Q&A
Inquiry into NYPD's special expense purchase contracts (SPEC agreements)
2:28:07
·
58 sec
Council Member Jennifer Gutiérrez questions NYPD Deputy Commissioner Michael Gerber about the confidentiality of special expense purchase contracts (SPEC agreements). Gerber explains the historical context and recent developments regarding their disclosure.
- SPEC agreements were previously non-public contracts, a practice that ended some years ago
- Recent court ruling requires disclosure of these contracts on a rolling basis
- NYPD commits to complying with the court order to disclose these contracts
- Discussion highlights the evolving landscape of transparency in NYPD's technology procurement practices
Jennifer Gutiérrez
2:28:07
You don't have another example.
2:28:08
Okay.
2:28:11
Can I ask if, to your knowledge, the special expense purchase contracts or specs agreement, does NYPD continue to keep those contracts confidential?
Michael Gerber
2:28:22
Right.
2:28:23
So so those contracts, right, this was referred to earlier, right, used to be, and this was not a secret, it was with a controller and others, right?
2:28:32
There was this process for these contracts being non public.
2:28:35
That ended some number of years ago.
2:28:37
So those were non public contracts at a time when it was permissible for those contracts to be non public.
2:28:44
Right, I want to be clear about that.
2:28:46
There was any FOIL request for those contracts.
2:28:50
There was extended litigation.
2:28:51
There was a ruling very recently, I believe it was from the first department, requiring those contracts be disclosed on a rolling basis, and we're gonna comply with that court order.