Houston PD and Facebook

This automatic response is your confirmation that the email you sent was received. Thank you for contacting us.

Our office hours are Monday - Friday, 8am - 5pm (excluding holidays).

Please be aware that it will take us approximately 10 business days to respond to you regarding your request. Please submit your request only once by email, fax, US mail or in person.

Did you include your postal mailing address with your request? Please be aware that we do not fax or email responsive documents; you must include your mailing address.

For more information on Public Information requests and the Open Records process, please see the following page of the HPD web site:

http://www.houstontx.gov/police/public_information.htm

Here are some frequently asked questions and answers:

1. How will I be charged? How can I pay for the information?

Answer: If the total amount of your responsive material is less than $5 (five dollars), we will send the information to you by US Mail along with an invoice for the cost. If the total is greater than $5 (five dollars), we will send you an invoice for the material. Once you've paid the invoice, we will send you the responsive documents. If the total will be over $40 (forty dollars), we will send you a cost estimate for your approval before we proceed with the work. If the total will be over $100 (one hundred dollars), we will send you a cost estimate and require a deposit before we proceed with the work. When you are invoiced, please submit payment by check or money order only according to the instructions given in your invoice.

2. Why does it take so long to process my request? Can you expedite my request?

Answer: We have a very small yet extremely dedicated staff working approximately 700 pending requests at any given time. Each Open Records staff member is committed to processing each request as quickly as possible, according to various statutes that govern the release of public information. Requests are assigned in the order in which they are received. Some requests take only a few days to process, while others may take months. In order to be fair to all of our requestors, we are not able to give a higher priority to your request. We do assure you, however, that we will do our best to respond to your request as promptly as possible, while still maintaining accuracy and providing excellent customer service to all of our requestors.

3. Did you receive my request? What is the status of my request?

Answer: If you are receiving this response, then we did receive your request. You may feel free to contact us at the number below if you want to check on the status of your request, but please wait at least 10 business days before calling. It is unlikely that we will be able to process your request in fewer than 10 business days. (Please remember that weekends and holidays do not count as business days.)

Inkoo Kang:

On August 31, 2012, you submitted a Public Information request for any memoranda of agreement, reports or e-mails concerning coordination between Facebook and the Houston PD for law enforcement purposes. We have no responsive material; Facebook is available and open to the public.

If you have any questions or further assistance is required, you may contact Public Affairs, Open Records, at 713-308-3200.


Carolyn L. Williams
Public Affairs/Open Records

>>> <requests@muckrock.com> 8/31/2012 11:22 AM >>>

August 31, 2012
Houston Police Department
HPD, Public Affairs Division, 1200 Travis, Houston, TX 77002

To Whom It May Concern:

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

Any memoranda of agreement, reports, or e-mails concerning coordination between Facebook and the Houstin PD for law enforcement purposes.

I also request that, if appropriate, fees be waived as I believe this request is in the public interest. The requested documents will be made available to the general public free of charge as part of the public information service at MuckRock.com, processed by a representative of the news media/press and is made in the process of news gathering and not for commercial usage.

In the event that fees cannot be waived, 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,

Inkoo Kang

Filed via MuckRock.com
E-mail (Preferred): requests@muckrock.com

For mailed responses, please address (see note):
MuckRock News
DEPT MR 1846
PO Box 55819
Boston, MA 02205-5819

PLEASE NOTE the new address as well as the fact that improperly addressed (i.e., with the requester's name rather than MuckRock News) requests might be returned by the USPS as undeliverable.