Joseph Steinbach v. Agawam, Town of - Police Department (SPR 20240358)

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts William Francis Galvin, Secretary of the Commonwealth Public Records Division Manza Arthur Supervisor of Records February 6, 2024 SPR24/0358 Eric Gillis Chief of Police Agawam Police Department 681 Springfield Street Feeding Hills, MA 01030 Dear Chief Gillis: I have received the petition of Joseph Steinbach, appealing the nonresponse of the Agawam 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 January 11, 2024, Mr. Steinbach requested the following records: [1] An extract of your records management system or database that includes each school-related arrest and each referral to law enforcement conducted during the 2018-2019, 2019-2020, 2020-2021, and 2021-2022 school year (up until the day the records are produced) . . . [2] If such an extract of the database in question 1 is not possible, please provide school incident reports on each school-related arrest and referral to law enforcement conducted during the 2018-2019, 2019-2020, 2020-2021, and 2021- 2022 school year (up until the day the records are produced). [3] A copy of any active standard operating procedures developed with the police department and/or other law enforcement agencies regarding police placement or activity in your corresponding school; and, [4] Any records instructing or informing police personnel of, or otherwise describing data reporting requirements and procedures for complying with G.L. c. 71 § 37P(b). [5] The cost to the school district of assigning a school resource officer to each school… 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

Chief Eric Gillis SPR24/0358 Page 2 February 6, 2024 [6] The total number of school resource officers and total number of guidance counselor for each school in your district for school years 2018-2019, 2019-2020, 2020-2021, and, [7] The total number and a brief description of 911 calls from schools in your district to local police departments conducted during the 2018-2019, 2019-2020, 2020-2021, and 2021- 2022, and, [8] A description of the proposed budget for mental, social, or emotional health support personnel for the school district. Claiming to not yet have received responsive records, Mr. Steinbach petitioned this office and this appeal, SPR24/0358, was opened as a result. Despite being notified of the opening of this appeal, it remains unclear whether the Department has provided a response. Accordingly, the Department is ordered to provide Mr. Steinbach with a response to the request, provided in a manner consistent with this order, the Public Records Law and its Regulations within ten (10) business days. A copy of any such response must be provided to this office. It is preferable to send an electronic copy of the response to this office at pre@sec.state.ma.us. Mr. Steinbach may appeal the substantive nature of the Department’s response within ninety (90) days. See 950 C.M.R. 32.08(1). Sincerely, Manza Arthur Supervisor of Records cc: Joseph Steinbach