Steven Courtemarche v. Lawrence, City of - Police Department (SPR 20171649)

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts William Francis Galvin, Secretary of the Commonwealth Public Records Division Rebecca S. Murray Supervisor ofR ecords November 28, 2017 SPR17/1649 Ms. Teresa Mejia Confidential Secretary Lawrence Police Department 90 Lowell St. Lawrence, MA O1 840 Ms. Mejia: I have received the petition from Steven Courtemarche appealing the nonresponse of Lawrence Police Department (Department) to a request for public records. G. L. c. 66, § 1O A; see also 950 C.M.R. 32.08(1). Specifically, Mr. Courtemarche requested "9 remaining Booking Record Photos and the name of a woman which was redacted in previously sent reports." Having received no response, Mr. Courtemarche 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 business days of receipt of the request. G. L. c. 66, § lO(a)-(b). The response may contain, among other things, an offer to provide records, a fee estimate for provision of the records, or a denial. G. L. c. 66, § lO(b). 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 the Public Records Division, this office was notified that the Department is preparing a response to Mr. Courtemarche's record request. Whereas this matter was opened based upon the Department's failure to provide a written response, I will now consider this administrative appeal closed with the proviso that the said response is provided within ten business days. Mr. Courtemarche may appeal the substantive nature of the Department's response within ninety days. See 950 C.M.R. 32.08(1). Sincerely, ~.~ Supervisor of Records cc: Steven Courtemarche 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