Records request from BuzzFeed News: Incident reports for crimes of aggravated assault

Mr. Aldhous,

I am the Records Custodian for the Olathe Police Department (OPD). The open records request that was sent to OPD via fax was forwarded to me for review and recommendation. Your request indicates that you wish to receive the following information:

Police incident or arrest reports for all crimes of aggravated assault recorded in 2016 (including descriptions of the incident)

You further indicate that the requested documents will be made available to the general public, and your request is not being made for commercial purposes.

For clarification purposes, would receiving a spreadsheet of statistical data to include the date, time and description of the incident sufficiently capture what you are requesting?

The aggregated statistical information that you referenced in your request is actually captured in a summary report that is forwarded to the KBI and then funneled to the FBI for UCR reporting. The person that completes this function is out of the office and will not return for a week. Upon her return, I will work with her to obtain the statistical information that is forwarded to the KBI that is referenced in your request.

I will be in touch with status updates throughout the process.

Thank-you,
Karri

Karri Barker
Olathe Police Department
Records & Property Unit Supervisor
kbarker@olatheks.org<mailto:kbarker@olatheks.org>
913-971-6517 Desk
913-256-9185 Cell
913-971-6927 Fax

Olathe Police Department
ORA Office
501 East Old 56 Highway
Olathe, KS 66061

February 21, 2018

This is a follow up to a previous request:

Dear Karri,

Thanks for your reply of Feb 14. To clarify, I was not requesting a spreadsheet with time, date and a description of the incident -- unless that description includes the full narrative report filed by the officer concerned. If it does not, then my request is for the original incident reports from which your summary is derived.

Sincerely,

Peter Aldhous
Science reporter | BuzzFeed News
tel: 415 800 3471
cell: 415 503 7323
peter.aldhous@buzzfeed.com
@paldhous
PGP Fingerprint: 225F B2AF 4B8E 6E3D B1EA 7F9A B96E BF7D 9CB2 9B16
Send secure tips

Filed via MuckRock.com
E-mail (Preferred): requests@muckrock.com
Upload documents directly: https://www.muckrock.com/accounts/agency_login/olathe-police-department-7400/records-request-from-buzzfeed-news-incident-reports-for-crimes-of-aggravated-assault-48722/?email=KBarker%40olatheks.org&uuid-login=a5849284-de67-4a6b-bdaa-a5c5b12ae7bc#agency-reply
Is this email coming to the wrong contact? Something else wrong? Use the above link to let us know.

For mailed responses, please address (see note):
MuckRock News
DEPT MR 48722
411A Highland Ave
Somerville, MA 02144-2516

PLEASE NOTE: This request is not filed by a MuckRock staff member, but is being sent through MuckRock by the above in order to better track, share, and manage public records requests. Also note that improperly addressed (i.e., with the requester's name rather than "MuckRock News" and the department number) requests might be returned as undeliverable.

---

On Feb. 14, 2018:
Mr. Aldhous,

I am the Records Custodian for the Olathe Police Department (OPD). The open records request that was sent to OPD via fax was forwarded to me for review and recommendation. Your request indicates that you wish to receive the following information:

Police incident or arrest reports for all crimes of aggravated assault recorded in 2016 (including descriptions of the incident)

You further indicate that the requested documents will be made available to the general public, and your request is not being made for commercial purposes.

For clarification purposes, would receiving a spreadsheet of statistical data to include the date, time and description of the incident sufficiently capture what you are requesting?

The aggregated statistical information that you referenced in your request is actually captured in a summary report that is forwarded to the KBI and then funneled to the FBI for UCR reporting. The person that completes this function is out of the office and will not return for a week. Upon her return, I will work with her to obtain the statistical information that is forwarded to the KBI that is referenced in your request.

I will be in touch with status updates throughout the process.

Thank-you,
Karri

Karri Barker
Olathe Police Department
Records & Property Unit Supervisor
kbarker@olatheks.org<mailto:kbarker@olatheks.org>
913-971-6517 Desk
913-256-9185 Cell
913-971-6927 Fax
---

On Feb. 12, 2018:
To Whom It May Concern:

Pursuant to the Kansas Open Records Act (K.S.A. 45-215), I hereby request the following records:

Police incident or arrest reports for all crimes of aggravated assault recorded in 2016 (including descriptions of the incident).

Because aggregated statistics on these crimes are reported annually to the FBI under the Uniform Crime Reporting program by your agency, I believe you retain these records.

This request is made as part of the Documenting Hate Project, a collaboration involving dozens of news organizations including BuzzFeed News, led by ProPublica. Coverage from the project is compiled at https://projects.propublica.org/graphics/hatecrimes#hatecrime-coverage.

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 3 business days, as the statute requires.

Sincerely,

Peter Aldhous

Filed via MuckRock.com
E-mail (Preferred): requests@muckrock.com
Upload documents directly: https://www.muckrock.com/accounts/agency_login/olathe-police-department-7400/records-request-from-buzzfeed-news-incident-reports-for-crimes-of-aggravated-assault-48722/?email=KBarker%40olatheks.org&uuid-login=a5849284-de67-4a6b-bdaa-a5c5b12ae7bc#agency-reply
Is this email coming to the wrong contact? Something else wrong? Use the above link to let us know.

For mailed responses, please address (see note):
MuckRock News
DEPT MR 48722
411A Highland Ave
Somerville, MA 02144-2516

PLEASE NOTE: This request is not filed by a MuckRock staff member, but is being sent through MuckRock by the above in order to better track, share, and manage public records requests. Also note that improperly addressed (i.e., with the requester's name rather than "MuckRock News" and the department number) requests might be returned as undeliverable.

Olathe Police Department
ORA Office
501 East Old 56 Highway
Olathe, KS 66061

February 21, 2018

This is a follow up to a previous request:

Dear Karri,

Thinking further about this, perhaps we could speak by phone so I can understand what information is included under "description of the incident" in the summary. If that contains enough information for my purposes, then we might be able to proceed on the basis you suggest.

I will be busy with other projects on Thursday, but will try to call on Friday to discuss.

Sincerely,

--
Peter Aldhous
Science reporter | BuzzFeed News
tel: 415 800 3471
cell: 415 503 7323
peter.aldhous@buzzfeed.com
@paldhous
PGP Fingerprint: 225F B2AF 4B8E 6E3D B1EA 7F9A B96E BF7D 9CB2 9B16
Send secure tips

Filed via MuckRock.com
E-mail (Preferred): requests@muckrock.com
Upload documents directly: https://www.muckrock.com/accounts/agency_login/olathe-police-department-7400/records-request-from-buzzfeed-news-incident-reports-for-crimes-of-aggravated-assault-48722/?email=KBarker%40olatheks.org&uuid-login=b8d500b1-5752-4efa-9f28-6ee43cf64365#agency-reply
Is this email coming to the wrong contact? Something else wrong? Use the above link to let us know.

For mailed responses, please address (see note):
MuckRock News
DEPT MR 48722
411A Highland Ave
Somerville, MA 02144-2516

PLEASE NOTE: This request is not filed by a MuckRock staff member, but is being sent through MuckRock by the above in order to better track, share, and manage public records requests. Also note that improperly addressed (i.e., with the requester's name rather than "MuckRock News" and the department number) requests might be returned as undeliverable.

---

On Feb. 21, 2018:
Dear Karri,

Thanks for your reply of Feb 14. To clarify, I was not requesting a spreadsheet with time, date and a description of the incident -- unless that description includes the full narrative report filed by the officer concerned. If it does not, then my request is for the original incident reports from which your summary is derived.

Sincerely,

Peter Aldhous
Science reporter | BuzzFeed News
tel: 415 800 3471
cell: 415 503 7323
peter.aldhous@buzzfeed.com
@paldhous
PGP Fingerprint: 225F B2AF 4B8E 6E3D B1EA 7F9A B96E BF7D 9CB2 9B16
Send secure tips

---

On Feb. 14, 2018:
Mr. Aldhous,

I am the Records Custodian for the Olathe Police Department (OPD). The open records request that was sent to OPD via fax was forwarded to me for review and recommendation. Your request indicates that you wish to receive the following information:

Police incident or arrest reports for all crimes of aggravated assault recorded in 2016 (including descriptions of the incident)

You further indicate that the requested documents will be made available to the general public, and your request is not being made for commercial purposes.

For clarification purposes, would receiving a spreadsheet of statistical data to include the date, time and description of the incident sufficiently capture what you are requesting?

The aggregated statistical information that you referenced in your request is actually captured in a summary report that is forwarded to the KBI and then funneled to the FBI for UCR reporting. The person that completes this function is out of the office and will not return for a week. Upon her return, I will work with her to obtain the statistical information that is forwarded to the KBI that is referenced in your request.

I will be in touch with status updates throughout the process.

Thank-you,
Karri

Karri Barker
Olathe Police Department
Records & Property Unit Supervisor
kbarker@olatheks.org<mailto:kbarker@olatheks.org>
913-971-6517 Desk
913-256-9185 Cell
913-971-6927 Fax
---

On Feb. 12, 2018:
To Whom It May Concern:

Pursuant to the Kansas Open Records Act (K.S.A. 45-215), I hereby request the following records:

Police incident or arrest reports for all crimes of aggravated assault recorded in 2016 (including descriptions of the incident).

Because aggregated statistics on these crimes are reported annually to the FBI under the Uniform Crime Reporting program by your agency, I believe you retain these records.

This request is made as part of the Documenting Hate Project, a collaboration involving dozens of news organizations including BuzzFeed News, led by ProPublica. Coverage from the project is compiled at https://projects.propublica.org/graphics/hatecrimes#hatecrime-coverage.

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 3 business days, as the statute requires.

Sincerely,

Peter Aldhous

Filed via MuckRock.com
E-mail (Preferred): requests@muckrock.com
Upload documents directly: https://www.muckrock.com/accounts/agency_login/olathe-police-department-7400/records-request-from-buzzfeed-news-incident-reports-for-crimes-of-aggravated-assault-48722/?email=KBarker%40olatheks.org&uuid-login=b8d500b1-5752-4efa-9f28-6ee43cf64365#agency-reply
Is this email coming to the wrong contact? Something else wrong? Use the above link to let us know.

For mailed responses, please address (see note):
MuckRock News
DEPT MR 48722
411A Highland Ave
Somerville, MA 02144-2516

PLEASE NOTE: This request is not filed by a MuckRock staff member, but is being sent through MuckRock by the above in order to better track, share, and manage public records requests. Also note that improperly addressed (i.e., with the requester's name rather than "MuckRock News" and the department number) requests might be returned as undeliverable.

That would be great. I will be in the office Friday from 830 to 630 central time. I can be reached at 913-971-6517.

Thank-you,
Karri

Karri Barker
Olathe Police Department
Records & Property Unit Supervisor
kbarker@olatheks.org<mailto:kbarker@olatheks.org>
913-971-6517 Desk
913-971-6927 Fax

Mr. Aldhous,

Attached, please find OPD's official response to the open records request you filed on February 12, 2018. I have also attached a spreadsheet of the statistical data reference the requested information that was completed by our Crime Analyst. Please let me know if you have any questions or are unable to view the attached information. I do possibly have another alternative for you other than what is outlined in the letter. Please feel free to contact me at 913-971-6517 to discuss this option.

Thank-you,

Karri Barker

Karri Barker
Olathe Police Department
Records & Property Unit Supervisor
kbarker@olatheks.org<mailto:kbarker@olatheks.org>
913-971-6517 Desk
913-256-9185 Cell
913-971-6927 Fax