Michael Dreslinski v. Executive Office of Public Safety and Security - Department of State Police (SPR 20160110)

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts William Francis Galvin, Secretary of the Commonwealth Public Records Division Shawn A. Williams Supervisor ofR ecords March 8, 2016 SPR16/110 Ms. Jaclyn R. Zawada, Esq. Massachusetts Department of State Police 470 Worcester Road Framingham, MA 01702 Dear Attorney Zawada: I have received the petition of Michael Dreslinski appealing the nonresponse of the Massachusetts Department of State Police (Department) to a request for public records. G. L. c. 66 § 10(b); see also 950 C.M.R. 32.08(2). Specifically, Mr. Dreslinski requested records related to two specifically identified troopers' investigation of a fire at a boat ramp and grass fires on specific dates. Despite our letter to you dated February 24, 2016 acknowledging the opening of this appeal and communication from a member of my staff, no response has been provided. The Public Records Law strongly favors disclosure by creating a presumption that all governmental records are public records. G. L. c. 66, § 10(c); 950 C.M.R. 32.08(4). "Public records" is broadly defined to include all documentary materials or data, regardless of physical form or characteristics, made or received by any officer or employee of any town of the Commonwealth, unless falling within a statutory exemption. G. L. c. 4, § 7(26). It is the burden of the records custodian to demonstrate the application of an exemption in order to withhold a requested record. G. L. c. 66, § 10 (c ); see also District Attorney for the Norfolk Dist. v. Flatley, 419 Mass. 507, 511 (1995) (custodian has the burden of establishing the applicability of an exemption). I find the Department has failed to respond to a request for public records. Accordingly, the Department is hereby ordered, within ten (10) days ofthis order, to provide Mr. Dreslinski with a response to the request, provided in a manner consistent with this order, the Public Records Law and its Regulations. If the Department maintains that any portion of the responsive records are exempt from disclosure it must, within ten (1 0) days provide to Mr. Dreslinski a written explanation, with specificity, how a particular exemption applies to each record. To meet the specificity requirement a custodian must not only cite an exemption, but must also state why the exemption applies to the withheld or redacted portion of the responsive record. A copy of OneAshburton Place, Room 1719, Boston, Massachusetts 02108 · (617) 727-2832 ·Fax (617) 727-5914 www.sec.state.ma. us/ pre

Ms. Jaclyn R. Zawada, Esq. SPR16/110 Page2 March 8, 2016 any such response must be provided to this office. It is preferable to send an electronic copy of this response to this office at pre@sec.state.ma.us. If there are any fees associated with this response a written, good faith estimate must be provided. G. L. c. 66, § 10(a); see also 950 C.M.R. 32.06(2) (where cost of complying with a request for public records is expected to exceed ten dollars ($10.00), custodian of records shall provide written good faith estimate). Once the fees are paid, you must provide the responsive records. To assist the Department in responding to requests for public records I refer you to our publication, A Guide to the Massachusetts Public Records Law. This document is available on the Internet, free of charge, at http://www.sec.state.ma.us/pre/prepdf/guide.pdf. Attorneys on my staff are available during regular business hours to answer general questions regarding the Public Records Law. In addition, members of my staff will visit a rec rds custodian in person to conduct training workshops on the Public Records Law upon r quest. Please contact my office directly at the telephone number provided in this dete in tio for further information. cc: Mr. Michael Dreslinski