Ben v. Springfield, City of - Police Department (SPR 20213044)

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts William Francis Galvin, Secretary of the Commonwealth Public Records Division Rebecca S. Murray Supervisor of Records November 22, 2021 SPR21/3044 Stephen G. Roche, Esq. Third Associate City Solicitor City of Springfield 36 Court Street, Room 210 Springfield, MA 01103 Dear Attorney Roche: I have received the petition of Ben Anonymous appealing the response of the Springfield Police Department (Department) to a request for public records. G. L. c. 66, § 10A; see also 950 C.M.R. 32.08(1). On November 2, 2021, the requestor sought “body camera footage from the following day 10/10/21 just after midnight from [two named officers] and the 3 other officers present.” The Department responded on November 15, 2021, denying the request and citing Exemption (f) of the Public Records Law for withholding responsive records. See G. L. c. 4, 7(26)(f). Unsatisfied with the Department’s response, the requestor appealed, and this case was opened as a result. Subsequent to the opening of this appeal, I understand the Department provided this office and the requestor with a supplemental response by email on November 19, 2021. As this appeal was opened based on the Department’s November 15th response, in light of the supplemental response provided by the Department, I will now consider this administrative appeal closed. The requestor may further appeal the substantive nature of the Department’s supplemental response within ninety (90) days. See 950 C.M.R. 32.08(1). Sincerely, Rebecca S. Murray Supervisor of Records cc: Ben Anonymous 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