Corey Spaulding v. Natick, Town of - Police Department (SPR 20161184)

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts William Francis Galvin, Secretary of the Commonwealth Public Records Division Shawn A. Williams Supervisor of Records December 16, 2016 SPR16/1184 Chief James G. Hicks Natick Police Department 13 East Central Street Natick, MA 01760 Dear Chief Hicks: I have received the petition of Corey Spaulding appealing the response of the Town of Natick-Police Department (Department) to a request for public records. G. L. c. 66 § lO(b); see also 950 C.M.R. 32.08(2). Specifically, Ms. Spaulding requested any and all information pertaining to a residency investigation conducted at a specific address. Subsequent to the intervention by a member of my staff, you confirmed the Department has no responsive records. Under the Public Records Law, the Department is not required to create a list of records or any record in response to a public records request. In addition, a public employee is not required to answer questions, or do research, or create documents in response to questions. See G. L. c. 66, § lO(a); 32 Op. Atty Gen. 157, 165 (May 18, 1977). The duty to comply with requests for information extends only to those records that exist and are in the custody of the custodian of records at the time of the request. See G. L. c. 4, § 7(26). Accordingly, I will consider this administrative appeal closed. Supervisor of Records cc: Corey Spaulding One Ashburton Place, Room 1719, Boston, Massachusetts 02108 • (617) 727-2832• Fax: (617) 727-5914 sec. state.ma. us/pre • pre@sec.state.ma. us