Let the Sunshine In

1. Public records: Let the Sunshine In Investigative Reporters and Editors

2. Attitude • Have a document state of mind. • Assume it’s public. • Assume it’s free. • Documents = databases.

3. Using U.S. open records laws • Federal FOIA • Each state has its own laws • Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press • National Freedom of Information Coalition

4. Getting State Records • Each state has its own rules, but many are similar • Laws are posted online; read before you ask • Many states have organizations that will help you • You don’t have to be a resident to get records

5. Getting federal records • FOIA is the law that applies • There are timelines, but some agencies are better than others • Look online first • You don’t have to be a resident to request records

6. Key Strategies • Ask for the cost estimate before work proceeds on filling your request • Ask for everything electronically when possible • Ask to review documents when practical • Require agency to cite speicific law if any portion of request is being denied

7. How do I get it? • First, try to obtain the records or data without a formal public records request. • FOIA can slow down the process. • Some reporters will FOIA the list of FOIA requests. • Cajole the clerk or flack. • If you’re seeking data, find the data analyst.

8. Practical tips • To save time, check whether the office will accept e-mail or fax requests. • To save time, have the office e-mail the documents or data to you (if feasible). • Keep a spreadsheet of FOIA requests to stay organized and update status of each one.

9. Tips for data requests • Advanced Google search for data. • First, get the record layout and a blank form. • Talk directly with data people – not just flacks. • Make sure you have all of the records to avoid import/technical errors. • Know the lingo / formats / file types.

10. Public or private?

11. Key elements of request Ask for records electronically Ask for cost estimate in advance Show you know the law Make them explain any rejection

12. Follow the money • The Big Three: annual report, budget, audit: • Vendors: All businesses that sold goods/services to the local government in the past year. • Payroll data.

13. Personnel • The employees: The name, title, department, salary and date of hire of each employee. Try to get gender, ethnicity and date of birth. • Boards and committees: All board and committee members. • Internal phone directories: Get the staff or department phone directories. Try to find old copies to locate former employees.

14. Track the travel • Credit-card receipts for gas, hotels, rental cars, flights, etc. • Flight logs and manifests for a plane, helicopter or other aircraft. • Calendars and official schedules of public officials.

15. Monitor communications • Internal newsletters and publications. • Appointment calendars and visitor sign-in sheets. • Cell-phone, text messages and calling-card records. • Department/agency phone directories (old ones can help you find former employees).

16. Remember the regulators • State oversight agencies / departments. • Inspectors general (state and federal). • Congressional oversight committees. • Securities and Exchange Commission. • Attorney general (state and federal). Payroll data for all public employees.

17. Data on Deadline Useful Web Sites Aviation Accidents: • NTSB Database: http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/query.asp • FAA: http://www.faa.gov/ (track tail numbers)  • Airport-Data.com http://www.airport-data.com/ (search everything from tail numbers, to airports, to serial numbers, etc) • PlaneCrashinfo.com: http://www.planecrashinfo.com/ • AirDisaster.com: http://www.airdisaster.com/ • AirSafe.com: http://www.airsafe.com/events/usrecord.htm • NASA ASRS (Aviation Safety Reporting System) http://asrs.arc.nasa.gov/

18. Data on Deadline Useful Web Sites Aviation Accidents: • FlightExplorer.com: http://www.flightexplorer.com/http://travel.flightexplorer.com/ (actual real time flight tracker) • FlightAware: http://flightaware.com/ (real time flight tracker)  • Air Traffic Controllers Radio Traffic: http://www.liveatc.net/ • Airliners.net http://www.airliners.net/aircraft-data/ (see any type of aircraft and its specs in the world) • Airplane photos: http://www.photovault.com/Link/Technology/Aviation/FlightCommercial/AircraftTypes.html • National Wildlife Strike database: http://wildlife.pr.erau.edu/public/index1.html

19. Data on Deadline Useful Web Sites Automobile/Trucks: • FARS-Fatality Analysis Reporting System: http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/ncsa/fars.html • National Highway Traffic Safety Administration: http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/ • National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Office of Defects Investigation: http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/ (main page) • http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/defect/defectsearch.cfm (searchable page) • Safety and Fitness Electronic Records System (SAFER): http://www.safersys.org/ (truck accident statistics)  • Car Accident Statistics: http://www.car-accidents.com/pages/stats.html • Federal Highway Administration database: http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/index.cfm

20. Let’s play:NO EXCUSES!

21. No excuses! • That information isn’t public. • Show me the exemption in the law. • The records contain confidential information. • Show me the exemption in the law. • It’s your responsibility to redact private info. • If we give it to you, we’ll have to give it to everyone. • That’s true. That’s why it’s “public” information.

22. No excuses! • The key person is on vacation. • Who’s filling in for that person? Has he/she not been trained? • So, you can’t serve the public or other agencies if one person is on vacation? • So, the office can’t fulfill its legal obligations? • I’ll need to talk with the office or person that oversees this office.

23. No excuses! • We don’t want you to do a negative story. • The reasons for requesting data are irrelevant. • I’m doing a factual story. That’s why I need the records or data. • We’ll give you some of the records or data but not all of them. • Show me the exemption in the law.

24. No excuses! • We don’t keep that information electronically. • Really? Then how do you track anything? • Show me your paper files and storage. • How do you report information/data to other agencies, overseers or regulators? • Our computer system is old and can’t export information. • How do you back up information? • Show me a copy of the contract for the computer system.

25. No excuses! • Our software is proprietary, so we can’t give you anything. • Wow. Show me the contract for that system. • Who decided to go with an expensive proprietary system, which usually costs taxpayers more? • How does your system back up information? I just want a backup copy, so that’s not proprietary.

26. No excuses! • That’ll cost you $58,000. • Check agency FOIA logs to see if they’ve already provided it to someone else. • Taxpayers already have paid for the public information. • All I’m asking for is a copy of the existing record or existing table(s). I’ll do the programming or analysis. • Please provide me an itemized breakdown of the costs, including labor hours and pay rates.

27. No excuses! • This is a huge request, so it’ll take months to pull everything together. • Narrow your focus. Be more specific. • Get records or data for a shorter period of time to see if it’s worth going back many years. • Agree on a sequence of releasing the records so you get what’s most critical first. • Offer to help. They may have ways that you can speed up the process.

28. No excuses! • Honestly, we’re never going to release that. • What is the appeals process? File an immediate appeal in writing. • Go over their head. • Check on whether the office is required to report that data/information elsewhere. Request it from another office.

29. Data on Deadline Useful Web Sites Aviation Accidents: • NTSB Database: http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/query.asp • FAA: http://www.faa.gov/ (track tail numbers)  • Airport-Data.com http://www.airport-data.com/ (search everything from tail numbers, to airports, to serial numbers, etc) • PlaneCrashinfo.com: http://www.planecrashinfo.com/ • AirDisaster.com: http://www.airdisaster.com/ • AirSafe.com: http://www.airsafe.com/events/usrecord.htm • NASA ASRS (Aviation Safety Reporting System) http://asrs.arc.nasa.gov/

30. Data on Deadline Useful Web Sites Aviation Accidents: • FlightExplorer.com: http://www.flightexplorer.com/http://travel.flightexplorer.com/ (actual real time flight tracker) • FlightAware: http://flightaware.com/ (real time flight tracker)  • Air Traffic Controllers Radio Traffic: http://www.liveatc.net/ • Airliners.net http://www.airliners.net/aircraft-data/ (see any type of aircraft and its specs in the world) • Airplane photos: http://www.photovault.com/Link/Technology/Aviation/FlightCommercial/AircraftTypes.html • National Wildlife Strike database: http://wildlife.pr.erau.edu/public/index1.html

31. Data on Deadline Useful Web Sites Automobile/Trucks: • FARS-Fatality Analysis Reporting System: http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/ncsa/fars.html • National Highway Traffic Safety Administration: http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/ • National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Office of Defects Investigation: http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/ (main page) • http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/defect/defectsearch.cfm (searchable page) • Safety and Fitness Electronic Records System (SAFER): http://www.safersys.org/ (truck accident statistics)  • Car Accident Statistics: http://www.car-accidents.com/pages/stats.html • Federal Highway Administration database: http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/index.cfm