Blankenship, Shawn v. North Brookfield Police Department (SPR 20261138)

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts William Francis Galvin, Secretary of the Commonwealth Public Records Division Manza Arthur Supervisor of Records April 13, 2026 SPR26/1138 Chief Ryan P. Daley North Brookfield Police Department 55 School Street North Brookfield, MA 01535 Dear Chief Daley: I have received the petition of Shawn Blankenship appealing the nonresponse of the North Brookfield 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 30, 2025, Mr. Blankenship requested the following: [1] The date you stoped [sic] using the body cams[;] [2] The date your body cam system went out of service[;] [3] Date the body cam system was repaired replaced and or restored[;] [4] A receipt of repairs and the company who restored and or repaired[;] [5] Reason you are not providing any requested body cam footage of the stalker [an identified individual] and interviews with any and all officers in reference to all investigations and or interviews with stalker [an identified individual] a recent employee of North Brookfield Massachusetts town hall cable advisory committee[;] [6] Following materials of September 30 2025[;] [a] All written witness statements from all witnesses including [an identified individual] and [an identified individual] and all witnesses.(Not just [an identified officer’s] slandering perjured narrative)[;] [b] All body cam footage from [an identified officer] and [an identified officer]. Both cuts of [an identified officer] as he paused camera unredacted as you have done in the past[sic][;] [c] All phone call numbers including the juvenile[;] [d] All store cameras[;] [e] All follow up investigations with [an identified location’s] dates and times incident numbers[;] [f] Reason [an identified individual] was not investigated or arrested for assaulting us[;] 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 Ryan P. Daley SPR26/1138 Page 2 April 13, 2026 [7] I am requesting all the following materials for the following date of November 8, 2025 between 4:00 pm and 6:00 p.m[;] [a] All call numbers[;] [b] All incident numbers[;] [c] Lobby video and audio[;] [d] East West North and south outside camera footage of your department[;] [e] Body cam footage uncut of both exhibits as [an identified officer] paused his camera of the entire call of the citizens interview with [an identified officer] in the back and our interview in the parking lot. All body cam footage uncut from 4 pm to 6 pm[;] [8] All the following requests from July 2005 to January 30 2026 regarding [an identified individual or myself[;] [a] All incident numbers[;] [b] All body cam footage[;] [c] All call numbers[;] [d] All incident numbers and call numbers in reference to anyone filming or protesting[;] [e] Reason your department provided only video with no audio of lobby [an identified individual] who coericed [sic] child to file false reports on video but redacted audio recording[;] [9] [I] am requesting all the following materials for the following date of November 6, 2025 between 8 a.m. and 11:00 p.m[;] [a] All call numbers[;] [b] All incident numbers[;] [c] All text messages[;] [d] All witness statements[;] [e] All written complaints[;] [f] All verbal complaints[;] [g] All body cam footage of any interactions between the police and complainers[;] [10] The following materials[;] [a] All body cam footage of any interactions between the police and complainers including all investigations of all parties regarding any interactions with [identified individuals] and any and all other citizens regarding any interactions with regards to interviews calls investigations and interactions with your department and myself and of my name of all times from date of using body cameras[;] [b] All camera footage of the North Brookfield Massachusetts police department front lobby outside cameras interview room etc. of all interactions of my accuser(s) interviews investigations etc[;] [c] All recommended charges against [an identified individual] or I[;] [d] All materials including discipline against [an identified individual] for [their] death threats to build another EMF weapon to murder my family on

Chief Ryan P. Daley SPR26/1138 Page 3 April 13, 2026 his Facebook page that I reported before [they] resigned immediately after[;] [e] All dates and officer names call numbers and incident numbers in regards to all interviews of stalker [an identified individual] interviews from all interviews with [identified officers] and other officers[;] [f] All body cam footage of any interactions between the police and complainers including all investigations of all parties regarding any interactions with [identified individuals] and any and all other citizens regarding any interactions with regards to interviews calls investigations and interactions with your department and myself and of my name of all times from date of using body cameras[;] [g] All camera footage of the North Brookfield Massachusetts police department front lobby outside cameras interview room etc. of all interactions of my accuser(s) interviews investigations etc[;] [h] All recommended charges against me[;] [i] All materials including discipline against [an identified individual] for his death threats to murder my family on [their] Facebook page that I reported[;] [j] A copy of the illegal search warrant to seize [an identified individual’s] phone on September 19, 2019 in a criminal ruse to secure illegal search warrant and name of magistrate judge who conspired to approve[;] [k] Names of all people who have requested materials in my name[;] [l] A copy of any complaints or reports from [identified individuals] or any other people making public records request[;] [m] All incident numbers of all calls reports and complaints by [an identified location] in North Brookfield Massachusetts including but not limited to civilians employees manager or any persons from 2005 to January 30, 2026[;] [11] The following materials[;] [a] All call numbers from [an identified location][;] [b] All incident numbers from the same[;] [c] All body cam footage of the same[;] [d] All complaints from the same[.] Previous Appeal This request was the subject of a previous appeal. See SPR26/0559 Determination of the Supervisor of Records (February 20, 2026). In my February 20th determination, I ordered the Department to provide Mr. Blankenship with a written response. Subsequently, the Department responded on March 27, 2026. Unsatisfied with the response, Mr. Blankenship petitioned this office and this appeal, SPR26/1138, was opened as a result.

Chief Ryan P. Daley SPR26/1138 Page 4 April 13, 2026 The Public Records Law The Public Records Law strongly favors disclosure by creating a presumption that all governmental records are public records. G. L. c. 66, § 10A(d); 950 C.M.R. 32.03(4). “Public records” is broadly defined to include all documentary materials or data, regardless of physical form or characteristics, made or received by any officer or employee of any agency or municipality of the Commonwealth, unless falling within a statutory exemption. G. L. c. 4, § 7(26). It is the burden of the records custodian to demonstrate the application of an exemption in order to withhold a requested record. G. L. c. 66, § 10(b)(iv); 950 C.M.R. 32.06(3); see also Dist. Attorney for the Norfolk Dist. v. Flatley, 419 Mass. 507, 511 (1995) (custodian has the burden of establishing the applicability of an exemption). To meet the specificity requirement a custodian must not only cite an exemption, but must also state why the exemption applies to the withheld or redacted portion of the responsive record. If there are any fees associated with a response a written, good faith estimate must be provided. G. L. c. 66, § 10(b)(viii); see also 950 C.M.R. 32.07(2). Once fees are paid, a records custodian must provide the responsive records. The Department’s March 27th Response In its March 27, 2026 response, the Department provides numerous responsive records, along with answers to numerous questions listed in Mr. Blankenship’s request. Current Appeal In his appeal, Mr. Blankenship states the following: I’m specifically requesting body cam footage from [two named officers] and cell phone footage of all witnesses and the store camera footage. Please Compel Chief Ryan Daley to provide for me to provide for FBI investigation and federal lawsuits. I don’t care about the department footage at this time. Based on the foregoing, I find it is unclear what the basis of Mr. Blankenship’s appeal is. Mr. Blankenship is advised that all petitions for appeal “shall specifically describe the nature of the requestor’s objections to the response or failure to timely respond.” 950 C.M.R. 32.08(l)(f). Accordingly, Mr. Blankenship may wish to submit a new appeal, describing his specific objections to the Department’s response. Where it appears that Mr. Blankenship may be willing to narrow the scope of his request, this office encourages Mr. Blankenship to communicate with the Department directly in order to facilitate providing records more efficiently and affordably. See G. L. c. 66, § 10(b)(vii) (a municipality shall suggest a reasonable modification of the scope of the request or offer to assist

Chief Ryan P. Daley SPR26/1138 Page 5 April 13, 2026 the requestor to modify the scope of the request if doing so would enable the municipality to produce the records sought more efficiently and affordably). Conclusion Accordingly, I will consider this administrative appeal closed. If Mr. Blankenship is not satisfied with the resolution of this administrative appeal, please be advised that this office shares jurisdiction with the Superior Court of the Commonwealth. See G. L. c. 66, §§ 10(b)(ix), 10A(c) (pursuing administrative appeal does not limit availability of judicial remedies). Sincerely, Manza Arthur Supervisor of Records cc: Shawn Blankenship