Todd Wallack v. North Attleboro, Town of - Police Department (SPR 20170727)

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts William Francis Galvin, Secretary of the Commonwealth Public Records Division Rebecca S. Murray Supervisor ofR ecords June 7, 2017 SPR17/727 John J. Reilly Chief of Police North Attleboro Police Department 102 South Washington Street North Attleboro, MA 02760 Dear Chief Reilly: I have received the petition of Todd Wallack appealing the response of the North Attleboro Police Department (Department) to a request for public records. G. L. c. 66 § lOA; see also 950 C.M.R. 32.08(1). Specifically, Mr. Wallack requested "any and all records" pertaining to an identified person. Mr. Wallack provided categories of records that should be included with the requested records. In a response dated May 23, 2017, the Department provided booking photos, but withheld the remaining responsive records under Exemption (f) of the Public Records Law. G. L. c. 4, § 7(26)(±). The Public Records Law The Public Records Law strongly favors disclosure by creating a presumption that all governmental records are public records. G. L. c. 66, § lOA(d); 950 C.M.R. 32.03(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, § lO(b)(iv); 950 C.M.R. 32.06(3); see also Dist. Attorney for the Norfolk Dist. v. Flatley, 419 Mass. 507, 511 (1995) (custodian has the burden of establishing the applicability of an exemption). 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. If there are any fees associated with a response a written, good faith estimate must be provided. G. L. c. 66, § 1 O(b )(viii); see also 950 C.M.R. 32.07(2). Once fees are paid, a records custodian must provide the responsive records. 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

John J. Reilly SPR17/727 Page 2 June 7, 2017 To assist in requesting and responding to requests for public records please refer 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. Public Records Division attorneys are available during regular business hours to answer general questions regarding the Public Records Law. In addition, Public Records Division staff will visit a records custodian in person to conduct training workshops on the Public Records Law upon request. Please contact the Public Records Division directly at the telephone number provided in this determination for further information. Exemption (f) Exemption (f) permits the withholding of: investigatory materials necessarily compiled out of the public view by law enforcement or other investigatory officials the disclosure of which materials would probably so prejudice the possibility of effective law enforcement that such disclosure would not be in the public interest G. L. c. 4, §7 (26)(f). A custodian of records generally must demonstrate a prejudice to investigative efforts in order to withhold requested records. Information relating to an ongoing investigation may be withheld if disclosure could alert suspects to the activities of investigative officials. Confidential investigative techniques may also be withheld indefinitely if disclosure is deemed to be prejudicial to future law enforcement activities. Bougas v. ChiefofPolice ofLexington, 371 Mass 59, 62 (1976). An investigative agency is not required to demonstrate prejudice to withhold the identities of voluntary witnesses, informants, or complainants. Reinstein v. Police Comm'r of Boston, 3 78 Mass. 281, 290 n.18 (1979). Exemption (f) invites a "case-by-case consideration" of whether disclosure "would probably so prejudice the possibility of effective law enforcement that such disclosure would not be in the public interest." See id. at 289-90. The Department claims that "no records are presently subject to public disclosure." The Department also asserts that issues regarding one individual's conviction "are still the subject of litigation" and another individual "has an appeal that is still pending, and consequently his conviction is not yet final for the purpose of your request." You further indicate that "while the cases remain open, we must decline from making public disclosure of the evidence you requested." However, it is unclear what type of responsive records the Department is withholding, how the matter remains ongoing, and how disclosure "would probably so prejudice the possibility of effective law enforcement that such disclosure would not be in the public interest" as required by Exemption (f). As such, the Department has not met its burden to establish how the responsive records may be withheld in their entirety. See Reinstein, 378 Mass. at 289-90 (the

John J. Reilly SPR17/727 Page 3 June 7, 2017 statutory exemptions are narrowly construed and are not blanket in nature). Any non-exempt, segregable portion of a public record is subject to mandatory disclosure. G. L. c. 66, § 1O (a). I understand a Public Records Division staff attorney contacted you and provided a copy of the file associated with this appeal. Conclusion Accordingly, I will consider this appeal closed with the proviso that the Department provide Mr. Wallack with a response to the request, provided in a manner consistent with this order, the Public Records Law and its Regulations within ten business days. A copy of 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. Sincerely, Rebecca S. Murray Supervisor of Records cc: Todd Wallack