Morth, Esq., Karen v. Springfield, City of - Police Department (SPR 20150131)

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts William Francis Galvin, Secretary of the Commonwealth Public Records Division Shawn A. Williams Supervisor of& cords May 6, 2015 SPR15/131 Mr. E. Rhett Towles, Esq. Associate City Solicitor City of Springfield-Law Department 36 Court Street, Room 210 Springfield, MA 01103 Dear Attorney Towles: I have received the petition of Karen Morth, Esq., appealing the response of the City of Springfield Police Department (Department) to her request for public records. G. L. c. 66 § 1O (b ); see also 950 C.M.R. 32.08(2). Specifically, Attorney Morth requested copies of records related to a specifically identified "former Confidential Informant." In responses by the Department, clarified in an email to Attorney Morth dated April30, 2015, you indicated that after a search no responsive records exist. In your initial response you stated that the Department's Records Bureau "has no records," responsive to the request, "nor does the Springfield Police Internal Investigations Unit." You further stated in this initial response that the City's "Detective Bureau may have files within its possession," which you stated would be exempt from disclosure. In your April 30 response you again stated that the Detective Bureau may have records related to confidential informants, but would be exempt from disclosure; however, later in your response you indicated that any records it may possess would be past the required retention period and would no longer exist. Whereas you have stated there are no records responsive to Attorney Morth' s request, I will consider this administrative appeal closed. As such, a review of the exemption claims applied to nonexistent records is not required. IT pervisor of Records cc: Ms. Karen Morth, Esq. OneAshburton Place, Room 1719, Boston, Massachusetts 02108 · (617) 727-2832. Fax (617) 727-5914 www.sec.state.ma. us/ pre