Clearview AI - MPD

This is an automated message from the DC Government FOIA system. Dear Hannah Gais, Request Number 2021-FOIA-02278 has been assigned to the request you submitted in relation to: Request description: To Whom It May Concern:

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

Emails sent to, from, or copied to the Metropolitan Police Department employees from November 1, 2020 to the date this request is processed, mentioning any of the following non-case-sensitive keywords and phrases:

"Clearview ", "Clearview free trial", "Clearview AI", or "Clearview licenses".

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 15 business days, as the statute requires.

Sincerely,

Hannah Gais

Upload documents directly: https://https://www.muckrock.comhttps://www.muckrock.com/ In all future correspondence regarding this request, please reference request number 2021-FOIA-02278. To check for status, please log in  https://foia-dc.gov/palMain.aspx and go to Request Status. For any questions regarding your request, please contact the FOIA office directly. Find the list of agency Open Governement and FOIA contact information by visiting FOIA Contact Information. For ease of reference, we ask that you have your FOIA Request Number available when you contact the FOIA office. (https://dc.gov/node/818962) Regards,
DC Government FOIA Portal Having technical difficulties? Email FOIA.SystemAdmin@dc.gov or call 202-478-5973

Dear Ms./Mrs. Gais, This office is in receipt of yourFreedom of Information Act (FOIA) request. Your FOIA request number is 2021-FOIA-02278and your assigned FOIA Specialist is LisaArchie-Mills. If you have any questions regardingyour request, please contact your assigned FOIA Specialist, who is included inthis e-mail. Be advised, due to thecurrent public health emergency, our office is working remotely and can bereached via e-mail. For ease ofreference, we ask that you have your FOIA Request Number available when youcontact our office. NOTE: Pu rsuant to D.C. Official Code § 2-532(c), the statutoryallotted time of 15 business-days, subject to the possibility of a ten (10)business day extension from the date of receipt to respond to a FOIA request has been extended. In addition, the statutoryallotted time of 25 business days subject to the possibility of 15working-day extension from the date ofreceipt to respond to a hasbeen extended Body Worn Camera(BWC) footage request . COVID-19Notification Pursuant to section 808 of theCoronavirus Support Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2020 , effective June 9, 2020, D.C. Act 23-328,all FOIA deadlines may be extended during a period of time for which the Mayorhas declared a public health emergency.  Pursuant to this provision, wehave claimed an extension of the time in which to provide a response to yourrequest. Regards, Latrina Crumlin Staff Assistant Freedom of Information Act(FOIA) Office Metropolitan Police Department 300 Indiana Ave NW, RM 4153 Washington, DC 20001

Dear Hannah Gais,
A message has been sent to your account in the DC Government FOIA Portal. Once logged in; click on the Request Status link in the left panel, locate request #2021-FOIA-02278, and select the message to view it.
Click here to log in https://foia-dc.gov/palMain.aspx.
Regards,
DC Government FOIA Portal

August 24, 2021

Hannah Gais

MuckRock News

Department MR 106758

411A Highland Avenue

Somerville, Massachusetts 02144

requests@muckrock.com<mailto:requests@muckrock.com>

RE: FOIA Request No. 2021-FOIA-02278

Dear Ms. Gais:

This concerns your Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request for the: "Emails sent to, from, or copied to the Metropolitan Police Department employees from November 1, 2020 to the date this request is processed, mentioning any of the following non-case-sensitive keywords and phrases: "Clearview ", "Clearview free trial", "Clearview AI", or "Clearview licenses"."

Upon review, the description of this request was such that we are not able to perform a reasonable and adequate search for specific documents that relate to readily searchable characteristics as specific subject matter, author and recipient, date, and content. The FOIA specifies that a FOIA request must reasonably describe records sought such that agency staff familiar with the records may reasonably ascertain exactly which records are being requested, and to locate them. The courts have recognized that the legislative history of the FOIA indicates that a description of a requested record is sufficient if it enables a professional agency employee familiar with the subject area to locate the record with a "reasonable amount of effort." The courts have also found that requests that are so broad and sweeping that they lack specificity are not reasonably described.

This FOIA request asks for all MPD records by a broad category or categories (matching by a certain key word or word sets) without specific, particularized subject matter and other specific identifying characteristics pertaining to specific records. As such it describes a broad area or areas of records. Electronic searches for such a category or categories may produce a large volume of unrelated or miscellaneous materials, and processing documents produced in an initial search for such a request or requests may take an inordinate amount of very limited FOIA processing time. The processing of such a FOIA request is a very a time- and labor-intensive process which requires locating tentatively responsive records; re-searching through these materials to identify material that is or may be actually responsive; reviewing for material that may be exempt from release under the FOIA; coordinating and consulting or coordinating with components, agencies, and other external entities which may have an interest in the disposition of the records; and, the completion of further administrative processing and review. The courts have said that the FOIA was not intended to reduce government agencies to be investigators or to perform research on behalf of requesters. Again, the FOIA does not require agencies to conduct "unreasonably burdensome" searches for records. Therefore, we are closing our file on this request.

Please note that the District of Columbia (DC) FOIA, DC Code §§ 2-531-539, provides that while a person has the right to request access to existing records, it does not require agencies to do research, analyze data, answer written questions, or create records to respond to a FOIA request. We strongly advise that a significantly more refined and limited description be provided for any future FOIA request(s) such that it is as specific as possible relative to (a) particular document(s) with, if at all possible, the author and recipient, date, specific subject matter, and content, in order to allow a reasonable search to be completed.

To the extent that any such records of the category/categories mentioned do exist, portions of the material may be withheld under D.C. Official Code § 2-534 (a)(2), which covers information of a personal nature the release of which would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy. Such privacy information includes names/personal identifiers, other personal information, and information that may lead to the identity of individuals. Further, other FOIA exemptions may apply.

Please know that, under D.C. Official Code § 2-537 and 1 DCMR § 412, you have the right to appeal this letter to the Mayor or to the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. If you elect to appeal to the Mayor, your appeal must be in writing and contain "Freedom of Information Act Appeal" or "FOIA Appeal" in the subject line of the letter as well on the outside of the envelope. The appeal must include (1) a copy of the original request; (2) a copy of any written denial; (3) a statement of the circumstances, reasons, and/or arguments advanced in support of disclosure; and (4) a daytime telephone number, an e-mail and/or U.S. mailing address at which you can be reached.

The appeal must be mailed to: The Mayor's Office of Legal Counsel, FOIA Appeal, 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Suite 407, Washington, D.C. 20004. Electronic versions of the same information can instead be e-mailed to The Mayor's Office of Legal Counsel at foia.appeals@dc.gov<mailto:foia.appeals@dc.gov>. Further, a copy of all appeal materials must be forwarded to the Freedom of Information Officer of the involved agency, or to the agency head of that agency, if there is no designated Freedom of Information Officer there. Failure to follow these administrative steps will result in delay in the processing and commencement of a response to your appeal to the Mayor.

Sincerely,

Bob Eckert

FOIA Specialist

Freedom of Information Act Office

Metropolitan Police Department

District of Columbia

Robert.eckert@dc.gov<mailto:Robert.eckert@dc.gov>

"Excellence is transferable."

This is an automated message from the DC Government FOIA system. Dear Hannah Gais, The status for your request is below. Please log into https://foia-dc.gov/palMain.aspx and go to Request Status. If you have any questions regarding the status of your request, please contact the agency's FOIA office that you had submitted your FOIA request to. You can communicate directly with the FOIA office by clicking on Inbox, search the request number, and then click Compose Message. OR, visit to see a list DC Government FOIA Office’s/officer’s contact information and have your Request ID ready. (https://dc.gov/node/818962) Contact FOIA Office Request status: In Process Request ID: 2021-FOIA-02278 Description: To Whom It May Concern:Pursuant to the DC Freedom of Information Act, I hereby request the following records:Emails sent to, from, or copied to the Metropolitan Police Department employees from November 1, 2020 to the date this request is processed, mentioning any of the following non-case-sensitive keywords and phrases:"Clearview ", "Clearview free trial", "Clearview AI", or "Clearview licenses".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 15 business days, as the statute requires.Sincerely,Hannah GaisUpload documents directly: https://https://www.muckrock.comhttps://www.muckrock.com/ Regards,
DC Government FOIA Portal

This is an automated message from the DC Government FOIA system. Dear Hannah Gais, The status for your request is below. Please log into https://foia-dc.gov/palMain.aspx and go to Request Status. If you have any questions regarding the status of your request, please contact the agency's FOIA office that you had submitted your FOIA request to. You can communicate directly with the FOIA office by clicking on Inbox, search the request number, and then click Compose Message. OR, visit to see a list DC Government FOIA Office’s/officer’s contact information and have your Request ID ready. (https://dc.gov/node/818962) Contact FOIA Office Request status: Closed Request ID: 2021-FOIA-02278 Description: To Whom It May Concern:Pursuant to the DC Freedom of Information Act, I hereby request the following records:Emails sent to, from, or copied to the Metropolitan Police Department employees from November 1, 2020 to the date this request is processed, mentioning any of the following non-case-sensitive keywords and phrases:"Clearview ", "Clearview free trial", "Clearview AI", or "Clearview licenses".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 15 business days, as the statute requires.Sincerely,Hannah GaisUpload documents directly: https://https://www.muckrock.comhttps://www.muckrock.com/ Regards,
DC Government FOIA Portal