Via Email Only - [1][OPRA #89846 email]

Re:    OPRA Request C252114

 

Dear Resident:

 

The Civil Service Commission (“Commission”) OPRA Custodian received your
Open Public Records Act (OPRA) request on April 15, 2026. This response is
provided on behalf of the Commission.

 

You requested the following records:

 

“1. Communications with Ocean County

 

All communications between the New Jersey Civil Service Commission and any
representative of the County of Ocean, including but not limited to:

 

Ocean County Department of Corrections

Office of the Warden

Ocean County Administration

Ocean County Employee Relations

 

Including:

 

Emails (including attachments)

Letters and correspondence

Internal messaging platforms (e.g., Teams, Slack, or similar systems, if
used) Memoranda or written summaries of verbal communications

 

2. Subject Matter – Promotional Process

 

Records concerning, referencing, or relating to:

 

Eligible list PC4256E (and any related or successor lists) Requests to
certify, expedite, extend, revive, or otherwise utilize an eligible list
Any claimed staffing shortages or operational justifications Creation,
classification, or justification of lieutenant positions (including
“training lieutenant” or similar titles) Appeals, reconsideration
requests, or submissions made to NJCSC Application or discussion of the
Rule of Three Any guidance, advisory opinions, or interpretations provided
by NJCSC to Ocean County

 

3. November 2024 Promotions (Targeted Request)

 

All records specifically relating to promotions to the lieutenant title
occurring in or about November 2024, including but not limited to:

 

Certification requests and NJCSC approvals associated with those
promotions Eligible lists used to effectuate those promotions
Communications discussing the need for, timing of, or justification for
those promotions Documentation submitted by Ocean County in support of
those promotions Internal NJCSC notes, analysis, or records referencing
those promotions Any inquiries, objections, or issues raised concerning
those promotions

 

Including any records reflecting when the decision to pursue or execute
those promotions was first discussed or initiated.

 

4. Internal NJCSC Records

 

All internal NJCSC records that:

 

Reference or summarize communications with Ocean County Reflect
deliberations or analysis based on County submissions Include notes,
meeting minutes, call logs, or internal emails referencing Ocean County

 

5. Drafts and Variations

 

Any drafts, prior versions, or revised submissions provided by Ocean
County relating to:

 

The promotional process

The November 2024 promotions

Any certifications, justifications, or supporting documentation

 

6. Timeframe

 

January 1, 2024 through the date of fulfillment.

 

7. Format and Metadata

 

Provide records in electronic format (PDF preferred) Include all
attachments to emails Include available metadata (sender, recipient, date,
subject)

 

8. Certification of Non-Existence

 

If any responsive records do not exist, please provide a certification
identifying:

 

The specific categories of records that do not exist The reason for
non-existence (e.g., not created, destroyed pursuant to retention
schedule, etc.)

 

9. Redactions

 

For any redactions:

 

Identify the specific legal basis for each redaction Provide a privilege
log describing the nature of withheld material

 

10. Statutory Compliance

 

A response is requested within seven (7) business days as required by
OPRA.”

 

Your first request for "All communications between the New Jersey Civil
Service Commission and any representative of the County of Ocean…” is
denied as your request seeking communications is overbroad. Requests for
communications must “identify a specific job title or accounts to be
searched, a specific subject matter, and [be] confined to a reasonable
time period[.]” N.J.S.A. 47:1A-5(g); see Burke v. Brandes, 429 N.J. Super.
169, 176-78 (App. Div. 2012). Your request fails to identify the accounts
to be searched, a subject matter, and a reasonable time period and is
therefore overbroad and improper.

 

Please find the attached eligibility list (PC4256E) and certification
(PL251245) in response to your second request titled "Subject Matter -
Promotional Process," "[Eligible List PC4256E...[R]equests to certify..."
Certain personnel information has been redacted pursuant to N.J.S.A.
47:1A-10, N.J.A.C. 4A:1-2.2, and N.J.A.C. 4A:4-2.16. Additionally, certain
personal identifying information has been redacted pursuant to N.J.S.A.
47:1A-1.1.

 

Further, your second request for, "Requests to certify, expedite, extend,
revive, or otherwise utilize an eligible list[.] Any claimed staffing
shortages or operational justifications, creation, classifications, or
justification of lieutenant positions...." as written is overbroad and
improper. Under OPRA, a "requestor must identify the records sought with
specificity. The request may not be a broad, generic description of
documents that requires the custodian to search the agency's files and
'analyze, compile, and collate' the requested information." Bart v.
Passaic Cnty. Pub. Housing Agency, 406 N.J. Super. 445, 451 (App. Div.
2009) (citations omitted); see also Bent v. Twp. of Stafford Police Dep't,
381 N.J. Super. 30 (App. Div. 2005). OPRA also does not "authorize a party
to make a blanket request for every document a public agency has on file,"
and "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." Id. at 37.
More specifically, OPRA was not created to allow "open-ended searches of
an agency's files" and "is not intended as a research tool litigants may
use to force government officials to identify and siphon useful
information[,]" MAG Entertainment, LLC v. Div. of Alcohol Beverage
Control, 375 N.J. Super. 534, 546-49 (App. Div. 2005). Your request as
written is overbroad and improper.

 

You request for "Appeals, reconsideration requests, or submissions made to
NJCSC Application of discussions of the Rule of Three..." is unclear and
overbroad. Should your request be seeking communications it is likewise
overbroad. Requests for communications must “identify a specific job title
or accounts to be searched, a specific subject matter, and [be] confined
to a reasonable time period[.]” N.J.S.A. 47:1A-5(g); see Burke v. Brandes,
429 N.J. Super. 169, 176-78 (App. Div. 2012). Your request for appeal
records is denied pursuant to N.J.A.C. 4A:1-2.2(c)(1), which makes
confidential “[a]ppeal files . . . including written submissions of the
parties and all other related documentation used to make an administrative
determination in these matters.” However, you can find final
administrative decisions of the Commission posted on our website by
visiting [2]https://www.nj.gov/csc/about/meetings/.  

 

Your third request for “All records specifically related to promotions to
the lieutenant title occurring o or about November 2024…” is partially
denied as it does not identify specific government records. Please be
advised your request as written is overbroad and improper. Under OPRA, a
"requestor must identify the records sought with specificity. The request
may not be a broad, generic description of documents that requires the
custodian to search the agency's files and 'analyze, compile, and collate'
the requested information." Bart v. Passaic Cnty. Pub. Housing Agency, 406
N.J. Super. 445, 451 (App. Div. 2009) (citations omitted); see also Bent
v. Twp. of Stafford Police Dep't, 381 N.J. Super. 30 (App. Div. 2005).
OPRA also does not "authorize a party to make a blanket request for every
document a public agency has on file," and "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." Id. at 37. More specifically, OPRA was not created to
allow "open-ended searches of an agency's files" and "is not intended as a
research tool litigants may use to force government officials to identify
and siphon useful information[,]" MAG Entertainment, LLC v. Div. of
Alcohol Beverage Control, 375 N.J. Super. 534, 546-49 (App. Div. 2005).
Your request as written is overbroad and improper.

 

Further, requests for “Communications discussing the need for, timing of,
or justification for those promotions…” is denied as your request for
communications is overbroad. Requests for communications must “identify a
specific job title or accounts to be searched, a specific subject matter,
and [be] confined to a reasonable time period[.]” N.J.S.A. 47:1A-5(g); see
Burke v. Brandes, 429 N.J. Super. 169, 176-78 (App. Div. 2012). Your
request fails to identify the accounts to be searched and a reasonable
time period and is therefore overbroad and improper.

 

To the extent your request seeks the eligibility list for the Ocean County
Correctional Police Lieutenant promotions and the corresponding
certifications, please find the attached records responsive to your
request. Certain personnel information has been redacted pursuant to
N.J.S.A. 47:1A-10, N.J.A.C. 4A:1-2.2, and N.J.A.C. 4A:4-2.16.
Additionally, certain personal identifying information has been redacted
pursuant to N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1.1.

 

Request number four (4) for "Internal NJCSC Records," "All internal NJCSC
records that: Reference or summarize communications with Ocean County
Reflect deliberations or analysis based on County submissions...” is
denied as your request for communications is overbroad. Pursuant to
N.J.S.A. 47:1A-5(g) requests for communications must “identify the
specific job title or accounts to be searched, [be limited] to a specific
subject matter; and [be] confined to a reasonable time period.” Further,
under OPRA, a "requestor must identify the records sought with
specificity. The request may not be a broad, generic description of
documents that requires the custodian to search the agency's files and
'analyze, compile, and collate' the requested information." Bart v.
Passaic Cnty. Pub. Housing Agency, 406 N.J. Super. 445, 451 (App. Div.
2009) (citations omitted); see also Bent v. Twp. of Stafford Police Dep't,
381 N.J. Super. 30 (App. Div. 2005). OPRA also does not "authorize a party
to make a blanket request for every document a public agency has on file,"
and "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." Id. at 37.
More specifically, OPRA was not created to allow "open-ended searches of
an agency's files" and "is not intended as a research tool litigants may
use to force government officials to identify and siphon useful
information[,]" MAG Entertainment, LLC v. Div. of Alcohol Beverage
Control, 375 N.J. Super. 534, 546-49 (App. Div. 2005). Your request as
written seeks “All internal NJCSC records…” thus, your request is
overbroad and improper.

 

Request number five (5) for “Drafts and Variations,” “Any drafts, prior
versions, or revised submissions provided by Ocean County relating to: The
promotional process[,] the November 2024 promotions[,] any certifications,
justification, or supporting documentation” is overbroad and unclear and
does not identify specific government records. Under OPRA, a "requestor
must identify the records sought with specificity. The request may not be
a broad, generic description of documents that requires the custodian to
search the agency's files and 'analyze, compile, and collate' the
requested information." Bart v. Passaic Cnty. Pub. Housing Agency, 406
N.J. Super. 445, 451 (App. Div. 2009) (citations omitted); see also Bent
v. Twp. of Stafford Police Dep't, 381 N.J. Super. 30 (App. Div. 2005).
OPRA also does not "authorize a party to make a blanket request for every
document a public agency has on file," and "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." Id. at 37. More specifically, OPRA was not created to
allow "open-ended searches of an agency's files" and "is not intended as a
research tool litigants may use to force government officials to identify
and siphon useful information[,]" MAG Entertainment, LLC v. Div. of
Alcohol Beverage Control, 375 N.J. Super. 534, 546-49 (App. Div. 2005).
Your request as written is overbroad and improper.

This response does not waive any other applicable exemptions or defenses,
all of which are expressly reserved.

 

Your request is now deemed closed.

 

The OPRA Office

NJ Civil Service Commission

 

 

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