Mary Serreze v. New Bedford, City of - Police Department (SPR 20202286)

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts William Francis Galvin, Secretary of the Commonwealth Public Records Division Rebecca S. Murray Supervisor of Records December 8, 2020 SPR20/2286; SPR20/2287 Officer Michael Boswell Records Access Officer City of New Bedford Police Department Central Records Bureau 871 Rockdale Avenue New Bedford, MA 02740 Dear Officer Boswell: I have received the petitions of Mary Serreze, the News Director of WBSM 1420 AM, appealing the response of the City of New Bedford Police Department (Department) to requests for public records. G. L. c. 66, § 10A; see also 950 C.M.R. 32.08(1). Specifically, Ms. Serreze requested: 1. Any and all police reports and/or charging documents relevant to an Oct. 12 altercation in New Bedford involving an identified candidate for office involving an alleged assault at a political rally; 2. All police reports and logs relevant to an Oct. 28th bank robbery at the South Coast Federal Credit Union; and 3. The booking photo of an identified person from the Town of Carver who committed an armed robbery in February 2019 at JC’s Variety Store in New Bedford. As a result of not receiving any formal written response to her requests from the Department, Ms. Serreze petitioned the Supervisor of Records (Supervisor), and SPR20/2286 and SPR20/2287 were opened on November 23, 2020. I note that SPR20/2286 relates to Request Numbers 1 and 3, and SPR20/2287 relates to Request Number 2. These appeal files have been combined to simplify the requests and responses to Ms. Serreze’s requests. After the appeals were opened, the Department, through the Assistant City Solicitor, Elizabeth Treadup Pio, contacted this office and explained that responses to the requests were provided. On December 1, 2020, the Department provided this office with copies of three individual written responses dated November 25, 2020 that were also provided to Ms. Serreze. 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

Officer Michael Boswell SPR20/2286 Page 2 December 8, 2020 Conclusion Accordingly, whereas the appeals were opened due a non-response to the requests, and that the Department has now provided responses dated November 25th, I will consider the appeals closed. Ms. Serreze is advised that she may appeal the substantive nature of the responses within 90 calendar days. See 950 C.M.R. 32.08(1). Sincerely, Rebecca S. Murray Supervisor of Records cc: Mary Serreze, WBSM 1420 AM Elizabeth Treadup Pio, Esq., Assistant City Solicitor