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Grace Ferguson v. Springfield, City of - Police Department (SPR 20221102)
Massachusetts Public Records Appeal · Petitioner won — agency ordered to respond · Filed 05-11-2022
ClosedAppealPetitioner Won
SPR 20221102 is a Massachusetts Public Records Law appeal filed by Grace Ferguson concerning records held by Springfield, City of - Police Department, opened 05-11-2022. Type: Appeal. Status: Closed. Supervisor of Public Records determination: Petitioner won — agency ordered to respond.
Case Details
- Case Number
- 20221102
- Case Type
- Appeal
- Case Subtype
- Initial
- Status
- Closed
- Requester
- Grace Ferguson
- Date Opened
- 05-11-2022
- Date Closed
- 05-20-2022
- Date Request Submitted
- 03-28-2022
PDF Document
Extracted Text (searchable & copyable)
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts William Francis Galvin, Secretary of the Commonwealth Public Records Division Rebecca S. Murray Supervisor of Records May 20, 2022 SPR22/1102 Stephen G. Roche, Esq. Associate City Solicitor City of Springfield 36 Court Street, Room 210 Springfield, MA 01103 Dear Attorney Roche: I have received the petition of Grace Ferguson of WBUR appealing the nonresponse of the City of Springfield Police Department (Department) to a request for public records. See G. L. c. 66, § 10A; see also 950 C.M.R. 32.08(1). On March 28, 2022, Ms. Ferguson requested “…a copy of the following records concerning sworn officers of the Department dating back to January 1, 2010: [1] All internal affairs cases of domestic violence[;] [2] All internal affairs cases of sexual violence, including but not limited to rape and sexual assault.” A representative of the City responded to Ms. Ferguson’s request on April 12, 2022 asserting, “…City personnel is requiring a 15-day extension to continue the efforts of fulfilling your public records request.” Claiming to not yet have received responsive records, Ms. Ferguson petitioned this office and this appeal, SPR22/1102, was opened as a result. Despite being notified of the opening of this appeal, it remains unclear whether the Department has provided a response. As such, the Department is ordered to provide Ms. Ferguson with a response to her request, provided in a manner consistent with this order, the Public Records Law and its Access Regulations within ten (10) business days. A copy of any such response must be provided to this office. Ms. Ferguson may appeal the substantive nature of the Department’s response within ninety (90) days. See 950 C.M.R. 32.08(1). 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 Stephen G. Roche, Esq. SPR22/1102 Page 2 May 20, 2022 Sincerely, Rebecca S. Murray Supervisor of Records cc: Grace Ferguson, WBUR