Attached are the responsive records for your opra request dated June 14,
2021.  Documents include quarterly and annual professional standards
reports for 2020.  Records do not exist for any monthly reports,  The
document requested for major discipline cases, required for New Jersey's
Directive 2020-5 does not exist at this time.  We are awaiting further
guidance from the NJ Attorney General’s Office.    

--
Lieutenant Thomas Hammill
Highland Park Police Department
222 South Fifth Avenue
Highland Park, New Jersey  08904
[1][email address]
732-572-3800 ext. 4235

══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

Email received by or sent to Borough officials and employees is subject to
the Open Public Records Act (OPRA). This means that absent some specific
privilege, all such communications are considered a public record and are
subject to publication and/or dissemination to the public upon request.

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]

Mr. Kratovil,
The previous version of the AG's guidelines stated that major discipline
(10 days or more suspension) would be posted periodically.  We interpreted
this as posting once a year, when we had major discipline that fit into
the directive.  If there was no discipline that fit that criteria, the
directive was not clear on what, if anything, should be posted.  We did
not post if there was no discipline that fit.
There was one major discipline incident in 2020.  We would have posted
this by the end of 2020, but the AG's Office "stayed" this portion of the
directive pending the Court decision.  I am attaching the guidance from
the AG's office that we received (highlighted section) for your
information.  We currently do not have anything officially prepared for
2020 major discipline.
Because we believe in transparency,  I will tell you of the
disciplinary incident, but this does not include the officer's name.  We
are still awaiting direction from the Prosecutor's Office about how we are
going to report, what format we will be using and how far back
we will report.

In 2020:

One disciplinary charge was sustained as the result of an Internal Affairs
investigation opened in 2019.  The officer received 30 days suspension for
conduct unbecoming an officer.  This officer was arrested on suspected DWI
charges.  The Court case was heard in Federal Court in Newark and the DWI
charges were dropped, and the officer was found guilty of a motor vehicle
violation and had their license suspended.  This IA was not finished until
after the Court proceedings, which went into February 2020.  The Officer
did not serve their suspension until the end of the first quarter of
2020. 

I hope this fulfills your request.
Thank you.
On Sat, Jun 19, 2021 at 6:59 PM Charlie Kratovil
<[1][OPRA #23839 email]> wrote:

Dear Lt. Hammill,

Thank you for response.  As the major discipline document specific to
the AG's latest guidelines is not yet ready, please provide whatever
version you have of the required synopses for 2020 major discipline
cases.

Yours sincerely,

Charlie Kratovil

-----Original Message-----

Attached are the responsive records for your opra request dated June 14,
 2021.  Documents include quarterly and annual professional standards
 reports for 2020.  Records do not exist for any monthly reports,  The
 document requested for major discipline cases, required for New
Jersey's
 Directive 2020-5 does not exist at this time.  We are awaiting further
 guidance from the NJ Attorney General’s Office.    

 --
 Lieutenant Thomas Hammill
 Highland Park Police Department
 222 South Fifth Avenue
 Highland Park, New Jersey  08904
 [1][email address]
 732-572-3800 ext. 4235

 ══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

 ══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

 Email received by or sent to Borough officials and employees is subject
to
 the Open Public Records Act (OPRA). This means that absent some
specific
 privilege, all such communications are considered a public record and
are
 subject to publication and/or dissemination to the public upon request.

References

 Visible links
 1. mailto:[email address]

-------------------------------------------------------------------
Please use this UNIQUE email address for all replies to this request and
no other:
[2][OPRA #23839 email]

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published
on the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
[3]https://opramachine.com/help/officers

View this OPRA request & responses online:
[4]https://opramachine.com/request/2020_pol...

Please note that in some cases publication of requests and responses
will be delayed.

If you find this service useful as an OPRA custodian, please ask your
web manager to link to us from your organisation's website.
-------------------------------------------------------------------

--
Lieutenant Thomas Hammill
Highland Park Police Department
222 South Fifth Avenue
Highland Park, New Jersey  08904
[5][email address]
732-572-3800 ext. 4235

══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

Email received by or sent to Borough officials and employees is subject to
the Open Public Records Act (OPRA). This means that absent some specific
privilege, all such communications are considered a public record and are
subject to publication and/or dissemination to the public upon request.

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]
2. mailto:[email address]
3. https://opramachine.com/help/officers
4. https://opramachine.com/request/2020_pol...
5. mailto:[email address]

hide quoted sections

Mr. Kratovil,
I apologize, I responded to Mrs. Hullings, who I thought was responding to
you but did not for some reason.  The major discipline that was imposed 
in 2020 was in February 2020, for a 2019 incident.  The Middlesex County
Prosecutor's Office has given guidance on the new guidelines that take
effect for June 15, 2020.  Any major discipline, which also had a
different definition prior to June 15, 2020, will only have a description
of the incident and not the names of officers.  We are following the
guidance of the Prosecutor's Office.  We did not have any major discipline
on or after June 15, 2020.  Attached is Appendix L of the requirements in
the AG's guidelines for incidents prior to June 15, 2020.  This will be
posted shortly on our website. 

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Thomas Hammill <[1][email address]>
Date: Mon, Jul 26, 2021 at 12:44 PM
Subject: Fwd: OPRA Request
To: Joan Hullings <[2][email address]>, Jennifer Santiago
<[3][Highland Park Borough request email]>

Mrs. Hullings,
Attached are the previous emails that were exchanged between me and Mr.
Kratovil.
We recently received guidance from the Middlesex County Prosecutor's
Office.  Based on the decision by the Courts, names of officers who have
received major discipline will be released and the AG's guideline on
reporting takes effect from June 15, 2020 and is moving forward.  The
deadline for reporting is August 9, 2021.  We are filling out the
reporting requirements for the County and AG and it will be completed by
the August 9th deadline, and released publicly.  Officer's names will not
be released on discipline prior to June 15, 2020, but the synopsis will be
as required by the reporting system.
There is no mandate that the new AG reporting on major discipline is
retroactive to any events prior to June 15, 2020.

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Charlie Kratovil
<[4][OPRA #23839 email]>
Date: Thu, Jul 1, 2021 at 11:33 AM
Subject: Re: OPRA Request
To: Thomas Hammill <[5][email address]>

Dear Lt. Hammill,

Thank you for your message.  In the hopes that you have since received the
guidance you were awaiting, I am respectfully requesting that you now name
the officer who was subjected to major discipline.

Yours sincerely,

Charlie Kratovil

-----Original Message-----

Mr. Kratovil,
 The previous version of the AG's guidelines stated that major discipline
 (10 days or more suspension) would be posted periodically.  We
interpreted
 this as posting once a year, when we had major discipline that fit into
 the directive.  If there was no discipline that fit that criteria, the
 directive was not clear on what, if anything, should be posted.  We did
 not post if there was no discipline that fit.
 There was one major discipline incident in 2020.  We would have posted
 this by the end of 2020, but the AG's Office "stayed" this portion of the
 directive pending the Court decision.  I am attaching the guidance from
 the AG's office that we received (highlighted section) for your
 information.  We currently do not have anything officially prepared for
 2020 major discipline.
 Because we believe in transparency,  I will tell you of the
 disciplinary incident, but this does not include the officer's name.  We
 are still awaiting direction from the Prosecutor's Office about how we
are
 going to report, what format we will be using and how far back
 we will report.

 In 2020:

 One disciplinary charge was sustained as the result of an Internal
Affairs
 investigation opened in 2019.  The officer received 30 days suspension
for
 conduct unbecoming an officer.  This officer was arrested on suspected
DWI
 charges.  The Court case was heard in Federal Court in Newark and the DWI
 charges were dropped, and the officer was found guilty of a motor vehicle
 violation and had their license suspended.  This IA was not finished
until
 after the Court proceedings, which went into February 2020.  The Officer
 did not serve their suspension until the end of the first quarter of
 2020. 

 I hope this fulfills your request.
 Thank you.

-------------------------------------------------------------------
Please use this UNIQUE email address for all replies to this request and
no other:
[6][OPRA #23839 email]

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on
the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
[7]https://opramachine.com/help/officers

View this OPRA request & responses online:
[8]https://opramachine.com/request/2020_pol...

Please note that in some cases publication of requests and responses will
be delayed.

If you find this service useful as an OPRA custodian, please ask your web
manager to link to us from your organisation's website.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
--
Lieutenant Thomas Hammill
Highland Park Police Department
222 South Fifth Avenue
Highland Park, New Jersey  08904
[9][email address]
732-572-3800 ext. 4235
--
Lieutenant Thomas Hammill
Highland Park Police Department
222 South Fifth Avenue
Highland Park, New Jersey  08904
[10][email address]
732-572-3800 ext. 4235

══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

Email received by or sent to Borough officials and employees is subject to
the Open Public Records Act (OPRA). This means that absent some specific
privilege, all such communications are considered a public record and are
subject to publication and/or dissemination to the public upon request.

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]
2. mailto:[email address]
3. mailto:[Highland Park Borough request email]
4. mailto:[email address]
5. mailto:[email address]
6. mailto:[email address]
7. https://opramachine.com/help/officers
8. https://opramachine.com/request/2020_pol...
9. mailto:[email address]
10. mailto:[email address]

hide quoted sections

Mr. Kratovil,
Is this form that you are referring to? 
On Mon, Aug 9, 2021 at 6:28 PM Charlie Kratovil
<[1][OPRA #23839 email]> wrote:

Dear Lt. Hammill,

Thank you, can you please provide the Annual Major Discipline Reporting
Form for the remainder of 2020?

Yours sincerely,

Charlie Kratovil

-----Original Message-----

Mr. Kratovil,
 I apologize, I responded to Mrs. Hullings, who I thought was responding
to
 you but did not for some reason.  The major discipline that was
imposed 
 in 2020 was in February 2020, for a 2019 incident.  The Middlesex
County
 Prosecutor's Office has given guidance on the new guidelines that take
 effect for June 15, 2020.  Any major discipline, which also had a
 different definition prior to June 15, 2020, will only have a
description
 of the incident and not the names of officers.  We are following the
 guidance of the Prosecutor's Office.  We did not have any major
discipline
 on or after June 15, 2020.  Attached is Appendix L of the requirements
in
 the AG's guidelines for incidents prior to June 15, 2020.  This will be
 posted shortly on our website. 

-------------------------------------------------------------------
Please use this UNIQUE email address for all replies to this request and
no other:
[2][OPRA #23839 email]

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published
on the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
[3]https://opramachine.com/help/officers

View this OPRA request & responses online:
[4]https://opramachine.com/request/2020_pol...

Please note that in some cases publication of requests and responses
will be delayed.

If you find this service useful as an OPRA custodian, please ask your
web manager to link to us from your organisation's website.
-------------------------------------------------------------------

--
Lieutenant Thomas Hammill
Highland Park Police Department
222 South Fifth Avenue
Highland Park, New Jersey  08904
[5][email address]
732-572-3800 ext. 4235

══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

Email received by or sent to Borough officials and employees is subject to
the Open Public Records Act (OPRA). This means that absent some specific
privilege, all such communications are considered a public record and are
subject to publication and/or dissemination to the public upon request.

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]
2. mailto:[email address]
3. https://opramachine.com/help/officers
4. https://opramachine.com/request/2020_pol...
5. mailto:[email address]

hide quoted sections

Sir,
We did not create that form from January 1, to June 14.  Those dates fall
under the previous AG guidelines, which required the Appendix L posting
synopsising major discipline.  Major discipline also had a different
definition under that directive.  I do not have the form for January 1, to
June 14, it does not exist.  I sent you everything that we have and it is
currently posted on the Borough's website under the police department as
per the AG's guidelines.
Thank you and be safe!
On Wed, Aug 11, 2021 at 3:41 PM Charlie Kratovil
<[1][OPRA #23839 email]> wrote:

Dear Lt. Hammill,

Yes, that's correct.  Can you also provide the same for January 1-June
14?

Yours sincerely,

Charlie Kratovil

-----Original Message-----

Mr. Kratovil,
 Is this form that you are referring to? 

-------------------------------------------------------------------
Please use this UNIQUE email address for all replies to this request and
no other:
[2][OPRA #23839 email]

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published
on the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
[3]https://opramachine.com/help/officers

View this OPRA request & responses online:
[4]https://opramachine.com/request/2020_pol...

Please note that in some cases publication of requests and responses
will be delayed.

If you find this service useful as an OPRA custodian, please ask your
web manager to link to us from your organisation's website.
-------------------------------------------------------------------

--
Lieutenant Thomas Hammill
Highland Park Police Department
222 South Fifth Avenue
Highland Park, New Jersey  08904
[5][email address]
732-572-3800 ext. 4235

══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

Email received by or sent to Borough officials and employees is subject to
the Open Public Records Act (OPRA). This means that absent some specific
privilege, all such communications are considered a public record and are
subject to publication and/or dissemination to the public upon request.

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]
2. mailto:[email address]
3. https://opramachine.com/help/officers
4. https://opramachine.com/request/2020_pol...
5. mailto:[email address]

hide quoted sections