The City Secretary's Office has citywide oversight of the city's records management practices, including responses to requests for public information (open records requests). Departments generally receive and respond to public information requests directly, without going through this office. The records management program responsibilities are detailed in City Code Chapter 39C.
Records Management Officer
The records management officer administers the records management and archives program; advises the records management policy committee on program policies; inspects city records; ascertains the city's compliance with recordkeeping requirements established by state law, city charter and city code; prepares records retention and disposition schedules; provides and facilitates access to public information under the Texas Public Information (Open Records) Act; and operates the Dallas Municipal Archives and Records Center (DMARC).
If you have questions related to the above issues, please contact the Records Management Office by e-mail at SECRMT@dallas.gov or call (214) 670-3743.
Records Management Policy Committee
The records management policy committee establishes records management program policies for the city and consists of the city attorney, city auditor, city manager, and city secretary.
City of Dallas Records Center
The City of Dallas Records Center serves as the city's centralized repository for noncurrent records. The Records Center houses approximately 85,000 cubic feet of noncurrent records from all City departments.
Dallas Municipal Archives
The Dallas Municipal Archives serves as the city's repository for permanently valuable and historical records of city government. The Archives contains over 5,000 cubic feet of material, including the Dallas Police Department John F. Kennedy Assassination Records; Police records related to Bonnie Parker, Clyde Barrow and Raymond Hamilton; Dallas City Council Minutes and Ordinances dating from 1868; Dallas City Charters, 1871-current; City Code, 1911-current; Annual Reports, 1888-current; several Park and Recreation historical collections; Budgets, 1916-current, incomplete; and other collections.
John Slate, CA, the City Archivist, maintains the Dallas Municipal Archives. Please contact the City Archivist by e-mail to municipal.archives@dallas.gov or call (214) 670-5270 if you have questions about the City's archival collections or would like coordinate a research appointment.
Texas Public Information Act (Open Records Act)
The Texas Public Information Act (Texas Open Records Act), Chapter 552, Texas Government Code, establishes requirements for governmental bodies to respond to written requests for access and/or reproductions of public information. Learn more...
