Local level SAEC policies/data (Dubuque, IA)

Your request is being processed. Thank You.

Mark M. Dalsing
Chief of Police
Dubuque Police Department
770 Iowa Street
Dubuque, IA 52001
(563)589-4411 (Office)
(563)589-4497 (Fax)
911 Emergencies Only
(563)589-4415 (Dispatch Non-Emergency)
(563)583-1711 (TTY)

Vanessa,

My response to specific requests will be listed after each request.

Regards,

Mark M. Dalsing
Chief of Police
Dubuque Police Department
770 Iowa Street
Dubuque, IA 52001
(563)589-4411 (Office)
(563)589-4497 (Fax)
911 Emergencies Only
(563)589-4415 (Dispatch Non-Emergency)
(563)583-1711 (TTY)

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

June 6, 2017
Dubuque Police Department
855 Central Ave
Dubuque, IA 52001

To Whom It May Concern:

Pursuant to the Iowa Open Records Law (Code Chapter 22), I hereby request the following records:

Any and all statistics, data, reports, audits, policies, and procedures pertaining to the following items regarding sexual assault evidence collection (SAEC) kits (also known as "rape kits") and processing:

• all standard operating procedures regarding the SAEC process – Attached you will find Dubuque Police Department policies 6.7 Collection & Preservation of Evidence; 5.1 Patrol; 8.6 Victim, Witness Assistance; and Section II-6 of the Criminal Investigation Division Manual

• any written policies or procedures regarding department practices on the acquisition of or handling of rape kit evidence, including protocols for its collection, testing, and delegation and transfer to all other possibly relevant locations, laboratories, or agencies – Same response as above

• the number of kits collected and booked into evidence from the period of January 1, 2000 through the date this request is processed – Our current computer records management software has been in use since August 2014. Any data between January 2000 and August 2014 is not readily available and would require a manual search. Any manual search would be done by the Property and Evidence Officer at his hourly rate of $31.98/Hr. Before any manual search would be started, the Dubuque Police Department would request advance payment for five hours. Any time savings would result in a refund. Any shortage would be billed in advance of delivery of the data.

Per your request and readily available data as described above, 98 SAEC’s have been logged into evidence between August 2014 and today.

• the number of kits that have been processed by a public or private crime or forensic laboratory or equivalent processing location from the period of January 1, 2000 through the date this request is processed – Between August 2014 and today, 19 SAEC’s have been tested by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigations state crime lab.

• the number of unprocessed kits in any storage facilities currently under the department’s jurisdiction and control, including those held by medical personnel or at external laboratory locations – 72 SAEC’s have not been processed

• any materials regarding the status or ultimate disposition of cases in which a kit was collected. Please include all available segregable data. – This information is not readily available and would require a manual search as described in the response to bullet 3.

• all audits involving this agency regarding the collection or backlog of SAEC kits – No audits have been conducted

• all proposed alterations or yet-to-be-implemented changes to the policies and procedures regarding the collection, testing, and use of SAEC kits – No changes are planned

If there any questions about this request, please feel free to call us at the MuckRock office at 617-299-1832.

The requested documents will be made available to the general public, and this request is not being made for commercial purposes.

In the event that there are fees, I would be grateful if you would inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment if available or CD-ROM if not.

Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. I look forward to receiving your response to this request within 10 business days, as the statute requires.

Sincerely,

Vanessa Nason

------
Filed via MuckRock.com
E-mail (Preferred): requests@muckrock.com<mailto:requests@muckrock.com>
Upload documents directly: https://www.muckrock.com/accounts/agency_login/dubuque-police-department-8802/local-level-saec-policiesdata-dubuque-ia-38488/?email=slaird%40cityofdubuque.org&uuid-login=0ec0e02e-36e4-48fb-8acc-473250d7e0de#agency-reply
Is this email coming to the wrong contact? Something else wrong? Use the above link to let us know.

For mailed responses, please address (see note):
MuckRock
DEPT MR 38488
411A Highland Ave
Somerville, MA 02144-2516

PLEASE NOTE: This request was filed by a MuckRock staff reporter. Also note that improperly addressed (i.e., with the requester's name rather than "MuckRock News" and the department number) requests might be returned as undeliverable.
------

Click here<https://www.mailcontrol.com/sr/NPeG+OjQBpHGX2PQPOmvUmkxeMeR4!Fmw5ff9RN3L5VHbFjBOeSUGVEFs1wszpzveq6jkIKP40GNc!rJiVGaJg==> to report this email as spam.