IRVING

April20,20I0TheHonorableGregAbbottAttorneyGeneralofTexas209W.

14th

S1.-6

FloorAustin,Texas78701RE:PublicInformationRequests-

RequestforOpinion

TransmittalLetter

HonorableAttorneyGeneral: TheIrvingPoliceDepartmenthasreceivedrequestsforinformationwhichfallwithinan exception,orexceptions,torequireddisclosureundertheTexasPublicInformationAct.The Departmenthaswithheldthatinformation,andrequestsanopinionfromyourofficeholdingthat theinformationisexceptedfrommandatorypublicdisclosure.Therehasbeennoprevious determinationthattherequestedinformationfallswithinoneoftheexceptionsunderSubchapter CoftheAct.

Therequestsforpublicinformationwhichareincludedwiththiscorrespondence,andmarkedas ExhibitA-I,A-2,andA-3,weremade

lY:

KylePrallMugly!Newspapers

P.O.Box91594

Austin,TX78709Acopyofthisletter,withoutattachme9tsorenclosures,hasbeensenttotherequestor. Therequestsforpublicinformationare\identicalexceptforthedaterangesforwhichthe informationistobeprovided.Specifically,therequest: BookingPhotos/Mugshotsoneveryindividualarrestedfrom(A-I,March29-April4; A-2,April5-April11;andA-3,April15-April18,2010),aswellasthejaillogforthe sametimeperiod,andIwouldl~kealloftheinformationtobepreparedinelectronic format....Iwouldliketoexcludefromtherequestanyjuvenileinformation.Also, pleaseredactprivateinformation,includinghomeaddress,telephonenumber,social securitynumber,andpersonaldmilyinformationofapeaceofficer,acorrectionsofficer, and/oraIrvingPoliceDepartmertemployee. TheserequestswerereceivedonApril8,2010,April12,2010,andApril18,2010,thefirstof whichwaswithin10businessdaysoftliisletterrequestinganopinion. Thefollowingexceptionsapplytotheinformationwithheld:

PoliceDepartment

305N.O'ConnorRoad.Irving,Texas75061.972.721.2600·972.721.2505fax

www.cityofirving.org

AttorneyGeneralGregAbbott

April21,2010Page2

TexasGov't.CodeSection552.101.Discussionofexceptions:ThepositionoftheAttorneyGeneral'sofficerelatingtorequestsformugshotsisunclear.In InformalLetterRulingNo.0R2008-1S921,2008WL5026331,yourofficeruledthatresponsive documentsmustbewithheldpursuanttocommonlawprivacyandTex.Gov'tCodeSection 552.101whenarequestorsoughincidentreportsrelatingtoanindividualforan18month period,andbookingrecordsandamugshotforaspecificdate.Similarly,inInformalLetter RulingNo.0R201O-02_0ta,2Q10_W_L...542685,yourofficeheldthatrecordsmustbewithheld whentherequestoraskedfurallrecordsforanamedperson,andamugshot

thatsame-~individual.Conversely,yourofficehasheldthatreruestsforspecificoffensereportsandmugshotsarenot protectedbycommon-lawprivacyinI~formalLetterRulings0R2009-046082009WL1031283 andOR2008-08844,2008WL2647522. Thedistinctionbetweentherequestsdescribedaboveisthatthefirsttworelatetogeneral requestsand/orcompilations,whereasthesecondtworelatetorequestsforinformationrelating toaspecifiedevent.However,in0R2008-15921,oneofthecasescitedwheretheinformationwasdeemedtobeconfidentialforprivacyreasons,therequestoraskedforbookingrecordsandamugshotforaspecificdate,yetyouroffIceruledthatitwasprotectedbycommon-lawprivacy. Fromtheaboveopinions,itappearsthatthequestionofwhetherprivacyinterestsoutweighthepublic'srightofaccessisansweredbylookingatthenarrownessandspecificityoftherequest- generalrequestsforunspecifiedrecordsareprotectedbycommon-lawprivacy,andspecific requestsforaspecificcasearenot.

However,theopinionwhichseemsmostcloselyonpointwiththerequestatissueis0R2009- 11829,2009WL2633635,inwhichyourofficeruledthatgeneralrequestsforallmugshotsand jaillogsofeveryindividualarrestedduringcertaintimeframescouldnotbedeniedonthebasis ofprivacy.TherequestdealtwithintHisopinion,aswiththerequestatissueinthisrequestfor opinion,appearstobeaverygenerallbtoadrequestforunspecifiedinformation.Indeed,the requestorcannotevenidentifyanyparticularsuspectoroffense.Thereisnoevidencethatthe requestorhasanylegitimateinterestinlanyparticularrecordthatwouldberesponsive,andthe recordspertaintopeoplewhohaveonlybeenarrestedandidentifiedasasuspectwhohaveyetto beconvictedorevenformallycharged.Moreover,arequestforalljaillogsandmugshotsfora periodoftimeseemstobearequestfora"compilation",albeitnotacompilationforany particularindividual.