Nuisance Alligator Hotline

Your request has been received.  In accordance with Chapter 119.07(1), Florida Statutes and Section 1.7, Internal Management Policies and Procedures of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, our staff will research your request and notify you regarding location, volume, and format of these record series. Your request was given the reference number W186842-110923 for tracking purposes.

Records Requested: To Whom It May Concern:

Pursuant to the Florida Sunshine Law, I hereby request the following records — restricted with the date range of 01/01/2020 to the time that this request is processed:
* A log of all calls and incidents reported to the Nuisance Alligator Hotline from its inception through the date this request is processed. Please include the time and date of the call, any available description of the phone call, and any action that was taken as a result. Please redact any personally-identifying information.
* A copy of any call logs or materials used to track incoming complaints to FWC’s Nuisance Alligator Hotline 866-FWC-GATOR (866-392-4286).
* If there exist any weekly, monthly, quarterly, or annual reports regarding the hotline, I will accept those instead of the above-requested records.
* Any and all records regarding the number of calls the Nuisance Alligator Hotline has received, the subject of the calls, resolution offered
* The current written guidelines developed by AZGFD pertaining to the handling of hotline calls and referrals. These guidelines would specifically include the two documents entitled "Nuisance Alligator Hotline Program Orientation" and "Nuisance Alligator Hotline Screening Protocols", as well as any additional guidelines the FWC may utilize.

When completing this request, please prioritize whichever records would take the least amount of time to be located and released. I would like these records in electronic format, sent via email or other digital method, and again, please release documents on a rolling basis, as they become available.

If you determine that any of the information qualifies for an exemption from disclosure, I ask you to note whether the exemption is discretionary, and if so whether it is necessary in this case to exercise your discretion to withhold the information. In any event, please provide a signed notification citing the legal authorities on which you rely if you determine that any of the information is exempt and will not be disclosed.

Also, I am a member of the news media as a reporter for Business Insider, and the requested documents are in the public interest and not being made for commercial purposes. Therefore, I ask that all fees are waived in the processing of my request. If fees associated with this request will be in excess of $25, kindly notify me in advance of fulfilling this request. As I am making this request as a journalist and this information is timely, I would appreciate your communicating with me if you have questions regarding this request.

Thanks again, and if there are any questions about my request, can provide any clarification that will help expedite the processing of my request, please contact me at email address. I am also happy to hop on the phone.

I look forward to your reply within 10 business days and an even more prompt reply if you can make a determination without having to review the records in question.

Thank you for your time and attention to this matter.

Best,
Caroline

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Additionally, you can monitor the progress of your request at the link below and you'll receive an email when your request has been completed.

Due to an increased number of public records requests, there may be a delay in processing. We process requests in the order in which they are received but due to the increase you may experience a delay of a few weeks or more.

If I can provide additional information or assistance, please contact me at (850) 488-6553.

Sincerely,
Business and Public Records Administrator
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission


To track your request and respond, visit Ask FWC

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Hello Caroline – We have received your request, and it is in the que for processing (which is done in the order in which requests were received).
We have a couple of points regarding your request.
Items 1 and 2: Our Nuisance Alligator Hotline Operators do not keep phone logs. So, we won’t be able to fill the first two request items.
Items 3 and 4: I am awaiting word from our Alligator Management staff on weekly, monthly, quarterly, or annual reports as well as records concerning the number of calls, with subject and resolution, that we may be able to provide you.
Item 5: Could you please clarify what the acronym “AZGFD” stands for? I have also asked staff if we have the two documents “Nuisance Alligator Hotline Program Orientation and “Nuisance Alligator Hotline Screening Protocols” and am awaiting response.
Responsive documents will be made available to you through the GovQA system.
All redactions, if any are needed, will be done per Florida Statutes. And the Statute number(s) will be provided to you in our response.
If there is a fee for processing, you will be notified/invoiced, and we must receive payment from you prior to any documents being pulled, reviewed, and then forwarded by us to you.
Please let us know if you have any questions and we await your response on the “AZGFD” acronym.
Thank you –
Lex Ann Thomas

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Hello Caroline – In regard to items 3 & 4 (weekly, monthly, quarterly, or annual reports as well as records concerning the number of calls, with subject and resolution) we had a phone upgrade at the call center on 10/12/2022 and can run a report from that date forward of the number of phone calls that came into the hotline, but it would not include the subject of the call, or a resolution offered. For Item 5 we do not have any documents titled “Nuisance Alligator Hotline Program Orientation and “Nuisance Alligator Hotline Screening Protocols”. We are still awaiting your response on the “AZGFD” acronym and what it stands for. Please let us know if you would like to proceed with the phone call report. Thank you – Lex Ann Thomas Hunting and Game Management Division

Attachments:
Reviewed_-_Calls_into_the_call_center_overviews_this_year.pdf (https://u8387778.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=6HtRfOYLt5fXvpttM-2FU1HeSJ4FpEwDRGo5j9T1hZRRp9Fwb8WrGA6dcHQHzfsr5wUUYhdERnhQ4-2Fc-2FyEhdq6iL3cH4KR3XO7Y9gJVzja-2Fm2Y0PeRjSVVwjrBdM9PoDCaQ7Aq-2BMYOkuELMTRNA7uSEhijqYmW57DYM75cHHpOygBKsO9he5NDOal-2BtsdqWdA04XhC5VXXpKnintOeOWtloA-3D-3DRZZy_5seRyLw43Ei-2FtsdVVLNQb-2BGnrKUsZy-2FUWzQu3pCmBDCCCWtMVvM-2BQkvUgttggOCKGs9gNaBr1w0hXcOAuuv3rOMPBwG7JgTfmOLYHCJNU2jh4q9y78S67rw1vpR9ufaujYp4TCkCHKimKSMhPRFVBbbqHDPGnUqb4MMinM75Ww5-2FgkpytKQWKs-2FzCSia3h4hEJQYNak2JX9h2oecgpWEYRy9hzr8-2B6x4QyHgALRt-2BS6AvpNUNKHcEguf65SF-2FOCFKQCENK4ngdlSHlh8wbQhDxZSyFeLXcfU6cq8J0XbORu-2BdwDVyZNYk3yLwb0TISw48Rc9hHW6EVn1BBfmIpH8iRMfPMOht91hz0jko-2Boz4qy9ruhup1ClyfKI41Na-2BzBL)
Reviewed_-_Calls_into_the_call_center_from_11_15_22_thru_12_15_2022.pdf (https://u8387778.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=6HtRfOYLt5fXvpttM-2FU1HeSJ4FpEwDRGo5j9T1hZRRp9Fwb8WrGA6dcHQHzfsr5wUUYhdERnhQ4-2Fc-2FyEhdq6iL3cH4KR3XO7Y9gJVzja-2Fm2Y0PeRjSVVwjrBdM9PoDCaQ7Aq-2BMYOkuELMTRNA7uSEqdmkWCTsoWpOLBHu5aKxYDcQPDh9BcZJcBa0m1DoHO8GTtnYQT4zOx3R6kGwwmlQQ-3D-3Dlyfg_5seRyLw43Ei-2FtsdVVLNQb-2BGnrKUsZy-2FUWzQu3pCmBDCCCWtMVvM-2BQkvUgttggOCKGs9gNaBr1w0hXcOAuuv3rOMPBwG7JgTfmOLYHCJNU2jh4q9y78S67rw1vpR9ufaujYp4TCkCHKimKSMhPRFVBbbqHDPGnUqb4MMinM75Ww5-2FgkpytKQWKs-2FzCSia3h4hEJQYNak2JX9h2oecgpWEYRy9hzr8-2B6x4QyHgALRt-2BS6AvpNUNKHcEguf65SF-2FOCF59pLOIQsx6ChxVnKfD4YXNGnM0JtlLbDabpsAO1WGjaYWhMLJwfPTNRiKjBUhUg4PFpxBsTcaHsrD4o2KRABbhQwW2wOT0NMBoAj-2FcZuYNFaAv83il1QiYfwGOTl1To9)
Reviewed_-_SWIMS_User_Guide_-_CCO_12.07.23.pdf (https://u8387778.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=6HtRfOYLt5fXvpttM-2FU1HeSJ4FpEwDRGo5j9T1hZRRp9Fwb8WrGA6dcHQHzfsr5wUUYhdERnhQ4-2Fc-2FyEhdq6iL3cH4KR3XO7Y9gJVzja-2Fm2Y0PeRjSVVwjrBdM9PoDCaQ7Aq-2BMYOkuELMTRNA7uSEikf5j-2Fs7DSD-2BDB6fGsKq90zzSXogs8rbJ5Cz-2BnNCIbaG4PhKh6fRtbIMFe3scSnSQ-3D-3DBqWN_5seRyLw43Ei-2FtsdVVLNQb-2BGnrKUsZy-2FUWzQu3pCmBDCCCWtMVvM-2BQkvUgttggOCKGs9gNaBr1w0hXcOAuuv3rOMPBwG7JgTfmOLYHCJNU2jh4q9y78S67rw1vpR9ufaujYp4TCkCHKimKSMhPRFVBbbqHDPGnUqb4MMinM75Ww5-2FgkpytKQWKs-2FzCSia3h4hEJQYNak2JX9h2oecgpWEYRy9hzr8-2B6x4QyHgALRt-2BS6AvpNUNKHcEguf65SF-2FOCFD5wmyWHns9HMEmm1QlIG6-2FFXj9wPNIAXsnwF0XRHP45YJOC0-2Fg5gFF1EBhW0XxcPSD6ze6iFPYkMP3GOYiaBx6tc3ZdCRnUsu2JD5lyvYhQtfhaZrGxvOGM7O7g7ldLw)

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Caroline – thank you for the clarifications.
Attached you will find the Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program Call Center Operator User Guide. Also attached are documents for Calls to the call center from 11/15/22 through 12/15/22 and the calls into the call center for 2023. Unfortunately, our system isn’t able to go further back than November 15, 2022.
Please let us know if you need further assistance.
Thank you –
Lex Ann Thomas
Division of Hunting and Game Management
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