. Incident-level data for the years 2015-2024 for:

a. All gunfire-related calls for service.
b. All gunfire-related calls for service that lead to ballistic evidence collection
c. All gunfire-related calls for service that lead to an arrest
d. All ShotSpotter alerts that lead to ballistic evidence collection
e. All ShotSpotter alerts that lead to an arrest

FOIA F (Surveillance Cameras)

1. Records that show or are sufficient to show where in the city of South Bend the SBPD has placed surveillance cameras and for what duration those cameras were located there, for the years 2015-2024.
2. All contracts or other financial agreements between South Bend or SBPD and company that supplied surveillance camera technology to the SBPD.

FOIA G (Accountability)

1. Copies of all complaints filed against SBPD officers from 2015-2024.
2. Copies of all findings related to the complaints in G1 of this request.
3. Records that show or are sufficient to show the number of complaints filed against officers for the years 2015-2024.
4. Complaint-level data for all complaints filed against officers for the years 2015-2024. Please include all data related to:

• a. The complaint content
• b. Any statements provided to the SBPD
• c. Any investigation of the complaint
• d. The disposition of the complaint
• e. The demographics of the complainant(s)
• f. The demographics of the officer(s)
• g. The demographics of any witnesses

FOIA H

1. Records that show or are sufficient to show Your efforts to locate and produce the records requested in FOIA A-G above. This should include:
   a) Where you searched for responsive Records and Documents.
   b) Who searched for responsive Records and Documents.
   c) Who was requested to produce responsive Records and Documents.
   d) The identify of any Records and Documents that were located but not produced for any reason.

DEFINITIONS
“Document” and/or “Documents” means any documents or electronically stored information of any kind—including writings, drawings, graphs, charts, photographs, sound recordings, images, and other data or data compilations—stored in any medium from which information can be obtained either directly or, if necessary, after translation by the responding party into a reasonably usable form.

“You” or “Your” means South Bend, any division, department, agency, or agent of South Bend, and all attorneys, employees, officers, directors, bureaus, offices, divisions or subdivisions of same.

“SBPD” means South Bend Police Department and all attorneys, employees, officers, directors, bureaus, offices, divisions or subdivisions of same.

INSTRUCTIONS
If the agency withholds any document or information pertinent to the requests made herein, please identify the document or information in as much detail as is possible, and detail in specific language why each document or piece of information is being withheld.

If any information requested herein is withheld on the basis of a claim of privilege or other protection as material prepared in anticipation of litigation or trial, then that claim shall be made expressly in a writing that describes the nature of the Documents, Communications, or Things not produced or disclosed in a manner that will enable us to assess the applicability of the privilege or protection. With regard to each claim of privilege or protection, the following information should be provided in the response or the objection:

(a) the type of Document, e.g., letter or memorandum;
(b) general subject matter of the Document;
(c) the date of the Document;
(d) such other information as is sufficient to identify the Document for a subpoena duces tecum, including, where appropriate, the author, addressee, and any other recipient of the Document, and, where not apparent, the relationship of the author, addressee, and any other recipient to each other; and
(e) the nature of the privilege or protection;
(f) if applicable, the litigation or trial of which he document was created in anticipation.

If any Document identified herein has been lost, discarded, or destroyed, each such Document should be identified as completely as possible, including as to each such Document, its date, general nature (e.g., letter, memorandum, telegram, telex, photograph, computer printout), subject matter, each author or originator, each person indicated as an addressee or copy recipient, and its former custodian(s). In addition, as to each such Document, the following information shall be supplied:

(a) date of disposal, loss, or destruction;
(b) manner of disposal, loss, or destruction;
(c) reason for disposal or destruction, or any explanation of loss;
(d) persons authorizing the disposal or destruction;
(e) persons having knowledge of the disposal, destruction, or loss; and
(f) persons who destroyed, lost, or disposed or the Document or Thing.

I look forward to hearing from you in writing within seven days, as required by the Access to Public Records Act, Indiana Code 5-14-3. Please direct all questions or responses to this FOIA request to this email address by responding to this email. I can be reached at tsiska@chicagojustice.org

Timeline & Responses from SBPD

8/1/25 – Automated Response – Request #: AR25-1335