DHS receives record number of FOIA requests

Tue, 2013-03-12 08:31 AM
By: Mark Rockwell
Government Security News

The Department of Homeland security received what it’s Freedom of Information Act director called an “unprecedented” number of FOIA requests.

In its 40-page report ( http://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/fil...rt-final_0.pdf )
on fiscal 2012 information transparency under FOIA rules, the agency said it received a total of 190,589 requests for information under the 1974 FOIA law. That number, according to Jonathan Cantor, DHS acting chief Freedom of Information Act officer, marked a nine percent increase from FY 2011’s total of 175,656. DHS, said Cantor, processed 205,895 requests -- an increase of 41 percent from 145,631 in FY 2011. DHS also said it had successfully reduced its backlog by 33 percent this year despite another record-breaking year in the volume of requests received.

An analysis by the Associated Press of the government’s overall handling of FOIA processing in fiscal 2012, showed government released all or portions of the information that citizens, journalists, businesses and others sought at about the same rate as the previous three years. It turned over all or parts of the records in about 65 percent of all requests, said the AP, but fully rejected more than one-third of requests, a slight increase over 2011, including cases when it couldn't find records, a person refused to pay for copies or the request was determined to be improper.

At DHS, Cantor said the agency took several steps to reduce the FOIA backlog, including the implementation of Six Sigma4 tools and strategies to help streamline operations, and the deployment of student interns, contractors, and DHS Privacy Office staff to the components with the largest backlogs. As a standard practice, said Cantor, FOIA staff negotiates with requesters to narrow the scope where practicable. In addition, Cantor said the FOIA office staff met with component agency FOIA Officers and FOIA officials from other federal agencies to learn how technology, training, and staff development can help reduce the backlog, particularly through day-to-day case management.

The DHS Privacy Office and several of the component agency FOIA offices deployed a new electronic monitoring, tracking, and redacting commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) software solution to streamline the processing of FOIA requests and appeals.

Results of the new software implementation include, said Cantor, included increased productivity; enhanced accuracy in reporting statistics, tracking cases, and ensuring data integrity; and improved interoperability and standardization of the FOIA process across DHS. This year, the FOIA office also created a new position, Director of FOIA Improvement, whose role is to increase proactive disclosures, address the backlog, conduct FOIA training, and recommend enhancements to FOIA operations, he said.

DHS receives record number of FOIA requests | Government Security News