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Public Information Request
The Texas Public Information Act (PIA) provides a mechanism for the public to inspect or copy governmental records. A requestor may ask to review records, obtain copies, or both. A governmental entity is not required to create records, conduct legal research, or answer questions. The Public Information Act is triggered when a person submits a written request. The governmental entity must respond within 10 (ten) business days, with one or more of the following:
- provide responsive information pertinent to the request;
- advise the request is being processed and will take longer than the 10 business days to produce;
- advise there is no responsive information;
- advise the request needs clarification;
- provide a cost estimate if the request will exceed $40; or
- advise the responsive information will not be released and an Attorney General Ruling has been requested.
OFFICIAL SIGNS
ACCIDENT REPORTS MUST BE REQUESTED THROUGH THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Police related requests may be submitted as follows:
Recommended: Public Information Request Portal (GovQA) - Through this portal, you can access your request securely, view your request history, and receive status updates.
In-Person: Northlake Police Department, 1600 Commons Circle, Northlake, Texas 76226
Mail: Northlake Police Department, 1600 Commons Circle, Northlake Texas 76226
Email: Email Police Records
NOTE: Any request received in person, via mail, or via email, will be entered into the Public Information Request Portal (GovQA) for the convenience of the requestor. ALL correspondence and responses will be available to the requestor via the portal to assist with keeping the information in a centralized location that is secure and easy to access.
For assistance regarding the Records Request Portal or Public Information Requests, please contact the Northlake Police Department via phone at (940) 648-4804.
Public information requests for Town records (excluding police-related requests) may be submitted as follows:
Recommended: Public Information Request Portal (GovQA) - Through this portal, you can access your requests securely, view your request history, and receive status updates.
In-Person: Town Hall, 1500 Commons Circle, Suite 300, Northlake, Texas 76226
Mail: Town Hall, 1500 Commons Circle, Suite 300, Northlake, Texas 76226
Email: Email the Town Secretary
NOTE: Any request received in person, via mail, or via email, will be entered into the Public Information Request Portal (GovQA) for the convenience of the requestor. ALL correspondence and responses will be available to the requestor via the portal to assist with keeping the information in a centralized location that is secure and easy to access.
For assistance regarding the Records Request Portal or Public Information Requests, please contact the Town Secretary's Office via email at townsecretary@northlake.tx.us or via phone at (940) 242-5702.
The charges for public information are set by the Texas Attorney General's Office and are found at 1 Texas Administrative Code § 70.
The requestor must respond to any written estimate of charges within 10 days of the date the Town sent it, or the request is considered automatically withdrawn.
If estimated costs exceed $100 the Town may require a bond, prepayment, or deposit.
| Service or Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| (b)(1) Standard Paper Copy up to 8½" x 14" | @ $ .10 per page |
| (b)(2) Nonstandard Copy | |
| (A) Diskette | @ $1.00 each |
| (B) Magnetic Tape | Actual Cost |
| (C) Data Cartridge | Actual Cost |
| (D) Tape Cartridge | Actual Cost |
| (E) Rewritable CD (CD-RW) | @ $ 1.00 each |
| (F) Non-rewritable CD (CD-R) | @ $ 1.00 each |
| (G) Digital video disc (DVD) | @ $ 3.00 each |
| (H) JAZ Drive | Actual Cost |
| (I) Other Electronic Media | Actual Cost |
| (J) VHS Video Cassette | @ $ 2.50 each |
| (K) Audio Cassette | @ $ 1.00 each |
| (L) Oversize paper copy (e.g.: 11 inches by 17 inches, greenbar, bluebar, not including maps and photographs using specialty paper--See also §70.9 of this title) | @ $.50 each |
| (M) Specialty paper (e.g.: Mylar, blueprint, blueline, map, photographic | Actual Cost |
| (c) Labor Charges | |
| (c)(1) Programming Personnel | @ $28.50 per hour |
| (d) (1) Other Personnel | @ $15.00 per hour |
| (e) Overhead Charge | 20% of personnel charge |
| (f) Microfiche/Film | @ $.10 per + labor |
| (g) Remote Document Retrieval Charge | Actual Cost |
| (h) Computer Resource Charge | |
| (A) Mainframe | @ $10.00 per minute |
| (B) Midsize | @ $ 1.50 per minute |
| (C) Client/Server | @ $ 2.20 per hour |
| (D) PC or LAN | @ $ 1.00 per hour |
| (i) Miscellaneous Supplies | Actual Cost |
| (j) Postage & Shipping Charge | Actual Cost |
| (l) Miscellaneous Charges - Credit Card Transaction Fee | Actual cost |
POLICE RELATED FEES:
(1) Section 1701.661 of the Government Code is the sole authority under which a copy of a body worn camera recording may be obtained from a law enforcement agency under the Public Information Act, Chapter 552 of the Government Code, and no fee for obtaining a copy of a body worn camera recording from a law enforcement agency may be charged unless authorized by this section.
(2) This section does not apply to a request, or portions of a request, seeking to obtain information other than a copy of a body worn camera recording. Portions of a request seeking information other than a copy of a body worn camera recording are subject to the charges listed in §70.3 of this chapter.
(b) The charge for obtaining a copy of a body worn camera recording shall be:
(1) $10.00 per recording responsive to the request for information; and
(2) $1.00 per full minute of body worn camera video or audio footage responsive to the request for information, if identical information has not already been obtained by a member of the public in response to a request for information.
NOTE: Sales tax is not applicable to public records.