Prepare for the Next Public Records Request Before It Arrives 

Public records requests come without warning. With the right tools, municipalities can prepare for the next public records request before it even arrives.  

Public records are becoming more complex 

Public agencies are facing increasing expectations such as handling larger workloads with limited staff, processing more records, and more timely responses to record requests.  

Preparing records for release requires multiple steps such as: 

• Reviewing hundreds of pages 
• Identifying confidential information 
• Meeting deadlines 
• Complying with public records laws 
• Maintaining accuracy throughout the time-consuming process  

It is more important than ever that public agencies develop efficient workflows and utilize tools so that valuable time is not entirely consumed by the public record preparation process.  

Great leaders don’t wake up thinking about records management 

Municipal leaders are often focused on the challenges that demand immediate action in their community, including: 

• Lawsuits  
• Compliance issues 
• Media requests 
• Staffing shortages 
• Public trust  

With many competing priorities, it is understandable that public records requests are not always at the top of a municipality’s to-do list. Without dedicated staff or a clear process in place, responding to these requests can become even more challenging. 

Requests can come at any point in time and create a new item on that list. When this happens, municipalities are expected to respond quickly while meeting all legal requirements, which can be stressful and difficult when staff are not prepared. That’s why having the right tools and processes can make a difference when a request arrives unexpectedly. 

Why does preparation matter? 

There is often unnecessary pressure faced by public entities when a public record is requested. Being prepared for requests before they are submitted can help:   

• Reduce compliance risks 
• Adequately protect confidential information  
• Respond to requests more quickly and efficiently 

All of which are important in supporting both the public, and the staff who are responsible for meeting deadlines for these record requests.  

How CSS and CaseGuard can help 

Capital Strategic Solutions and CaseGuard aim to help public safety and government agencies modernize the way they manage public records.  

CaseGuard offers solutions that allow for: 

• AI assisted document redaction 
  • Automatically remove sensitive data such as SSNs, Employer Identification numbers, names, addresses, and more from PDFs, emails, and scanned documents. 
• Video, audio, and image redaction  
  • Automatically detect and redact 12 categories of PII such as faces, license plates, notepads, and screens across an unlimited number of videos. 
  • Mute or bleep 33 categories of sensitive content from audio files, and directly transcribe and translate audio and video files in 100+ languages.  
• Faster preparation for release of public records 
  • Reduced time needed for manual reviewing of each video, document, or audio file. 
  • Reduced time needed for manual reviewing  

CaseGuard’s tools make the efficient release of public record requests a realistic expectation for communities. This timely response encourages public trust, support, and greater engagement with public agencies.  

Looking forward 

Public agencies will receive another record request, and staff may feel anticipation or anxiety regarding when that request will come. However, preparation is everything. Using CaseGuard’s tools today makes for a lighter workload tomorrow, and less pressure when that next public records request comes in.  

We encourage all public agencies and municipal leaders to start the preparation process today to create better and stronger relationships with the communities you serve.