Dear Requestor, 
 
Thank you for submitting a Open Public Records Act Request Form on Friday,
June 28, 2024 at 10:50 AM (Eastern Standard Time). 
 
Your request reference number is [1]Request Number: OPRA-JF2024-271 and
your security key is DAF0F04B.
 
Use this information to track the status of your request at any time and
to receive responsive documents through the Township of Lakewood JustFOIA
Public Portal here:
[2]https://lakewoodnj.justfoia.com/publicpo...
 
Please have both reference numbers available when communicating with our
staff regarding your request.
 
Thank you, 
[3]Label1
Township of Lakewood, NJ
231 Third Street
Lakewood, NJ 08701
(732) 364 - 2500
 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Note: This is an automated email notification. Please do not respond to
this email.
 
[Powered by
[4]JustFOIA-logo - Madeira Beach, FL]

References

Visible links
1. https://url4102.request.justfoia.com/ls/...
2. https://url4102.request.justfoia.com/ls/...

Dear Requestor, 
 
The Township of Lakewood received your Open Public Records Act (OPRA)
request on 6/28/2024.   As such, the seven (7) business day deadline to
respond to your request is 7/10/2024.  This response to your request is
being provided to you before the 1st business day after the custodian's
receipt of said request.

Please be advised that OPRA is a request for a specific government
record.  A proper request under OPRA must identify with reasonable clarity
those documents that are desired, and a party cannot satisfy this
requirement by simply requesting all of an agency's documents on a given
topic.  See Bent v. Stafford Police Department, 381 N.J.Super. 30, 37
(App. Div.  2005). OPRA is not a research tool to force government
entities to identify and siphon off information. See Bent v. Stafford
Police Department, 381 N.J.Super. 30, 37 (App. Div.  2005).  Your request
does not identify a specific government records but rather picks a topic
and then asks the Township to research whether or not any of these records
exist.    As such, your request is an invalid OPRA request.  When a
request is "complex" because it fails to specifically identify the
documents sought, then that request is not "encompassed" by OPRA. See New
Jersey Builders Association v. New Jersey Council on Affordable Housing,
390 N.J.Super. 166, 180 (App. Div. 2007). 

In regards to "all relevant documents, reports, and any other information
pertaining to this arrest..." please clarify your request to identify
specifically what record you are seeking.  As previously noted, Township's
are not required to conduct research.  Please note requests for "any and
all" records are not valid. Please see MAG Entm't LLC v. Div. of Alcoholic
Beverage Control, 375 N.J. Super. 534 (App. Div. 2005).

If your request for access to a government record has been denied or
unfilled within the seven (7) business days required by law, you have a
right to challenge the decision by the Township of Lakewood to deny
access. At your option, you may either institute a proceeding in the
Superior Court of New Jersey or file a complaint with the Government
Records Council (GRC) by completing the Denial of Access Complaint Form.
You may contact the GRC by toll-free telephone at 866-850-0511, by mail at
P.O. Box 819, Trenton, NJ, 08625, by e-mail at [email address], or at
their web site at www.state.nj.us/grc. The GRC can also answer other
questions about the law. All questions regarding complaints filed in
Superior Court should be directed to the Court Clerk in your County.

Please note, if a response is not received within 7 business days, your
request will be closed.
 
Thank you, 
[1]Label1
Township of Lakewood, NJ
231 Third Street
Lakewood, New Jersey 08701
(732) 364 - 2500
 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
[Powered by
[2]JustFOIA-logo - Madeira Beach, FL]

References

Visible links

Dear Requestor, 

The Township received your request on 6/28/2024. The Township had
requested clarification of your request on 6/28/2024 with no response. At
this time, your OPRA request is deemed concluded since we did not receive
the requested clarification.

If you are still seeking additional records, please [1]re-submit with the
requested information.

If your request for access to a government record has been denied or
unfilled within the seven (7) business days required by law, you have a
right to challenge the decision by the Township of Lakewood to deny
access. At your option, you may either institute a proceeding in the
Superior Court of New Jersey or file a complaint with the Government
Records Council (GRC) by completing the Denial of Access Complaint Form.
You may contact the GRC by toll-free telephone at 866-850-0511, by mail at
P.O. Box 819, Trenton, NJ, 08625, by e-mail at [email address], or at
their web site at www.state.nj.us/grc. The GRC can also answer other
questions about the law. All questions regarding complaints filed in
Superior Court should be directed to the Court Clerk in your County.

Thank you, 
[2]Label1
Township of Lakewood, NJ
231 Third Street
Lakewood, NJ 08701
(732) 364 - 2500
 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[Powered by
[3]JustFOIA-logo - Madeira Beach, FL]

References

Visible links
1. https://url4102.request.justfoia.com/ls/...