Israel/Gaza - protests/arrests (Houston Police Department)

Dear Caroline Caroline:
Thank you for your interest in public records of Houston Police Department. Your request has been received and is being processed in accordance with Chapter 552 of Texas Government Code, the Public Information Act. Your request was received in this office on 11/6/2023 and given the reference number P062738-110623 for tracking purposes. Records Requested: To Whom It May Concern:

Pursuant to the Texas Public Information Act, I hereby request the following records:

All documents created in preparation for, or in response to, any recent pro-Israel OR pro-Palestine/Gaza protests/demonstrations. This includes the following documents, created or modified from October 8, 2023 to the time that this request is processed:
- Any situational awareness reports or field analysis reports that mention "Israel" OR "Gaza" OR “Hamas" OR "Palestine OR "Palestinian"
- All bulletins, field reports, intelligence updates, and/or alerts that mention "Israel" OR "Gaza" OR “Hamas" OR "Palestine OR "Palestinian"
- Protest training manuals or documents specific to any pro-Israel OR pro-Palestine/Gaza protests/demonstrations
- Protest assignment documents specific to any pro-Israel OR pro-Palestine/Gaza protests/demonstrations
- Protest after action reports specific to any pro-Israel OR pro-Palestine/Gaza protests/demonstrations
- Protest preparation documents specific to any pro-Israel OR pro-Palestine/Gaza protests/demonstrations
- Emails from city council elected representatives to members of the department about protests pertaining to any pro-Israel OR pro-Palestine/Gaza protests/demonstrations

This FOI request is being filed in pursuit of a time-sensitive news story. Therefore, I ask that my request is expedited. When completing this request, please prioritize whichever records would take the least amount of time to be located and released. I would like these records in electronic format, sent via email or other digital method, and again, please release documents on a rolling basis, as they become available.

If you determine that any of the information qualifies for an exemption from disclosure, I ask you to note whether the exemption is discretionary, and if so whether it is necessary in this case to exercise your discretion to withhold the information. In any event, please provide a signed notification citing the legal authorities on which you rely if you determine that any of the information is exempt and will not be disclosed.

Also, I am a member of the news media as a reporter for Business Insider, and the requested documents are in the public interest and not being made for commercial purposes. Therefore, I ask that all fees are waived in the processing of my request. If fees associated with this request will be in excess of $25, kindly notify me in advance of fulfilling this request. As I am making this request as a journalist and this information is timely, I would appreciate your communicating with me if you have questions regarding this request.

Thanks again, and if there are any questions about my request, can provide any clarification that will help expedite the processing of my request, please contact me at email address. I am also happy to hop on the phone.

I look forward to your reply within 10 business days, as the statute requires, as the statute requires, and an even more prompt reply if you can make a determination without having to review the records in question.

Thank you for your time and attention to this matter.

Best,
Caroline

Upload documents directly: https://www.muckrock.com/
Your request will be forwarded to the relevant Houston Police Department department(s) to locate the information you seek and to determine the volume and any costs associated with satisfying your request. You will be contacted about the availability and/or provided with copies of the records in question. PLEASE NOTE: The Chapter 552 of Texas Government Code, the Public Information Act does not require a governmental body to create new information, to do legal research, or to answer questions.

You can monitor the progress of your request at the link below and you'll receive an email when your request has been completed. Again, thank you for using the Houston Public Information Request Center.
Houston Police Department

RE: PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST of November 06, 2023, Reference # P062738-110623

Dear Caroline Caroline,


The Houston Police Department has reviewed your request and has determined that the records requested are exempt from disclosure under Public Records Act for the following reasons:
[FOIA_EXEMPTIONS]

If you have any questions or need additional information, please reply to this email or contact our office.

Sincerely,

Houston Police Department

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Good afternoon.
We will not be releasing information to you based on exception 552.101, Homeland Security. You may request demonstration applications from the Permitting Center, Mayor's Office.
Thank you,
Open Records Unit

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Respectfully, what other Law Enforcement Agencies determine is releasable for them does not determine what HPD determines is releasable for HPD. If you have received information from larger agencies, those agencies are outside of Texas. Because they are not here in Texas, their open records guidance may well be very different from ours.
Thank you,
K. Coyle
Administrative Supervisor

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This request is closed.
Requests for assemble permits should be made through the City of Houston Permit Office.
Thank you, Open Records Unit