Governmental Body
Fort Worth Police Department
Start Date for Suspension
End Date for Suspension
Contact Name
Eric Bentley
Contact Title
Custodian of Records
City
Fort Worth
County
Tarrant
Governmental Body Type
Police department
Reason for Suspension
Covid-19
Description
The Open Records Unit of the Fort Worth Police Department that is assigned to process all of the Department’s Public Information Act Requests and subpoena responses is currently experiencing a major outbreak of COVID, which began impacting the office late in the day on September 12, 2022, and this outbreak occurrence is directly interfering with and significantly impacting the Police Department’s ability to comply with the requirements of Chapter 552 of the Texas Government Code.
As of Wednesday September 14, 2022, six (6) out of the eight (8) individuals in the office are out due to COVID, leaving only two (2) individuals attempting to process the thirty-eight (38) public information requests that the Department has to handle on the average day in addition to subpoenas and discovery requests.
Staff who are out of office due to COVID are not being required to, and in fact are unable to, work remotely and cannot access responsive information electronically. Due to the catastrophic occurrence of the current COVID outbreak, in accordance with Section 552.2325, the Fort Worth Police Department is electing to suspend the applicability of the requirements of Chapter 552 for an initial suspension period beginning on Thursday September 15, 2022 and lasting until Wednesday September 21, 2022.
As of Wednesday September 14, 2022, six (6) out of the eight (8) individuals in the office are out due to COVID, leaving only two (2) individuals attempting to process the thirty-eight (38) public information requests that the Department has to handle on the average day in addition to subpoenas and discovery requests.
Staff who are out of office due to COVID are not being required to, and in fact are unable to, work remotely and cannot access responsive information electronically. Due to the catastrophic occurrence of the current COVID outbreak, in accordance with Section 552.2325, the Fort Worth Police Department is electing to suspend the applicability of the requirements of Chapter 552 for an initial suspension period beginning on Thursday September 15, 2022 and lasting until Wednesday September 21, 2022.