Jorge Oquendo v. Springfield, City of - Police Department (SPR 20160478)

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts William Francis Galvin, Secretary of the Commonwealth Public Records Division Shawn A. Williams Supervisor ofR ecords July 19, 2016 SPR16/478 Ms. Andrea L. Stone City of Springfield - Law Department 36 Court St, Room 210 Springfield, MA 01103 Dear Ms. Stone: I have received the petition of Mr. Jorge Oquendo appealing the response of the Springfield Police Department (Department) to a request for public records. G. L. c. 66 § 1O (b ); see also 950 C.M.R. 32.08(2). Specifically, Mr. Oquendo requested a copy of the manual for the handling of confidential informants as well as other records relating to the Department's use of confidential information. Under the Public Records Law and the Access Regulations (Regulations) all requests for public records must be met with a response within ten (1 0) days of the request. G. L. c. 66, § 10(b); 950 C.M.R. 32.05. The ten-day provision is a maximum, rather than a minimum, time frame for complying with a public records request. The response may be an offer to provide records, a fee estimate for provision of the records, or a denial. The Department is advised that all records custodians must comply with both the Public Records Law and the Regulations with respect to the timeliness of response. Subsequent to the intervention by a member of my staff, this office was informed that the Department provided a response dated June 17, 2016. Accordingly, whereas this matter was opened based upon the Department's failure to provide a written response, I will now consider this administrative appeal closed. Mr. Oquendo may appeal the substantive nature of the Department's response within ninety (90) days. See 950 C.M.R 32.08(2). Very truly yours, ~ams Supervisor of Records cc: Mr. Jorge Oquendo OneAshburton Place, Room 1719, Boston, Massachusetts 02108 · (617) 727-2832 ·Fax (617) 727-5914 www.sec.state.ma. us/pre