The Minneapolis Police Department’s records office is weeks behind in processing public-records requests, creating a backlog that is being blamed on staffing shortages and the growing pains of implementing a new computer system.

Nearly two months after the launch, department officials maintain that the new system is working as designed. But problems with querying the Police Information Management System (PIMS) are testing their ability to respond to even the most basic inquiries in a timely manner. This has led to delays in processing requests, ranging from one to three weeks.

As a result, some records clerks have begun signing off their e-mails with a message acknowledging the new system and its delays

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