List of NYPD Honorary Badge Recipients

To Whom It May Concern:

Pursuant to the New York State Freedom of Information Law (1977 N.Y. Laws ch. 933), I hereby request the following records:

A list of people who have been awarded honorary badges by the New York City Police Department or New York City Police Foundation since January 1, 2000, as well as the qualifications for receiving honorary badges.

If necessary, I am able to pay up to $50 for the processing of 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 5 business days, as the statute requires.

Sincerely,

Graham Kates

To Whom It May Concern:

I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on May 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.

To Whom It May Concern:

I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on May 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.

To Whom It May Concern:

I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on May 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.

Dear Jonathan David:
I hereby appeal the denial of access regarding my request, which was made on May 10, 2012 and sent to Richard Mantellino, New York Police Department Records Access Officer, One Police Plaza, New York, NY.
The records that were denied include: a list of people who have been awarded honorary badges by the New York City Police Department or New York City Police Foundation since January 1, 2000. Mr. Mantellino's rejection stated that the request "does not reasonably describe a record in a manner that would enable a search to be conducted by the New York Police Department." However, the New York Police Department does keep records pertaining to the awarding honorary badges (including those with labels such as, "Honorary Police Commissioner," "Honorary Deputy Police Commissioner," "Honorary Police Chief," "Honorary Police Surgeon," etc.).
As required by the Freedom of Information Law, the head or governing body of an agency, or whomever is designated to determine appeals, is required to respond within 10 business days of the receipt of an appeal. If the records are denied on appeal, please explain the reasons for the denial fully in writing as required by law.
In addition, please be advised that the Freedom of Information Law directs that all appeals and the determinations that follow be sent to the Committee on Open Government, Department of State, One Commerce Plaza, 99 Washington Ave., Albany, New York 12231.

Sincerely,
Graham Kates

Dear Jonathan David:

To clarify, MuckRock sent this appeal in September of 2012, and followed-up in February with the same appeal because it had gone unanswered by your office.

Thanks

Tom Nash
MuckRock

Dear Jonathan David:

The reason for the denial of appeal in the attached request seems to be in error. You wrote that the appeal I filed was dated Feb. 25, 2013 — more than 30 days after the denial of access — when in fact it was submitted on Sept. 14, 2012, just seven days after the denial.

Furthermore, it appears that a "diligent search" has not been conducted, as several records regarding "honorary badges" do, in fact, exist.

Please advise me on the proper procedure for following up on these errors.

Best,

Graham Kates

To whom it may concern:

I am following up on the appeal in the attached request, which was denied in error due to a mixup — on the part of NYPD Records Access Appeal Officer Jonathan David — regarding the timing of my appeal.

In rejecting the appeal, Mr. David wrote that the appeal I filed was dated Feb. 25, 2013 — more than 30 days after the denial of access — when in fact it was submitted on Sept. 14, 2012, just seven days after the denial.

I then responded within a week of Mr. David's May 20, 2013 rejection, noting the mistake Mr. David had made.

Furthermore, it appears that a "diligent search" has not been conducted, as several records regarding "honorary badges" do, in fact, exist.

Please advise me on the proper procedure for following up on these errors.

Best,

Graham Kates