Cannabis Arrest ,Citations & Memos (Houston Police Department)

Dear Jordan Lassiter:
Thank you for your interest in public records of Houston Police Department. Your request has been received and is being processed in accordance with Chapter 552 of Texas Government Code, the Public Information Act. Your request was received in this office on 2/21/2022 and given the reference number P025687-022122 for tracking purposes. Records Requested: To Whom It May Concern:

Pursuant to the Texas Public Information Act, I hereby request the following records:

All internal memos related to Cannabis or Marijuana
Including digital media, paper copies or pamphlets, as well as out reach material

In addition Summary of arrest or citation issued through January 1st 2021- February 19th 2022 for marijuana & or cannabis

We are also seeking any data in regards to arrest Or citation issued

Gender
Age
Ethnicity

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,

Jordan Lassiter

Upload documents directly: https://www.muckrock.com/
Your request will be forwarded to the relevant Houston Police Department department(s) to locate the information you seek and to determine the volume and any costs associated with satisfying your request. You will be contacted about the availability and/or provided with copies of the records in question. PLEASE NOTE: The Chapter 552 of Texas Government Code, the Public Information Act does not require a governmental body to create new information, to do legal research, or to answer questions.

You can monitor the progress of your request at the link below and you'll receive an email when your request has been completed. Again, thank you for using the Houston Public Information Request Center.
Houston Police Department

--- Please respond above this line ---

RE: PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST of February 21, 2022, Reference # P025687-022122
Dear Jordan Lassiter,
The Houston Police Department received a public information request from you on February 21, 2022. Your request mentioned:
“To Whom It May Concern:

Pursuant to the Texas Public Information Act, I hereby request the following records:

All internal memos related to Cannabis or Marijuana
Including digital media, paper copies or pamphlets, as well as out reach material

In addition Summary of arrest or citation issued through January 1st 2021- February 19th 2022 for marijuana & or cannabis

We are also seeking any data in regards to arrest Or citation issued

Gender
Age
Ethnicity

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,

Jordan Lassiter

This letter is to clarify what information that you are seeking from the Houston Police Department (HPD) .
HPD has done a cursory review of the information you are seeking and based on the information you asked for - we need for you to clarify the broad request as portions of if is vague and in order to provide you with the estimated costs, a clarification is needed in order for us to proceed.
(1) regarding the Internal Memos related to Cannabis or Marijuana to include digital media, paper copies or pamphlets, outreach materials. -- You did not provide a date range for this portion of your request.  We cannot assume how far back the information is being requested nor can we prepare a proper estimate of costs without this.  Additionally, HPD has a lot of information available on the department website (www.houstonpolice.org) and the department uses a variety of social media platforms (Youtube channel, twitter, instagram, blogs, etc) and all of those links to the platforms can also be found for free on the department's website.  Pamphlets etc are available in multiple languages on the department's website and can be saved or downloaded for free.  Additional you will need to clarify what you are referring to when you mean digital media.  You need to be specific about what you are seeking as the two terms provided could be so many different types of memos.  The two words could appear in reports, investigative summaries, commendation letters involving officers, internal affairs investigations and so many other types of materials.  This portion of your request alone could easily exceed $100.  A clarification of this can help us determine what is needed and from where internally so that we can provide you with an accurate estimate of costs.
(2)  Summary of arrest citations for marijuana or cannabis. You did provide a date range; however for this portion of the request you need to clarify this.  Are you seeking public release reports or are you looking for municipal citations?  They are two different things.  We cannot assume you want one or the other.  You must clarify exactly what you are seeking so that we can determine what is needed and from where internally so that we can provide you with an accurate estimate of costs. or
(3)  Data in regarding arrest or citation.  We can assume that this one is referring to the second portion of your request; however, we cannot assume.  You must provide a date range and you must clarify arrest records or citations (citations involve municipal or lower charges).  You must clarify exactly what you are seeking so that we can determine what is needed and from where internally so that we can provide you with an accurate estimate of costs.
Please note that Section 552.222(d) of the Texas Government Code authorizes the Department to consider your public information request withdrawn as a matter of law if you do not respond in writing to this request for clarification within 61 days from the date of this correspondence.
You may reply to this email to clarify your request.
Upon receipt of your clarification, the Houston Police Department will further respond to your Public Information Act Request as required by law, including providing you with an estimate of costs associated with producing the requested records.
If you have any questions, please contact Melissa Saldivar Hamilton at 713-308-9186.  Thank you for your attention.
Sincerely,
Melissa Saldivar Hamilton
Administrative Assistant
Houston Police Department (HPD)

--- Please respond above this line ---

RE: PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST of February 21, 2022, Reference # P025687-022122
Dear Jordan Lassiter,
The Houston Police Department received a public information request from you on February 21, 2022. Your request mentioned:
“To Whom It May Concern:

Pursuant to the Texas Public Information Act, I hereby request the following records:

All internal memos related to Cannabis or Marijuana
Including digital media, paper copies or pamphlets, as well as out reach material

In addition Summary of arrest or citation issued through January 1st 2021- February 19th 2022 for marijuana & or cannabis

We are also seeking any data in regards to arrest Or citation issued

Gender
Age
Ethnicity

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,

Jordan Lassiter

This message is to confirm the receipt of your 3/9/2022 communication and to again request specific clarification regarding what information that you are seeking from the Houston Police Department . Please provide a date range for us to search in relation to Item #1. Additionally, please provide a date range for item #2 & #3 CLARIFY whether or not you are requesting citations or public release information. and
Please note that Section 552.222(d) of the Texas Government Code authorizes the Department to consider your public information request withdrawn as a matter of law if you do not respond in writing to this request for clarification within 61 days from the date of this correspondence.
You may reply to this email to clarify your request.
Upon receipt of your clarification, the Houston Police Department will further respond to your Public Information Act Request as required by law, including providing you with an estimate of costs associated with producing the requested records.
If you have any questions, please contact Melissa Saldivar Hamilton at 713-308-9186.  Thank you for your attention.
Sincerely,
Melissa Saldivar Hamilton
Administrative Assistant
Houston Police Department (HPD)