Subject: OPRA Request — Written authorizations and “notification to law enforcement jurisdictions” records under SCCC Weapons Policies 600.02/600.03 (01/01/2019–Present)
Pursuant to the New Jersey Open Public Records Act (OPRA), I request copies of records maintained by Sussex County Community College (“SCCC”) from January 1, 2019 through the present relating to SCCC’s weapons policies (including Policy 600.02 and Policy 600.03, and any updates) concerning (a) authorization for armed personnel and (b) the policy requirement of notification to law enforcement jurisdictions of authorized armed personnel.
Requester Certification (to reduce back‑and‑forth)
I am requesting these records under OPRA as public records, not as civil discovery.
This request is not for any commercial purpose.
I am requesting these records for informational/public-interest purposes and to understand SCCC’s implementation of its weapons policies.
I understand certain information may be lawfully redacted under OPRA (e.g., personal identifiers, privileged attorney communications, or other specific exemptions) and I request production of all reasonably segregable, non‑exempt portions.
If SCCC asserts any exemption, please cite the specific exemption and provide an index/log sufficient to understand what was withheld (date, sender/recipient, general subject).
Records Requested (non-exhaustive)
Please produce the following categories of records:
Written authorizations to carry
Every written authorization issued by the President or designee authorizing any employee or agent to carry a firearm on SCCC property under Policy 600.03 (or any successor version), including authorizations for retired law enforcement personnel, campus safety/security personnel, or any SORA-related category.
Any approvals, letters, memos, or authorizing documents reflecting authorization to carry, including renewals and revocations.
Law enforcement notifications
Every notification, transmittal, letter, email, fax, or other communication sent by SCCC to any law enforcement jurisdiction pursuant to the policy requirement to notify law enforcement of authorized armed personnel.
Include any attachments such as photographs, identifying information, and any lists/rosters transmitted.
Rosters / lists of authorized armed personnel
Any list, roster, spreadsheet, or database export identifying SCCC personnel authorized to carry firearms on SCCC property, including dates of authorization, expiration, renewal, or revocation.
Supporting records for authorization and notifications
Any internal SCCC emails/memos/records reflecting preparation, approval, or transmission of the above written authorizations and law enforcement notifications.
Any communications with counsel regarding implementation of Policy 600.03’s written authorization and notification requirements (produce non-privileged portions; for privileged materials, please identify withheld items and the exemption asserted).
Named person term (if applicable)
Any record reflecting authorization to carry or law enforcement notification concerning Jon Connolly.
Search Instructions (requested)
Please search:
the President’s Office records; campus security/public safety records; HR records; and any relevant shared mailboxes;
email archives for relevant terms (including “600.03”, “authorization to carry”, “authorized to carry”, “notification”, “law enforcement”, “SORA”, “Level 2”, “retired police officer”, “RPO”, “Connolly”).
If no responsive records exist, please provide a written response stating that a reasonable search was conducted and identifying, at a high level, the systems searched.
Rolling Production / No-Unnecessary Extensions
If responsive records are located, I request rolling production as records are gathered. If SCCC believes an extension is necessary, please specify:
the reason,
the expected production date, and
whether any subset can be produced sooner.
Production Format
Please provide all responsive records electronically (PDF). For emails, please provide native format (.msg/.eml) where available. For spreadsheets/rosters, please provide native spreadsheet files.
Redactions / Withholdings
If any portion of a record is withheld or redacted, please:
cite the specific OPRA exemption(s) relied upon,
provide an index/log identifying withheld records by date, author/sender, recipient, and general subject matter, and
produce all reasonably segregable non-exempt portions.
Fees
If there will be any fees, please provide a written cost estimate before processing.
Thank you.

Wendy Fullem
Custodian of Records, Sussex County Community College

Thank you for your response. I am submitting a revised OPRA request that identifies discrete, existing record types that SCCC maintains in the ordinary course, so the custodian can locate them without research, compilation, or creation of new records.

Revised OPRA Request (01/01/2019–Present)

Subject: OPRA Request — Specific written authorizations and law-enforcement notifications under SCCC weapons policies (Policy 600.02/600.03 and successors)

Pursuant to the New Jersey Open Public Records Act, N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1 et seq., I request copies of the following specific categories of existing government records created or received by SCCC from January 1, 2019 through the date of search:

A. Written authorizations to carry (Policy 600.03 or successor)

Each written authorization document (e.g., letter, memorandum, authorization form, signed approval, or similar instrument) issued by the SCCC President or designee authorizing any SCCC employee/agent to carry a firearm on SCCC property under Policy 600.03 (or any successor policy).

Each renewal, revocation, suspension, or expiration notice (letter/memo/form) related to such authorizations, if any exist.

Note: I am requesting the authorization documents themselves (and renewals/revocations), not “any and all” related material.

B. Notifications to law-enforcement jurisdictions required by the policy

Each notification/transmittal sent by SCCC to any law-enforcement jurisdiction pursuant to the policy requirement to notify law enforcement of authorized armed personnel—limited to:

emails (including attachments),

letters,

fax transmittals, or

other written communications that served as the notification.

C. Rosters/lists of authorized armed personnel (if maintained)

Any existing roster/list/spreadsheet/database report/export maintained by SCCC that identifies personnel authorized to carry firearms on SCCC property under Policy 600.03 (or successor), including any fields already present in that record such as effective date, expiration date, renewal date, or revocation date.

D. Named-person limitation (Jon Connolly)

If applicable, the following existing records only for Jon Connolly for 01/01/2019–present:

written authorization(s) described in Item 1, and/or

law-enforcement notifications described in Item 3.

Where to Search (custodial locations)

To locate the above specific record types, please search the record systems reasonably likely to contain them, such as:

President’s Office files (paper/electronic) and the President/designee email account(s) for the authorization documents;

Campus Security/Public Safety files and email account(s) for law-enforcement notification communications;

Any HR or Public Safety maintained roster/list/report location only if SCCC maintains such a roster/list/report (Item 4).

Format

Please produce records electronically (PDF).

For email notifications (Item 3), please produce in native format (.msg/.eml) when available, with attachments as maintained.

For any roster/list/report (Item 4), please produce in native spreadsheet/export format when available.

Redactions / Exemptions

I understand OPRA permits lawful redactions (e.g., personal identifiers, security-sensitive details, etc.). Please produce all reasonably segregable, non-exempt portions. If any record is withheld in full, please cite the specific OPRA exemption and identify the record withheld by date, record type, and general description sufficient to understand what was withheld.

No-Records Certification

If SCCC has no records responsive to one or more items above, please provide a written response stating that no responsive records were located after a reasonable search, and identify at a high level the systems searched for those items.

Thank you for your assistance.