Patrick Higgins v. Swansea, Town of - Police Department (SPR 20160569)

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts William Francis Galvin, Secretary of the Commonwealth Public Records Division Shawn A. Williams Supervisor ofR ecords August 5, 2016 SPR16/569; SPR16/570 Chief George Arruda Town of Swansea -Police Department 1700 Grand Army Highway Swansea, MA 02777 Dear Chief Arruda: I have received the petition of Patrick Higgins appealing the nomesponse of the Town of Swansea- 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. Higgins requested a number of records pertaining to Department employees' "time cards or time sheets from April2012 to present (and) mutual aid agreement." Having received no response, Mr. Higgins petitioned this office. 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 response may be an offer to provide records, a fee estimate for provision of the records, or a denial. 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 notified that a response was provided, dated June 23 and June 27, 2016. 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. Higgins may appeal the substantive nature ofthe Department's response within ninety (90) days. See 950 C.M.R. 32.08(2). Supervisor of Records cc: Mr. Patrick Higgins OneAshburton Place, Room 1719, Boston, Massachusetts 02108 · (617) 727-2832 ·Fax (617) 727-5914 www.sec.state.ma. us/pre