Houston, TX Police Drone Document

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.)

I am so sorry for the delay; we are still working on it. You should
receive a response no later than September 14, 2012.

Thank you for your patience, and I am sorry for any inconvenience.


Carolyn L. Williams
Public Affairs/Open Records
713-308-3200

Michael Morisy:

Again, sorry for the delay. Please find the attached response pursuant
to your Public Information request.

Carolyn L. Williams
Public Affairs/Open Records
713-308-3265 (Direct)
713-308-3200 (Main)
713-308-3260 (Fax)
carolynl.williams@cityofhouston.net

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>>> HPD OpenRecs 10/8/2012 10:32 AM >>>

>>> <requests@muckrock.com> 9/29/2012 4:00 AM >>>

September 29, 2012
Police Department
Houston Police Department
1200 Travis Street
Houston, TX 77002

This is a follow up to a previous request:

To Whom It May Concern:

I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request,
copied below, and originally submitted on July 9, 2012. Please let me
know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further
clarification is needed.

Thank you for your help.

---

On Sept. 14, 2012:

To Whom It May Concern:

I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request,
copied below, and originally submitted on July 9, 2012. Please let me
know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further
clarification is needed.

Thank you for your help.

---

On Aug. 30, 2012:

I am so sorry for the delay; we are still working on it. You should
receive a response no later than September 14, 2012.

Thank you for your patience, and I am sorry for any inconvenience.

Carolyn L. Williams
Public Affairs/Open Records
713-308-3200

---

On Aug. 29, 2012:

To Whom It May Concern:

I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request,
copied below, and originally submitted on July 9, 2012. Please let me
know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further
clarification is needed.

Thank you for your help.

---

On Aug. 14, 2012:

To Whom It May Concern:

I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request,
copied below, and originally submitted on July 9, 2012. Please let me
know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further
clarification is needed.

Thank you for your help.

---

On July 24, 2012:

Thank you so much for your quick response. Could you provide the FAA's
proposal to Houston and any response from the City?

---

On July 13, 2012:

---

On July 9, 2012:

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.)

---

On July 9, 2012:

To Whom It May Concern:

Pursuant to the Texas Public Information Act, I hereby request all
records (including, but not limited to, electronic records) maintained
by this department and its officers, employees, and agents discussing,
concerning, or reflecting:

1. any requests for proposals, proposals submitted by vendors,
contracts, budgets or cost allocations for the purchase and/or use of
aerial drones, UAs, UAVs, and UASs (hereinafter “drones”);

2. any policies, guidelines, manuals and/or instructions on department
use of drones, including on the legal process required (such as a
warrant or court order), if any, before operating a drone;

3. any departmental records concerning this department’s use of drones
now or plans to use drones in the future including:

a. the types of investigations or instances in which this department is
using or plans to use drones, or how it plans to support, manage or
oversee the usage of drones by another department or office;

b. policies, guidelines, manuals and/or instructions on storage
requirements or procedures for video or static images obtained through
use of drones, including retention times;

c. the altitude at which drones can or do fly;

d. drones’ ability to carry weapons.

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,

Michael Morisy

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

For mailed responses, please address (see note):
MuckRock News
DEPT MR 1443
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.