Federal Register: November 9, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 216)
DOCID: FR Doc 05-21952
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
Homeland Security Department
CFR Citation: 6 CFR Part 5
DHS ID: [DHS-2005-0065]
NOTICE: PROPOSED RULES
DOCUMENT ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking.
SUBJECT CATEGORY:
Privacy Act of 1974: Implementation of Exemptions
DATES: Comments must be received on or before December 9, 2005.
DOCUMENT SUMMARY:
The Department of Homeland Security is giving notice of a revised and updated system of records pursuant to the Privacy Act of 1974 for the Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations. In this proposed rulemaking, the Department proposes to exempt portions of this system of records from one or more provisions of the Privacy Act because of criminal, civil and administrative enforcement requirements.
SUMMARY:
Privacy Act; implementation,
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION
Background
On October 6, 2005, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) updated and republished under the Privacy Act of 1974, 5 U.S.C. 552a, a system of records within Office of Inspector General (OIG), United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Headquarters for its investigative files. (See 70 FR 58448.) Pursuant to the savings clause in the Homeland Security Act of 2002, Public Law 107296, sec. 1512, 116 Stat. 2310 (Nov. 25, 2002) (6 U.S.C. 552), DHS components and offices could continue to rely on completed administrative actions after creation of the Department until those actions were amended, modified, superseded, terminated, set aside, or revoked. Two system notices previously supported the collection of investigation information by the DHS OIGFEMA/IG1 (General Investigative Files) and Treasury/DO .190 (Investigation Data Management System). In its Federal Register notice of October 6, 2005, the DHS OIG updated and republished under its own nomenclature, the system notice to cover these records. The system is the DHS OIG ``Investigations Data Management System'' (IDMS). In this notice of proposed rulemaking, DHS now is proposing to exempt this system, in part, from certain provisions of the Privacy Act and to add that exemption to its proposed Appendix C to Part 5, DHS Systems of Records Exempt from the Privacy Act.
The Privacy Act embodies fair information principles in a statutory framework governing the means by which the United States Government collects, maintains, uses and disseminates personally identifiable information. The Privacy Act applies to information that is maintained in a ``system of records.'' A ``system of records'' is a group of any records under the control of an agency from which information is retrieved by the name of the individual or by some identifying number, symbol, or other identifying particular assigned to the individual. Individuals may request their own records that are maintained in a system of records in the possession or under the control of DHS by complying with DHS Privacy Act regulations, 6 CFR part 5.
The Privacy Act requires each agency to publish in the Federal Register a description of the type and character of each system of records that the agency maintains, and the routine uses that are contained in each system in order to make agency record keeping practices transparent, to notify individuals regarding the uses to which personally identifiable information is put, and to assist individuals in finding such files within the agency.
The Privacy Act allows government agencies to exempt certain records from the access and amendment provisions. If an agency claims an exemption, however, it must issue a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to make clear to the public the reasons why a particular exemption is claimed.
DHS OIG is claiming exemption from certain requirements of the Privacy Act for IDMS. Information in this system relates to official OIG investigations and law enforcement activities. These exemptions are needed to protect information relating to OIG investigations from disclosure to subjects of investigations and others who could interfere with OIG's law enforcement activities. Specifically, the exemptions are required to preclude subjects of investigations from frustrating the investigative process; to avoid disclosure of investigative techniques; protect the identities and physical safety of confidential informants and of law enforcement personnel; ensure OIG's ability to obtain information from third parties and other sources; protect the privacy of third parties; and safeguard classified information. Disclosure of information to the subject of the inquiry could also permit the subject to avoid detection or apprehension.
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In addition, because OIG investigations arise out of DHS programs and activities, information in this records system may pertain to national security and related law enforcement matters. In such cases, allowing access to such information could alert subjects of OIG investigations into actual or potential criminal, civil, or regulatory violations, and could reveal in an untimely manner, OIG's and other agencies' investigative interests in law enforcement efforts to preserve national security.
The exemptions proposed here are standard law enforcement and
national security exemptions exercised by a large number of federal law
enforcement and intelligence agencies. In appropriate circumstances,
where compliance would not appear to interfere with or adversely affect
the law enforcement purposes of this system and the overall law
enforcement process, the applicable exemptions may be waived. List of Subjects in 6 CFR Part 5
Privacy, Freedom of information.
For the reasons stated in the preamble, DHS proposes to amend Chapter I of Title 6, Code of Federal Regulations, as follows: PART 5DISCLOSURE OF RECORDS AND INFORMATION
1. The authority citation for Part 5 continues to read as follows:
Authority: Pub. L. 107296, 116 Stat. 2135, 6 U.S.C. 101 et seq.; 5 U.S.C. 301.
Subpart A also issued under 5 U.S.C. 552. Subpart B also issued under 5 U.S.C. 552a.
2. At the end of Appendix C to Part 5, which was proposed to be added at 70 FR 14428, March 22, 2005, add the following new paragraph ``2'' to read as follows:
Appendix C to Part 5DHS Systems of Records Exempt From the Privacy Act
* * * * *
2. DHSOIG2005002, the Office of Inspector General Investigations
Data Management System (IDMS) consists of records and information
collected and maintained to receive and process allegations of
violations of criminal, civil, and administrative laws and regulations
relating to DHS programs, operations, and employees, as well as
contractors and other individuals and entities associated with the DHS.
The system allows the DHS Office of Inspector General to monitor case
assignments, disposition, status, and results; manage investigations
and information provided during the course of such investigations;
track actions taken by management regarding misconduct; track legal
actions taken following referrals to the United States Department of
Justice for prosecution or litigation; provide information relating to
any adverse action or other proceeding that may occur as a result of
the findings of an investigation; retrieve investigation results;
provide a system for creating and reporting statistical information;
and to provide a system to track Office of Inspector General
investigators' firearms qualification records and property records.
Pursuant to exemptions 5 U.S.C. 552a(j)(2) of the Privacy Act, portions
of this system are exempt from 5 U.S.C. 552a(c)(3) and (4); (d);
(e)(1), (e)(2), (e)(3), (e)(4)(G), (e)(4)(H), (e)(5) and (e)(8); (f)(2)
through (5); and (g). Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a (k)(1), (k)(2) and
(k)(5), this system is exempt from the following provisions of the
Privacy Act, subject to the limitations set forth in those subsections:
5 U.S.C. 552a (c)(3), (d), (e)(1), (e)(4)(G), (e)(4)(H), and (f).
Exemptions from these particular subsections are justified, on a case
bycase basis to be determined at the time a request is made, for the following reasons:
(a) From subsection (c)(3) (Accounting for Disclosures) because
release of the accounting of disclosures could alert the subject of an
investigation of an actual or potential criminal, civil, or regulatory
violation, to the existence of the investigation; and reveal
investigative interest on the part of DHS as well as the recipient
agency. Disclosure of the accounting would therefore present a serious
impediment to law enforcement efforts and/or efforts to preserve
national security. Disclosure of the accounting would also permit the
individual who is the subject of a record to impede the investigation,
tamper with witnesses or evidence, and avoid detection or apprehension, which would undermine the entire investigative process.
(b) From subsection (d) (Access to Records) because access to the
records contained in this system of records could inform the subject of
an investigation of an actual or potential criminal, civil, or
regulatory violation, to the existence of the investigation, and reveal
investigative interest on the part of DHS or another agency. Access to
the records could permit the individual who is the subject of a record
to impede the investigation, tamper with witnesses or evidence, and
avoid detection or apprehension. Amendment of the records could
interfere with ongoing investigations and law enforcement activities
and would impose an impossible administrative burden by requiring
investigations to be continuously reinvestigated. In addition,
permitting access and amendment to such information could disclose
securitysensitive information that could be detrimental to homeland security.
(c) From subsection (e)(1) (Relevancy and Necessity of Information)
because in the course of investigations into potential violations of
federal law, the accuracy of information obtained or introduced
occasionally may be unclear or the information may not be strictly
relevant or necessary to a specific investigation. In the interests of
effective law enforcement, it is appropriate to retain all information
that may aid in establishing patterns of unlawful activity.
(d) From subsection (e)(2) (Collection of Information from
Individuals) because requiring that information be collected from the
subject of an investigation would alert the subject as to the nature or
existence of an investigation, thereby interfering with the related investigation and law enforcement activities.
(e) From subsection (e)(3) (Notice to Subjects) because providing
such detailed information would impede law enforcement in that it could
compromise the existence of a confidential investigation or reveal the identity of witnesses or confidential informants.
(f) From subsections (e)(4)(G) and (H) (Agency Requirements), (f)
(Agency Rules), and (g) (Civil Remedies) because portions of this
system are exempt from the individual access provisions of subsection (d).
(g) From subsection (e)(5) (Collection of Information) because in
the collection of information for law enforcement purposes it is
impossible to determine in advance what information is accurate,
relevant, timely, and complete. Compliance with (e)(5) would preclude
OIG special agents from using their investigative training and exercise
of good judgment to both conduct and report on investigations.
(h) From subsection (e)(8) (Notice on Individuals) because
compliance would interfere with OIG's ability to obtain, serve, and
issue subpoenas, warrants and other law enforcement mechanisms that may
be filed under seal, and could result in disclosure of investigative techniques, procedures, and evidence.
(i) From subsection (g) to the extent that the system is exempt from other specific subsections of the Privacy Act.
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Dated: October 28, 2005.
Maureen Cooney,
Acting Chief Privacy Officer, Department of Homeland Security. [FR Doc. 0521952 Filed 11805; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 441010P
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
Richard N. Reback, Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General/STOP 2600, 245 Murray Drive, SW., Building 410, Washington, DC 20528 by telephone (202) 254 4100 or facsimile (202) 2544285; Maureen Cooney, Acting Chief Privacy Officer, Department of Homeland Security, 601 South 12th Street, Arlington, VA 222024220 by telephone (571) 2273813 or facsimile (571) 2274171.