 ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS GREG ABBOTT | |
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January 5, 2007 Ms. YuShan Chang OR2007-00202 Dear Ms. Chang: You ask whether certain information is subject to required public disclosure under the Public Information Act (the "Act"), chapter 552 of the Government Code. Your request was assigned ID# 268950. The Houston Police Department (the "department") received a request for to information pertaining to "the Texas prison gangs Tango Blast and Houstone," including the protocols and/or standards for identifying gang members. You claim that the requested information is excepted from disclosure under section 552.108 of the Government Code. We have considered the exception you claim and reviewed the submitted information. Initially, we note that Exhibit 3, which contains the department's General Order No. 600-38, has been previously ruled upon by this office in Open Records Letter No. 2006-14725 (2006). As we have no indication that the law, facts, and circumstances surrounding this prior ruling has changed, you may continue to rely on Open Records Letter No. 2006-14725 as a previous determination and release or withhold Exhibit 3 in accordance with this prior ruling. See Open Records Decision No. 673 (2001) (so long as law, facts, circumstances on which prior ruling was based have not changed, first type of previous determination exists where requested information is precisely same information as was addressed in a prior attorney general ruling, ruling is addressed to same governmental body, and ruling concludes that information is or is not excepted from disclosure). Section 552.108 of the Government Code provides, in pertinent part: (b) An internal record or notation of a law enforcement agency or prosecutor that is maintained for internal use in matters relating to law enforcement or prosecution is excepted from [required public disclosure] if: (1) release of the internal record or notation would interfere with law enforcement or prosecution[.] Gov't Code § 552.108 (b)(1). Section 552.108(b) may be applicable to internal records of a law enforcement agency, provided the law enforcement agency reasonably explains how and why release of the information at issue would interfere with law enforcement or prosecution. See City of Fort Worth v. Cornyn, 86 S.W.3d 320, 327 (Tex. App.--Austin 2002, no pet.) (section 552.108(b)(1) exception intended to protect information which, if released, would permit private citizens to anticipate weaknesses in a police department, avoid detection, jeopardize officer safety, and generally undermine law enforcement efforts). This office has stated that under the statutory predecessor to section 552.108(b), a governmental body may withhold information that would reveal law enforcement techniques or procedures. See, e.g., Open Records Decision Nos. 531 (1989) (release of detailed use of force guidelines would unduly interfere with law enforcement), 456 (1987) (release of forms containing information regarding location of off-duty police officers in advance would unduly interfere with law enforcement), 413 (1984) (release of sketch showing security measures to be used at next execution would unduly interfere with law enforcement), 409 (1984) (if information regarding certain burglaries exhibit a pattern that reveals investigative techniques, information is excepted under predecessor to section 552.108), 341 (1982) (release of certain information from Department of Public Safety would unduly interfere with law enforcement because release would hamper departmental efforts to detect forgeries of drivers' licenses), 252 (1980) (predecessor to section 552.108 is designed to protect investigative techniques and procedures used in law enforcement), 143 (1976) (disclosure of specific operations or specialized equipment directly related to investigation or detection of crime may be excepted). However, generally known policies and techniques may not be withheld under section 552.108. See, e.g., Open Records Decision No. 531 at 2-3 (Penal Code provisions, common law rules, and constitutional limitations on use of force are not protected under predecessor to section 552.108). You state that Exhibit 2 pertains to intelligence gathered on the gang at issue, and claim that release of the information would help gang members conceal their identity and reveal the number of criminal offenses attributed to this gang. You argue that release of Exhibit 2 could expose officers to substantial danger and interfere with the department's law enforcement functions. Based on your arguments and our review of the submitted information, we find that release of Exhibit 2 would interfere with law enforcement. Thus, the department may withhold Exhibit 2 under section 552.108(b)(1). In summary, the department may continue to rely on Open Records Letter No. 2006-14725 as a previous determination and release or withhold Exhibit 3 in accordance with this prior ruling. The department may withhold Exhibit 2 under section 552.108(b)(1). This letter ruling is limited to the particular records at issue in this request and limited to the facts as presented to us; therefore, this ruling must not be relied upon as a previous determination regarding any other records or any other circumstances. This ruling triggers important deadlines regarding the rights and responsibilities of the governmental body and of the requestor. For example, governmental bodies are prohibited from asking the attorney general to reconsider this ruling. Gov't Code § 552.301(f). If the governmental body wants to challenge this ruling, the governmental body must appeal by filing suit in Travis County within 30 calendar days. Id. § 552.324(b). In order to get the full benefit of such an appeal, the governmental body must file suit within 10 calendar days. Id. § 552.353(b)(3), (c). If the governmental body does not appeal this ruling and the governmental body does not comply with it, then both the requestor and the attorney general have the right to file suit against the governmental body to enforce this ruling. Id. § 552.321(a). If this ruling requires the governmental body to release all or part of the requested information, the governmental body is responsible for taking the next step. Based on the statute, the attorney general expects that, upon receiving this ruling, the governmental body will either release the public records promptly pursuant to section 552.221(a) of the Government Code or file a lawsuit challenging this ruling pursuant to section 552.324 of the Government Code. If the governmental body fails to do one of these things, then the requestor should report that failure to the attorney general's Open Government Hotline, toll free, at (877) 673-6839. The requestor may also file a complaint with the district or county attorney. Id. § 552.3215(e). If this ruling requires or permits the governmental body to withhold all or some of the requested information, the requestor can appeal that decision by suing the governmental body. Id. § 552.321(a); Texas Dep't of Pub. Safety v. Gilbreath, 842 S.W.2d 408, 411 (Tex. App.--Austin 1992, no writ). Please remember that under the Act the release of information triggers certain procedures for costs and charges to the requestor. If records are released in compliance with this ruling, be sure that all charges for the information are at or below the legal amounts. Questions or complaints about over-charging must be directed to Hadassah Schloss at the Office of the Attorney General at (512) 475-2497. If the governmental body, the requestor, or any other person has questions or comments about this ruling, they may contact our office. Although there is no statutory deadline for contacting us, the attorney general prefers to receive any comments within 10 calendar days of the date of this ruling. Sincerely, José Vela III Assistant Attorney General Open Records Division JV/eb Ref: ID# 268950 Enc. Submitted documents c: Mr. Daniel Burke The Gulf Region Advocacy Center 2307 Union Street Houston, Texas 77007-7606 (w/o enclosures)
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