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Highland Park, TX

Aren Cambre's picture
Tue, 08/25/2009 - 23:05 — Aren Cambre
Data details
Most recent open records log update: 
2011-01-27
Total TPIA costs: 
$200.62
TPIA request log: 

Also see the jurisdictions summary page for more per-jurisdiction details.

Date Body Files
Thu, 01/27/2011

Routed second thank you letter through faculty research advisor.
Fri, 07/23/2010

Picked up and paid for data from Highland Park.
Thu, 07/22/2010

Bill Pollock emailed saying the extract is complete and awaiting payment and pickup. New amount is $85.37.
Wed, 07/07/2010

Per Bill Pollock:

In reviewing the data extract, you are correct in regard to the speed fields.  I performed another limited extract and the filed for Speed Limit and Alleged Speed are all blank.   We do capture Speed Limit and Alleged Speed for the creation of the Complaint,  apparently that information is not stored in the data string used in this extraction tool.  The speed range (Speeding 11-20) is used to determine the respective fine amounts for speeds within established ranges above the posted speed limit.
 
The Fine Due, Cost Due and Total Due appear to only be populated when an offense results in an arrest warrant being issued. 
 
This data is in our INCODE database as it can be seen in case inquiry.   I know of no means to electronically extract the data that you could use in your study other than the method that Tyler Technologies provided.
 
I wrote back saying I would check with Tyler Technologies for more assistance.
Tue, 07/06/2010

Sample data provided for 2009. Looks like the Speed Limit, Alleged Speed, Fine Due, Cost Due, and Total Due fields may be mostly empty. Emailed back and asked if their Incode has better data. If not, will accept the feed as is for other years.
Fri, 07/02/2010

Al Hammack responded with new open records estimate of $89.37. (See attachment.)

I emailed back accepting the charges and asked for sample data to be produced first to make sure it's OK.

 10-07-02 Response to SMU Grad Student Aren Cambre's Request, Estimate of Charges for Electronic Records.pdf
Thu, 06/24/2010

Emailed Clayton Gray with new instructions on how to pull data from their Incode system. Requested he review it and see if it will produce better data.
Wed, 12/30/2009

Routed thank you letter through research advisor.
Wed, 12/30/2009

Thank you letter sent to Hammack.
Thu, 09/17/2009

Got response from Clayton Gray:

Mr. Cambre, I forwarded your email to my contact at INCODE and here is his response: “Our data is a proprietary format (Acucorp Vision Format). Their own version of ISAM.  Currently AcuCorp has been acquired by Micro Focus. A ODBC connector can be purchased from them if needed.”

As Mr. Pollock previously stated, The Town does not have the means in-house to extract the information as requested.  There is an amount budgeted in the next fiscal year to acquire a data mining tool that may allow us to extract such information; however, there is no timetable set for this purchase.
Tue, 09/15/2009

Clayton Gray clarified with "The source data files from INCODE are in COBOL format.  They are ODBC compliant and, as such, can be filtered into a program such as Access or Excel.  If Mr. Cambre needs a product to translate the files, Microfocus is one good source."

Despite some reserach and phone calls to two people familiar with COBOL (one is SMU's chief COBOL programmer), could not find evidence that there is such a thing as "COBOL format." COBOL is applicaiton layer, ODBC is connector to database.

Emailed back to Clayton asking for more details on what he means. Also suggested that they consider pulling the data directly from the ODBC data source using Excel since Excel can use that kind of connection.
Sun, 09/13/2009

Cannot decipher data format of data provided for court records. Asked for clarification.
Fri, 09/11/2009

Picked up data.
Wed, 09/09/2009

Mailed check.
Tue, 09/08/2009

Al Hammack sent estimate for $115.25.
Fri, 09/04/2009

Sent scans of requested letters (personal and from faculty research advisor). Al Hamack responded shortly that they will produce estimate charges.
Thu, 09/03/2009

Mailed research verification letter from faculty advisor.
Wed, 09/02/2009

Initial response from city attorney Al Hammack who wants to assure compliance with privacy standards of Federal Driver’s Privacy Protection Act (18 U.S.C. §2721 et seq.).
Tue, 08/25/2009

Emailed request to Bill Lindley, City Manager.
Request status for standard citations: 
Finished
Request status for red light camera citations: 
Has no red light cameras