![]() ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS GREG ABBOTT | |
March 16, 2011 Ms. Bridget Chapman Assistant City Attorney City of Georgetown P.O. Box 409 Georgetown, Texas 78627-0409 OR2011-03633 Dear Ms. Chapman: 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# 411398 (Georgetown Open Records Request 654). The City of Georgetown (the "city") received a request for a specified call report. You claim the submitted information is excepted from disclosure under section 552.108. We have considered the exception you claim and reviewed the submitted information. Section 552.108(a)(2) of the Government Code excepts from disclosure information concerning an investigation that did not result in conviction or deferred adjudication. See Gov't Code § 552.108(a)(2). A governmental body claiming section 552.108(a)(2) must demonstrate the requested information relates to a criminal investigation that has concluded in a final result other than a conviction or deferred adjudication. See id. § 552.301(e)(1)(A) (governmental body must provide comments explaining why exceptions raised should apply to information requested). You state the responsive information relates to a case investigated by the city's police department that ended in a result other than conviction or deferred adjudication. Based on this representation and our review, we agree section 552.108(a)(2) is applicable to the submitted information. However, section 552.108 does not except from disclosure basic information about an arrested person, an arrest, or a crime. Gov't Code § 552.108(c). Basic information refers to the information held to be public in Houston Chronicle Publ'g Co. v. City of Houston, 531 S.W.2d 177 (Tex. App.--Houston [14th Dist.] 1975), writ ref'd n.r.e., 536 S.W.2d 559 (Tex. 1976). We note that basic information includes the identity of the complainant, but does not include the complainant's phone number. See Open Records Decision No. 127 (1976) (summarizing types of information considered to be basic information). Thus, with the exception of basic information, the city may withhold the submitted information under section 552.108(a)(2) of the Government Code. This letter ruling is limited to the particular information 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 information or any other circumstances. This ruling triggers important deadlines regarding the rights and responsibilities of the governmental body and of the requestor. For more information concerning those rights and responsibilities, please visit our website at http://www.oag.state.tx.us/open/index_orl.php, or call the Office of the Attorney General's Open Government Hotline, toll free, at (877) 673-6839. Questions concerning the allowable charges for providing public information under the Act must be directed to the Cost Rules Administrator of the Office of the Attorney General, toll free, at (888) 672-6787. Sincerely, Jonathan Miles Assistant Attorney General Open Records Division JM/em Ref: ID# 411398 Enc. Submitted documents c: Requestor (w/o enclosures)
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