Administrative tracking file for cell site simulator request Pierce County Sheriff's Department)

To Whom It May Concern:

Pursuant to RCW Ch. 42.56 (Public Records Act), I hereby request the following records:

Administrative tracking file for my records request of June 20, 2014 for multiple records related to the acquisition or use of cell site simulators (also known as IMSI catchers). Mr. Tom Seymour of Pierce County Sheriff's Department's Public Disclosure Unit responded to my request on June 26, reporting that no responsive records were found. Later that day, I followed up with a request for the administrative tracking file. I requested updated on July 11, July 28, and August 12. I received no response.

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 5 business days, as the statute requires.

Sincerely,

Phil Mocek

To Whom It May Concern:

I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on Aug. 26, 2014. 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 Aug. 26, 2014. 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 Aug. 26, 2014. 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 Aug. 26, 2014. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed.

Thank you for your help.

Hello Mr. Seymour,

Thank you for your response. I want to clarify that this is a request for the administrative tracking file associated with my previous request (https://www.muckrock.com/foi/pierce-county-74/cell-site-simulator-acquisition-and-use-pierce-county-sheriffs-department-12242/) for cell site simulator acquisition:

"Administrative tracking file for my records request of June 20, 2014 for multiple records related to the acquisition or use of cell site simulators (also known as IMSI catchers). Mr. Tom Seymour of Pierce County Sheriff's Department's Public Disclosure Unit responded to my request on June 26, reporting that no responsive records were found. Later that day, I followed up with a request for the administrative tracking file. I requested updated on July 11, July 28, and August 12. I received no response."

Thanks again for all 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 Aug. 26, 2014. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed.

Thank you for your help.

Mr. Ford:

I received your e-mail of November 12, along with eight attachements: six PDF files and one spreadsheet.

I have not received the record(s) I requested on August 26: The administrative tracking file for my records request of June 20, 2014 for multiple records related to the acquisition or use of cell site simulators.

To clarify: I request the file of information about your processing of that June 20 request. I used the term "administrative tracking file" as that is what I am familiar with other agencies using to refer to such a set of records. Typically, this contains communication with the requester (this portion of the record, of course, I already have), processing notes, communication with colleagues and other parties about the request, etc.

In the course of researching use of IMSI catchers (cell site simulators), I filed nearly-identical requests with about two dozen law enforcement agencies. Upon completion of each of those requests, I requested the associated administrative tracking files. In most of those cases, I followed up on the original request with an informal request for the tracking file. In the case of your agency, I did so on June 26, then requested status on July 11, July 28, and August 12, before giving up on the informal request and filing a new, formal, request (the one about which I am contacting you today) on August 26.

Your agency is the only one of them that has failed to complete my request for an associated tracking file. I trust that this is a result of confusion over what I requested and hope that my communication with you today clears that up. If not, please let me know, and I will try harder to explain.

Cordially,
Phil Mocek

Ms. Ford:

I received your e-mail of November 12, along with eight attachements: six PDF files and one spreadsheet.

I have not received the record(s) I requested on August 26: The administrative tracking file for my records request of June 20, 2014 for multiple records related to the acquisition or use of cell site simulators.

To clarify: I request the file of information about your processing of that June 20 request. I used the term "administrative tracking file" as that is what I am familiar with other agencies using to refer to such a set of records. Typically, this contains communication with the requester (this portion of the record, of course, I already have), processing notes, communication with colleagues and other parties about the request, etc.

In the course of researching use of IMSI catchers (cell site simulators), I filed nearly-identical requests with about two dozen law enforcement agencies. Upon completion of each of those requests, I requested the associated administrative tracking files. In most of those cases, I followed up on the original request with an informal request for the tracking file. In the case of your agency, I did so on June 26, then requested status on July 11, July 28, and August 12, before giving up on the informal request and filing a new, formal, request (the one about which I am contacting you today) on August 26.

Your agency is the only one of them that has failed to complete my request for an associated tracking file. I trust that this is a result of confusion over what I requested and hope that my communication with you today clears that up. If not, please let me know, and I will try harder to explain.

Cordially,
Phil Mocek

Apologies for the near-duplicate message sent seconds ago. I mistakenly addressed my message to "Mr. Ford" then revised it to "Ms. Ford" but apparently submitted both. Aside from the gender of the greeting, both were identical.

Cordially,
Phil Mocek