Police and K-9 unit Body Camera And Audio Footage
Dear Waterford Township,
This is a request for public records made under OPRA and the common law right of access. I am not required to fill out an official form. Please acknowledge receipt of this message.
Records requested:
September 6 2021 Traffic stop Rt 30 and Jackson Rd, driver Daniel Gunson , all Body Camera and Audio footage from officers on site
K-9 units performance review and assessment
Yours faithfully,
Clint Freeman
Good morning Mr. Freeman. I have received and will begin processing.
Dawn M. Liedtka, RMC, CMR
Waterford Township Clerk and Registrar
2131 Auburn Avenue
Atco, NJ 08004
p. 856-768-2300 ext. 221
Mr. Freeman -
Your OPRA request was received on September 9, 2021. The seven day business deadline for my response is September 20, 2021. This response to your request is being provided on the 7th day since the receipt of your request.
Your request requires additional time beyond the seven (7) business days to fulfill. OPRA allows custodians to seek extensions of time pursuant to N.J.S.A. 47:1A-5.i. Specifically, OPRA states that, “the requestor shall be advised by the custodian when the record can be made available. If the record is not made available by that time, access shall be deemed denied.” An extension of at least 7 days (to September 29, 2021) is necessary.
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 [insert name of agency] 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.
Respectfully,
Dawn M. Liedtka, RMC, CMR
Waterford Township Clerk and Registrar
2131 Auburn Avenue
Atco, NJ 08004
p. 856-768-2300 ext. 221
Good morning Mr. Freeman.
The Township of Waterford received your Open Public Records Act (OPRA) request on September 9, 2021. As such, the seven (7) business day deadline to respond to your request was September 20, 2021. I requested an extension to September 29, 2021.
Please note that it has been determined that the body camera footage is two hours and 45 minutes of video. It will take approximately 4 hours to convert video and redact sensitive information. OPRA allows public agencies to impose special service charges whenever the nature, format, manner of collation, or volume of a government record embodied in the form of printed matter to be inspected, examined, or copied pursuant to this section is such that the record cannot be reproduced by ordinary document copying equipment in ordinary business size or when fulfilling a request requires an extraordinary expenditure of time and effort. See N.J.S.A. 47:1A-5.c. Special service charges must be based upon the actual direct cost of providing the copy or copies. As per OPRA statutes, the officer who is the lowest paid employee who is trained to make these modifications to the video would need to be the one to do the redactions. His hourly rate is $53.25 per hour. The cost to supply this video will be $359.43.
If you would like us to continue with this OPRA request, please submit a money order in the amount of $359.43 payable to the Township of Waterford. Please let me know ASAP if you would like me to proceed with obtaining the documents for this request.
Also, the K-9 who was on the scene was NOT from Waterford Township. The K-9 was from Voorhees Township so you will need to reach out to them for any information pertaining to the dog.
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 Waterford 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.
Respectfully,
Dawn M. Liedtka, RMC, CMR
Waterford Township Clerk and Registrar
2131 Auburn Avenue
Atco, NJ 08004
p. 856-768-2300 ext. 221