Drone proposals and policies (Virginia Department of Public Safety)

Katherine Fink filed this request with the Virginia Department of Public Safety of Virginia.
Submitted Oct. 16, 2016
Est. Completion None
Status
Fix Required

Communications

From: Katherine Fink

Subject: Freedom of Information Act Request: Drone proposals and policies (Virginia Department of Public Safety)

Email

To Whom It May Concern:

Pursuant to Virginia Freedom of Information Act, I hereby request the following records:

1. any requests for proposals, proposals submitted by vendors, contracts, budgets or cost allocations for the purchase, research of and/or use of aerial drones, UAs, UAVs, and UASs (hereinafter “drones”);
2. any policies, guidelines, manuals and/or instructions on the use of drones by police, including on the legal process required (such as a warrant or court order), if any, before operating a drone;
3. any departmental records concerning the use of and/or research 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.

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 5 business days, as the statute requires.

Sincerely,

Katherine Fink

From: Virginia Department of Public Safety

Subject: FOIA Requests

Email

Dear Sir or Madam:

You asked for a follow-up to a request you claim was sent on October 16, 2016. We have received a number of requests from Muck Rock that, as I understand it, were all previously addressed.

The internet site Muck Rock poses a number of problems for processing requests submitted through it under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act. First, the email address is a randomly-generated set of numbers, with a Muck Rock email handle, leaving the identity of the actual requester unknown. The only listed physical address for sending responses is located in Massachusetts. Muck Rock is not otherwise a qualified media organization in Virginia, and there is no way to verify the identity of the requester. Pursuant to Va. Code § 2.2-3704(A), only Virginia citizens and certain Virginia media representatives are qualified to invoke the Virginia Freedom of Information Act, and public bodies are entitled to verify a requester's standing to make a records request. This has become a particular problem as we have evidence that Muck Rock and/or affiliated persons promote "proxies" who provide their information so that others may use that information to make improper records requests.

Accordingly, we will not be responding to this request.

Should you seek to submit a request through a verifiable email address and establish yourself as qualified to make public records requests under VFOIA, then we'd be happy to process any request you may have.

Best,

Noah P. Sullivan
Counsel to Governor Terence R. McAuliffe
Office of the Governor
1111 East Broad Street
Richmond, Virginia 23219
Tel: (804) 786-2211
Fax: (804) 786-3985
Noah.Sullivan@governor.virginia.gov<mailto:Noah.Sullivan@governor.virginia.gov>

Noah P. Sullivan
Counsel to Governor Terence R. McAuliffe
Office of the Governor
1111 East Broad Street
Richmond, Virginia 23219
Tel: (804) 786-2211
Fax: (804) 786-3985
Noah.Sullivan@governor.virginia.gov<mailto:Noah.Sullivan@governor.virginia.gov>

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