Mr. Boks has been refusing or ignoring multiple Requests for Public Records, which apparently will not be seen as a concern by the City Attorney's Office or the Mayor. Perhaps some member of City Council will take interest before I send a complaint to the California Attorney General.

FOWARDED TO ADL-LA:

----- Original Message -----
From: Edward Muzika
Sent: Monday, January 07, 2008 1:15 PM
Subject: A Request for Public Records Re the Animal Cruelty Task Force and Animal Precinct TV show

The below request involves Ed Boks negotiations to have Animal Precinct film local LAAS coverage for airing on that show. I am concerned that the ACTF's recent raids on homes and businesses may be entirely done for that show, and that all sorts of civil rights violations as well as failure to follow legal procedure for making arrests or seizing property were done only for that show and perhaps not even with the intent of conviction due to the very sloppy nature of the arrests.

More likely, LAAS and the ACTF were just demonstrating incompetence.

My Request for Public Documents sent today to Ed Boks:

---

January 7, 2008
Ed Boks, General Manager
Los Angeles Animal Services
221 N. Figueroa Street, 5th Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90012

Dear Ed Boks,

This request is being made subject to the California Public Records Act: Government Code §6250-6268.

Under this statute you have 10 calendar days from the date of receipt of this request to respond as to whether you will release the records requested as detailed below. It is preferred your response be made in writing to either the street address or the email address below.

Background:

In your General Manager’s September/October Report to the Animal Services Commission, you stated, “The Department has recently had conversations with the producers of the Animal Planet show “Animal Precinct” about putting together a five-show pilot that would feature the Department’s animal care centers and staff.”

As I believe there may be a relationship between the negotiations you conducted with producers of Animal Planet and Animal Precinct, and recent raids conducted by LA Animal Services, the Animal Cruelty Task Force, the LAPD and City TV, on residences and businesses during October and November of 2007, I request:

Any and all correspondence including memos and emails between Ed Boks and: The producers of Animal Planet; the producers of Animal Precinct; any staff of City TV 35; any members of the ACTF, Jim Bickhart and Jim Blackman regarding the above stated intent of having Animal Services and the ACTF being featured or viewed on any Animal Planet network show, but especially as noted in the Commission notes, LAAS being featured on one or more Animal Precinct shows. Such emails should contain the type of activities or events that Animal Precinct would be filming, e.g., dogfighting rings, animal hoarders, per store anaimal neglect or abuses.

I am especially interested in, but not limited to, correspondence or memos or email between Mr. Boks and any staff member of City TV 35 regarding taping of the raid on the home of Ron Mason on October 11, 2007. The raid has already aired and thus in the public domain. A separate request to City TV will be made to view the entire footage shot on October 11.

Form of Information Requested

The information requested may be electronically imaged and transferred to the email address edwardmuzika@sbcglobal.net.

Denial and Redaction

Should you choose to deny this request, as required by law, please indicate the exact reason for denial and the person and title of the person who made such decision. Should information be redacted from the files, statute requires that you list for EACH record the reason for redaction and type of information redacted.

Fees

I am willing to pay reasonable copying fees, as defined under law, not to exceed $25.00. Should fees run higher, please contact me. Should you have any questions regarding this request, please contact me immediately.

Sincerely,

Ed Muzika

www.laanimalwatch.blogspot.com

CC:
Linda Barth
Ross Pool
Dov Lesel
Don Cocek