FAQ

Basic Public Disclosure Requirement

  1. A public records request must be for identifiable records. A request for all or substantially all records prepared, owned, used, or retained by an agency is not a valid request for identifiable records under this chapter, provided that a request for all records regarding a particular topic or containing a particular keyword or name shall not be considered a request for all agency's records. RCW 42.56.080(1).
  2. Requests should be submitted using the SKAGIT 911 Portal located on our website www.skagit911.us, SKAGIT 911 shall also honor requests received in person during an agency's normal office hours, by email at [email protected], by mail, or fax, for identifiable public records unless exempted. The request needs to be submitted in a manner which makes it recognizable as a request requiring a response. Requests should include the name and email address as well as the mailing address of the requester, telephone number, and provide reasonable specificity as to the records.
  3. SKAGIT 911 may deny a bot request that is one of multiple requests from the requester to the agency within a twenty-four-hour period, if the agency establishes that responding to the multiple requests would cause excessive interference with other essential functions of the agency. For purposes of this section, "bot request" means a request for public records that an agency reasonable believes was automatically generated by a computer program or script. RCW 42.56.080(3).
  4. Within five business days of receiving a public records request, SKAGIT 911 shall respond by doing one of the following:
    1. Make the records available on the Portal
    2. Make a record available for inspection or copying during normal business hours.
    3. Acknowledge receipt of the request and provide a reasonable estimate of time required to respond to the request. Or, if necessary, seek clarification regarding the request, and then respond as noted.
    4. Deny the request and provide a written statement of specific reason for denial.

Public record. According to RCW 42.56.010(3), "Public Record" includes any writing containing information relating to the conduct of government or the performance of any governmental or proprietary function prepared, owned, used, or retained by any state or local agency regardless of physical form or characteristics..."

Writing. RCW 42.56.010(4) states , "Writing" means handwriting, typewriting, printing, photostatting, photographing, and every other means of recording any form of communication or representation, including, but not limited to, letters, words, pictures, sounds, or symbols, or combination thereof, and all papers, maps, magnetic or paper tapes, photographic films and prints, motion picture, film and video recordings, magnetic or punched cards, discs, drums, diskettes, sound recordings and other documents including existing data compilations from which information may be obtained or translated."

Identifiable Record. An "identifiable record" is one in existence at the time the records request is made, and that SKAGIT 911 staff can locate after a reasonable search.

Retention and Disposition of Public Records. SKAGIT 911 shall comply with the records retention and destruction requirements and disposition recommendations contained in the Local Government Common Records Retention Schedule 4.0 (May 2017) and law Enforcement Records Retention Schedule 7.2 (January 2017) and Emergency Service (911) Retention Schedule 1.0 (November 2012), as may be revised or amended.

Public Access. Rights to public access to local government records are defined by Ch. 42.56 RCW, the Public Records Act. The Public Records Act declares that local government records are exclusively public property. They are open to public access subject to limited exemption, which are intended to protect the personal privacy of individuals and the integrity of vital governmental functions. SKAGIT 911 shall comply with this and all other related statutes.