Sophia Davidson v. Watertown, City of - Police Department (SPR 20253244)

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts William Francis Galvin, Secretary of the Commonwealth Public Records Division Manza Arthur Supervisor of Records November 17, 2025 SPR25/3244 Cynthia Gadbois Watertown Police Department 552 Main Street Watertown, MA 02472 Dear Ms. Gadbois: I have received the petition of Sophia Davidson appealing the nonresponse of the Watertown 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 September 16, 2025, Ms. Davidson requested the following: [1] All departmental or municipal policies regarding communication and information sharing between departmental officers or employees and federal agents/agencies within the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) or the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), including but not limited to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), [including] but is not limited to, policies regarding: [a] Fingerprint and other data sharing, [b] ICE detainer requests, [c] Complaince with federal immigration enformcment efforts, including guidance or policies around when communication with ICE officers is allowed, [d] Communciation with federal immigration enformcent officers[;] [2] The three most recent communications (e.g., emails, text messages, call logs or transcripts, or otherwise) between a departmental officer or employee and a federal DHS or ICE employee. In addition, … all records related to these communications, including, but not limited to, any records indicating that the department was made aware of the communications, discussions of their content or implications, evaluations them for compliance with departmental or other city policies, identification or acknowledgement of any potential policy violations, and any internal responses, disciplinary actions, or follow-up measures resulting from these communications[;] 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

Cynthia Gadbois SPR25/3244 Page 2 November 17, 2025 [3] All records relating to incidents, if any, from January 20, 2025, to the day this request is responded to, in which an individual was taken from the department’s custody directly into ICE custody. For each incident, the records request includes, but is not limited to, booking and transfer records, communications with ICE or other federal agencies, internal documentation or discussion of the transfer, and internal notes, memos, or documentation referencing communication with DHS or ICE. Claiming to not yet have received a response, Ms. Davidson petitioned this office and this appeal, SPR25/3244, was opened as a result. Subsequently, I learned that the Department intends on providing a written response to Ms. Davidson. Accordingly, the Department is ordered to provide Ms. Davidson with said response in accordance with the Public Records Law, its Regulations and this order within ten 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. Ms. Pratt may appeal the substantive nature of the Department’s response within ninety days. See 950 C.M.R. 32.08(1). Sincerely, Manza Arthur Supervisor of Records cc: Sophia Davidson