Sexual Assault Evidence Collection (Metropolitan Police Department)

Ginette Walls filed this request with the Metropolitan Police Department of Washington, DC.
Tracking #

2017-FOIA-01198
Submitted Dec. 20, 2016
Status
Completed

Communications

From: Ginette Walls

Subject: DC Freedom of Information Act Request: Sexual Assault Evidence Collection (Metropolitan Police Department)

Email

To Whom It May Concern:

Pursuant to the District of Columbia Freedom of Information Act of 1974, D.C. Code Ann. § 2-531 et seq. ("D.C. Act"), I hereby request the following records:

Any and all policies, procedures, memorandums, directives, and any other guiding materials regarding matters pertaining to the collection, maintenance, transfer, and disposal of sexual assault evidence collection kits (also known as “sexual assault kit”, “sexual offense evidence collection kit”, “sexual assault forensic evidence kit”, “physical evidence recovery kit”, “rape test kit”, or “rape kit”), including, but not limited, to the following:

- Policies and procedures related to the initial collection of sexual assault evidence collection kits.
- Policies and procedures regarding the timeframe of the collection and testing of sexual assault evidence collection kits including the timeframe required for sexual assault evidence collection kits testing by the examiner (also known as “sexual assault examiners”, “sexual assault nurse examiners”, or “sexual assault forensic examiners”).
- All mechanisms by which sexual assault evidence collection kits are or can be tested including all designated facilities where sexual assault evidence collection kits can be performed.
- Policies and procedures regarding the maintenance and transfer of sexual assault evidence collection kits.
- Policies and procedures concerning a petition to test a sexual assault evidence collection kits.
- Policies and procedures related to the process of checking the status of a sexual assault evidence collection kits and the notification provided to survivors regarding their sexual assault evidence collection kits.
- Policies and procedures regarding reports generated of both tested and untested sexual assault evidence collection kits, mandatory or voluntary reporting requirements regarding both tested and untested sexual assault evidence collection kits, and audits of the numbers of both tested and untested sexual assault evidence collection kits.
- Policies and procedures regarding the statute of limitations for maintenance and or storage of sexual assault evidence collection kits, both tested and untested.

Please include all available segregable data.

Please also provide all available data, statistics, or reports regarding matters pertaining to the collection, maintenance, transfer, and disposal of sexual assault evidence collection kits (also known as “sexual assault kit”, “sexual offense evidence collection kit”, “sexual assault forensic evidence kit”, “physical evidence recovery kit”, “rape test kit”, or “rape kit”), including, but not limited, to those materials related to the following specific elements of the sexual assault evidence collection process:

- The collection of sexual assault evidence collection kits.
- Timeframes of collection and testing of sexual assault evidence collection kits.
- Maintenance and transfer of sexual assault evidence collection kits.
- Petitions to test sexual assault evidence collection kits. (Please note this is not a request for identifying or confidential information of survivors or their cases or sexual assault evidence collection kits. This is a request for the numbers of petitions to test sexual assault evidence collection kits.)
- Requests to check the status of sexual assault evidence collection kits. (Please note this is not a request for identifying or confidential information of survivors or their cases or sexual assault evidence collection kits. This is a request for the numbers of requests to check sexual assault evidence collection kits status(es).)
- Notification given to survivors regarding their sexual assault evidence collection kits (Please note this is not a request for identifying or confidential information of survivors or their cases or sexual assault evidence collection kits. This is a request for the numbers of notifications given to survivors regarding their sexual assault evidence collection kits status.)
- Reports and audits generated of both tested and untested sexual assault evidence collection kits, issued by mandatory or voluntary reporting requirements

Should your agency believe that any additional policies, procedures, reports or other analysis pertaining to the collection, maintenance, transfer, and disposal of sexual assault evidence collection kits (also known as “sexual assault kit”, “sexual offense evidence collection kit”, “sexual assault forensic evidence kit”, “physical evidence recovery kit”, “rape test kit”, or “rape kit”), or any related issues may reside with another agency or agencies, indication of such agencies would be greatly appreciated.

Please notify us if further clarification is necessary.

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,

Ginette Walls

From: Kaufman, Donald

Subject: Acknowledgement letter 2017-FOIA-01198

Email

Dear Ms. Walls:
This office is in receipt of your Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request. Your FOIA Request Number is 2017-FOIA-01198. Your assigned FOIA Specialist is Robert Eckert. Pursuant to D.C. Official Code § 2-532, we have fifteen (15) business-days, subject to the possibility of a ten (10) business-day extension, to respond to the request as of the date of receipt.  More specifically, D.C. Official Code § 2-532(c) and (d) state:
(c) A public body, upon request reasonably describing any public record, shall within 15 days (except Saturdays, Sundays, and legal public holidays) of the receipt of any such request either make the requested public record accessible or notify the person making such request of its determination not to make the requested public record or any part thereof accessible and the reasons therefor
(d) In unusual circumstances, the time limit prescribed in subsection (c) of this section may be extended by written notice to the person making such request setting forth the reasons for extension and expected date for determination. Such extension shall not exceed 10 days (except Saturdays, Sundays, and legal public holidays). For purposes of this subsection, and only to the extent necessary for processing of the particular request, "unusual circumstances" are limited to: (1) The need to search for, collect, and appropriately examine a voluminous amount of separate and distinct records which are demanded in a single request; or (2) The need for consultation, which shall be conducted with all practicable speed, with another public body having a substantial interest in the determination of the request or among 2 or more components of a public body having substantial subject-matter interest therein.
If you have any questions regarding your request, please contact the assigned FOIA Specialist at (202) 727-3721. For ease of reference, we ask that you have your FOIA Request Number available when you contact our office.
Donald Kaufman MPD FOIA Officer

From: Metropolitan Police Department

Subject: Final Response 2017-FOIA-01198

Email

Good Afternoon Ms. Walls,
Please see final response regarding the aforementioned FOIA request. Inspector Vendette T. Parker Freedomof Information Act (FOIA) Officer Metropolitan Police Department
300 Indiana Avenue, NW Suite 4153 Washington, DC  20001
Office 202.724.4264 vendette.parker@dc.gov We arehere to help

Files

pages

 Close