Robert Boothe - Signal (Spokane)

Rose Terse

Thank you for your interest in public records of the City of Spokane.  Your request has been received and is being processed.  Your request was received in this office on July 03, 2024 and given the reference number P006662-070324 for tracking purposes.
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Description of Records Requested: To Whom It May Concern:

Pursuant to the Washington Public Records Act, I hereby request the following records:

Regarding Lt. Robert Boothe #409's Signal app on his city-owned Android device, I am requesting:

1. For every conversation in the app, including archived and deleted conversations, please provide:
1a. The title, avatar, description, and retention period set for the chat.
1b. All members of the chat.
1c. All messages, images, and files sent and received in the chat, sufficient to discern sender’s name and avatar, time received, and message content, as well as events including but not limited to entering and leaving chat, changing retention time, etc.

2. All contacts in the app. This can be found by clicking the “New Message” icon.

3. The name, avatar, and username set for himself. This can be found by clicking the profile icon.

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 5 business days, as the statute requires.

Sincerely,

Rose Terse

Upload documents directly: https://www.muckrock.com/

Your request will be forwarded to the relevant City department(s) to locate the records you seek and to determine the volume and any costs associated with satisfying your request.  You will be contacted about the availability of the records in question.
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 Spokane Records Center.
City of Spokane

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If you wish to submit a response, update an existing request, check the status of an already submitted request, or submit a new public records request, please do so by replying to this notification or go through your “My Request Center” account on the City’s public records request portal
In accordance with the Public Records Act (PRA), RCW 42.56.520, this message acknowledges receipt of your PRA request, received by the City of Spokane on July 3, 2024.  This request has been assigned tracking number P006662-070324.  Please use this number in any communications concerning this request.
Specifically, you requested: To Whom It May Concern:”

Pursuant to the Washington Public Records Act, I hereby request the following records:

Regarding Lt. Robert Boothe #409's Signal app on his city-owned Android device, I am requesting:

1. For every conversation in the app, including archived and deleted conversations, please provide:
1a. The title, avatar, description, and retention period set for the chat.
1b. All members of the chat.
1c. All messages, images, and files sent and received in the chat, sufficient to discern sender’s name and avatar, time received, and message content, as well as events including but not limited to entering and leaving chat, changing retention time, etc.

2. All contacts in the app. This can be found by clicking the “New Message” icon.

3. The name, avatar, and username set for himself. This can be found by clicking the profile icon.

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 5 business days, as the statute requires.

Sincerely,

Rose Terse

Upload documents directly: https://www.muckrock.com/
Your request was forwarded to staff in the Spokane Police Department for review and compiling of responsive records, however, no responsive records were located.  Accordingly, the City is closing your request.
Now that your request is closed, the Public Records Act’s one-year statute of limitations to seek judicial review has started to run because the agency does not intend to further address the request.
If you have any questions about this request, please contact City Clerk’s Office within 10 business days of the date of this message.  See WAC 44-14-04006(1); Cousins v. State, No. 101769-3, 2024 WL 1562882 (Wash. Apr. 11, 2024).

If we can be of further assistance, please advise.
Sincerely,
Laurie Farnsworth
Spokane Deputy City Clerk

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If you wish to submit a response, update an existing request, check the status of an already submitted request, or submit a new public records request, please do so by replying to this notification or go through your “My Request Center” account on the City’s public records request portal
Ms. Terse:
This is to acknowledge receipt of your July 11, 2024, message regarding your public records request assigned P00662-070324 wherein you state the following: Hello Laurie, Thank you for your response. My understanding is that Lt. Boothe was running Signal app on his city-owned device as recently as May of this year. Would you please double-check to see whether the messages are available on his device? As a reminder, text and chat messages are considered public record per the Secretary of State's guidance (https://www2.sos.wa.gov/_assets/archives/recordsmanagement/advice-sheet-how-long-do-chat-and-instant-messaging-records-need-to-be-kept-(july-2020).pdf) and willful destruction of public records carries criminal penalties under RCW 40.16.020. Thank you, Rose We have been advised by Police staff that Lt. Boothe elected not to run the Signal app; and, therefore, there are no responsive records to your request.
If you have any additional questions about your request, please contact the City Clerk's Office within the provided ten business day time frame previously provided.
Sincerely,
Terri Pfister
City Clerk