Mobile Biometric Technologies (US Marshals)

Dave Maass filed this request with the Department of Justice, United States Marshals of the United States of America.

It is a clone of this request.

Status
Completed

Communications

From: Michael Morisy

Dear Custodian of Records/Public Records Coordinator,

I am collaborating with the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a public interest group, and the media organization MuckRock, to survey how law enforcement agencies deploy mobile biometric technologies.

Mobile biometric technologies can be defined as any mobile device or mobile app used by law enforcement agencies to scan, capture, analyze, store, or automatically recognize any physical or biological characteristic of a subject. Commonly used mobile biometric technologies include fingerprint/thumbprint collection, facial recognition, scans of the iris or other elements of the human eye, Rapid DNA, and tattoo recognition. (Please see below for examples.)

Pursuant to Freedom of Information Act, I request the following records pertaining to mobile biometric technologies, including those listed above, as well as other biometric technologies I have not identified:

1) Purchasing and procurement documents, including but not limited to: purchase orders, RFPs, responses to RFPs, invoices and contracts

2) Policy, procedural, and training documents, including but not limited to: use policies, standard operating procedures, training materials, presentations, privacy assessments, data retention policies, and other guidelines

3) Programming documents, including but not limited to: funding opportunity announcements, grant applications and grantor status/progress reports, reports to legislative bodies, annual reports

4) Audit documents, including but not limited to: audits of the system, misuse reports, and reports to oversight bodies

In your response, I would appreciate that you individually address each of the above categories of documents individually.

In addition to the above classes of documents, I am also seeking the following information:

- The total number of individuals whose biometric data has been collected over the last three years,
- The total number of [biometric data points] contained in the agency’s database
- The retention period for biometric data
- The number of mobile biometrics devices purchased and in use
- The total number of authorized users of the mobile biometrics devices
- Which external agencies and entities have access to biometric data in the database and under what conditions,
- Whether biometric data is combined with biographic data such as name and address in the database, and
- The process by which data is entered into the database

These documents will be published online and inform the public dialog over police technology. Because of the great public interest in these issues, I ask that you waive any fees. If your agency is unable to do so, please contact me with an estimate of the costs.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Michael Morisy

Examples:

Mobile facial recognition
http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2013/nov/08/cir-facial-recognition-software-san-diego/

Mobile fingerprint readers
http://www.policechiefmagazine.org/magazine/index.cfm?fuseaction=display_arch&article_id=1824&issue_id=62009

Mobile iris scanners
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/07/20/us-crime-identification-iris-idUSTRE76J4A120110720

Rapid DNA
http://www.policemag.com/channel/technology/articles/2014/02/speeding-up-dna-analysis.aspx

Mobile Tattoo Recognition
http://www.lawofficer.com/articles/print/volume-10/issue-4/features/new-smartphone-app-interprets.html

From: MuckRock.com

To Whom It May Concern:

I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on Aug. 17, 2015. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed.

Thanks for your help, and let me know if further clarification is needed.

From: USMS FOIA

Your request is assigned to Toni Fuentes. She will provide you with a status.

From: Muckrock Staff

We were told that this request was assigned to Toni Fuentes. We have not received an acknowledgement letter nor a tracking number. This FOIA request was initially submitted on August 17, 2015.

Thank you.
______________

Dear Custodian of Records/Public Records Coordinator,

I am collaborating with the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a public interest group, and the media organization MuckRock, to survey how law enforcement agencies deploy mobile biometric technologies.

Mobile biometric technologies can be defined as any mobile device or mobile app used by law enforcement agencies to scan, capture, analyze, store, or automatically recognize any physical or biological characteristic of a subject. Commonly used mobile biometric technologies include fingerprint/thumbprint collection, facial recognition, scans of the iris or other elements of the human eye, Rapid DNA, and tattoo recognition. (Please see below for examples.)

Pursuant to Freedom of Information Act, I request the following records pertaining to mobile biometric technologies, including those listed above, as well as other biometric technologies I have not identified:

1) Purchasing and procurement documents, including but not limited to: purchase orders, RFPs, responses to RFPs, invoices and contracts

2) Policy, procedural, and training documents, including but not limited to: use policies, standard operating procedures, training materials, presentations, privacy assessments, data retention policies, and other guidelines

3) Programming documents, including but not limited to: funding opportunity announcements, grant applications and grantor status/progress reports, reports to legislative bodies, annual reports

4) Audit documents, including but not limited to: audits of the system, misuse reports, and reports to oversight bodies

In your response, I would appreciate that you individually address each of the above categories of documents individually.

In addition to the above classes of documents, I am also seeking the following information:

- The total number of individuals whose biometric data has been collected over the last three years,
- The total number of [biometric data points] contained in the agency’s database
- The retention period for biometric data
- The number of mobile biometrics devices purchased and in use
- The total number of authorized users of the mobile biometrics devices
- Which external agencies and entities have access to biometric data in the database and under what conditions,
- Whether biometric data is combined with biographic data such as name and address in the database, and
- The process by which data is entered into the database

These documents will be published online and inform the public dialog over police technology. Because of the great public interest in these issues, I ask that you waive any fees. If your agency is unable to do so, please contact me with an estimate of the costs.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Michael Morisy

Examples:

Mobile facial recognition
http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2013/nov/08/cir-facial-recognition-software-san-diego/

Mobile fingerprint readers
http://www.policechiefmagazine.org/magazine/index.cfm?fuseaction=display_arch&article_id=1824&issue_id=62009

Mobile iris scanners
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/07/20/us-crime-identification-iris-idUSTRE76J4A120110720

Rapid DNA
http://www.policemag.com/channel/technology/articles/2014/02/speeding-up-dna-analysis.aspx

Mobile Tattoo Recognition
http://www.lawofficer.com/articles/print/volume-10/issue-4/features/new-smartphone-app-interprets.html

From: Muckrock Staff

Hello!

This FOIA request was initially submitted on August 17, 2015. We were told that this request was assigned to Toni Fuentes. We have not received an acknowledgement letter nor a tracking number nor any sort of communication at all regarding the processing of this request.

Please provide a status update and an acknowledgment letter as soon as possible.

Thank you.
______________

Dear Custodian of Records/Public Records Coordinator,

I am collaborating with the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a public interest group, and the media organization MuckRock, to survey how law enforcement agencies deploy mobile biometric technologies.

Mobile biometric technologies can be defined as any mobile device or mobile app used by law enforcement agencies to scan, capture, analyze, store, or automatically recognize any physical or biological characteristic of a subject. Commonly used mobile biometric technologies include fingerprint/thumbprint collection, facial recognition, scans of the iris or other elements of the human eye, Rapid DNA, and tattoo recognition. (Please see below for examples.)

Pursuant to Freedom of Information Act, I request the following records pertaining to mobile biometric technologies, including those listed above, as well as other biometric technologies I have not identified:

1) Purchasing and procurement documents, including but not limited to: purchase orders, RFPs, responses to RFPs, invoices and contracts

2) Policy, procedural, and training documents, including but not limited to: use policies, standard operating procedures, training materials, presentations, privacy assessments, data retention policies, and other guidelines

3) Programming documents, including but not limited to: funding opportunity announcements, grant applications and grantor status/progress reports, reports to legislative bodies, annual reports

4) Audit documents, including but not limited to: audits of the system, misuse reports, and reports to oversight bodies

In your response, I would appreciate that you individually address each of the above categories of documents individually.

In addition to the above classes of documents, I am also seeking the following information:

- The total number of individuals whose biometric data has been collected over the last three years,
- The total number of [biometric data points] contained in the agency’s database
- The retention period for biometric data
- The number of mobile biometrics devices purchased and in use
- The total number of authorized users of the mobile biometrics devices
- Which external agencies and entities have access to biometric data in the database and under what conditions,
- Whether biometric data is combined with biographic data such as name and address in the database, and
- The process by which data is entered into the database

These documents will be published online and inform the public dialog over police technology. Because of the great public interest in these issues, I ask that you waive any fees. If your agency is unable to do so, please contact me with an estimate of the costs.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Michael Morisy

Examples:

Mobile facial recognition
http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2013/nov/08/cir-facial-recognition-software-san-diego/

Mobile fingerprint readers
http://www.policechiefmagazine.org/magazine/index.cfm?fuseaction=display_arch&article_id=1824&issue_id=62009

Mobile iris scanners
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/07/20/us-crime-identification-iris-idUSTRE76J4A120110720

Rapid DNA
http://www.policemag.com/channel/technology/articles/2014/02/speeding-up-dna-analysis.aspx

Mobile Tattoo Recognition
http://www.lawofficer.com/articles/print/volume-10/issue-4/features/new-smartphone-app-interprets.html

From: Department of Justice, United States Marshals

Good morning,

I have been assigned to process your FOIA request to the U.S. Marshals Service. I first received the request today, May 4, 2018. Attached please find a letter acknowledging the request.

Leila Wassom
FOI/PA Specialist
United States Marshals Service
Office of General Counsel
(703) 740-3972

From: Department of Justice, United States Marshals

Good morning,

The documents responsive to your request are currently under review. You should receive a response within the next two weeks.

Leila Wassom
FOI/PA Specialist
United States Marshals Service
Office of General Counsel
(703) 740-3972

From: Department of Justice, United States Marshals

Good morning,

The FOIA Officer is out of the office until Monday. I will discuss this with her next week.

Leila Wassom
FOI/PA Specialist
United States Marshals Service
Office of General Counsel
(703) 740-3972

From: Department of Justice, United States Marshals

Good morning,

Processing of the request has been completed, and is being reviewed.

Leila Wassom
FOI/PA Specialist
United States Marshals Service
Office of General Counsel
(703) 740-3972

From: Department of Justice, United States Marshals

Good morning,

The processing has been completed, however, it is under review at this time.

Leila Wassom
FOI/PA Specialist
United States Marshals Service
Office of General Counsel
(703) 740-3972

From: Department of Justice, United States Marshals

The processing of the request is still under review.

Leila Wassom
FOI/PA Specialist
United States Marshals Service
Office of General Counsel
(703) 740-3972

From: Department of Justice, United States Marshals

The processing of the request is still under review.

Leila Wassom
FOI/PA Specialist
United States Marshals Service
Office of General Counsel
(703) 740-3972

From: Department of Justice, United States Marshals

Good morning,

The request is still under review.

Leila Wassom
FOI/PA Specialist
United States Marshals Service
Office of General Counsel
(703)740-3972

From: Department of Justice, United States Marshals

Good morning,

The request is still under review.
Leila Wassom
FOI/PA Specialist
United States Marshals Service
Office of General Counsel
(703)740-3972

From: Department of Justice, United States Marshals

I was out of the office the past two weeks.

The processing of the request is still under review.

Leila Wassom
FOI/PA Specialist
United States Marshals Service
Office of General Counsel
(703) 740-3972

From: Department of Justice, United States Marshals

Good morning,

This request remains under review.

Leila Wassom
FOI/PA Specialist
United States Marshals Service
OFFICE OF General Counsel
(703) 740-3972

From: Department of Justice, United States Marshals

Good morning,

We are still in the process of review, and plan to send the response as soon as we can.

Leila Wassom
FOI/PA Specialist
United States Marshals Service
Office of General Counsel
(703) 740-3972

From: Department of Justice, United States Marshals

Good morning,

Attached please find the response to your FOIA request to the U.S. Marshals Service.

Leila Wassom
FOI/PA Specialist
United States Marshals Service
Office of General Counsel
(703) 740-3972

From: Department of Justice, United States Marshals

There was a typo in the request number in the letter. Attached is a revised letter.

Leila Wassom
FOI/PA Specialist
United States Marshals Service
Office of General Counsel
(703) 740-3972

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