Police Investigation
Dear Jersey City,
Please accept this electronic request for public records made under OPRA and the common law right of access. I am not required to fill out an official form or use a particular software platform to submit my request per NJSA 47:1A-5(f), which states that an email from a requestor including all of the information required on the adopted form shall suffice in place of a completed form as a valid government record request.
I HAVE NOT been convicted of any indictable offense under the laws of New Jersey, any other state, or the United States.
I WILL NOT use the requested government records for a commercial purpose.
I AM NOT seeking records in connection with a legal proceeding.
Records requested:Jersey City Police Department records, report(s), audio & video recordings generated in reference to the death of Penn Railroad Patrolman Michael Fitzgerald on 2/10/1966
[1]GovQA logo
Dear Susan Stypa,
Thank you for registering with the Jersey City OPRA Center. Below you will
find your login and password information. Please log in to the [2]Open
Public Records Center to update any contact or password information and to
track the progress of your requests.
Login: [OPRA #89430 email]
Password: [3]Update Password
If you are a first time user and did not submit your request through the
open public records portal but are receiving this e-mail, an account has
been created for you where you can access, track and receive any documents
in response to your request.
Thank You,
Custodian of Records
Jersey City, NJ
[4]GovQA logo
References
Visible links
2. https://jerseycity.mycusthelp.com/WEBAPP...
3. https://jerseycity.mycusthelp.com/WEBAPP...
Dear Susan Stypa:
Thank you for your interest in open public records of Jersey City OPRA
Center. This will serve to acknowledge receipt of your Open Public
Records Act (OPRA) request. Your request was received in this office on
4/7/2026. Kindly refer to the reference number G001772-040726 when
communicating with our office in this regard. Your request mentioned:
OPRA request - Police Investigation
Dear Jersey City,
Please accept this electronic request for public records made under
OPRA and the common law right of access. I am not required to fill out
an official form or use a particular software platform to submit my
request per NJSA 47:1A-5(f), which states that an email from a
requestor including all of the information required on the adopted
form shall suffice in place of a completed form as a valid government
record request.
I HAVE NOT been convicted of any indictable offense under the laws of
New Jersey, any other state, or the United States.
I WILL NOT use the requested government records for a commercial
purpose.
I AM NOT seeking records in connection with a legal proceeding.
Records requested: Jersey City Police Department records, report(s),
audio & video recordings generated in reference to the death of Penn
Railroad Patrolman Michael Fitzgerald on 2/10/1966
Your request will be forwarded to the relevant City department(s) to
locate the information you seek and to determine the volume and any costs
associated with satisfying your request. You will be contacted about the
availability and/or provided with copies of the records in question.
PLEASE NOTE: The State Public Information Act does not require a
governmental body to create new information, to do legal research, or to
answer questions.
You can track and monitor the progress of your request at the link below
and you'll receive an email when your request has been completed. Again,
thank you for using the Jersey City OPRA Center.
Jersey City, NJ
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To monitor the progress or update this request please log into
the [1]Jersey City OPRA Center.
References
Visible links
1. https://u8387795.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/clic...
--- Please respond above this line ---
[1]GovQA logo
RE: OPEN PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST of April 07, 2026, Reference #
G001772-040726
Ms. Susan Stypa:
The City received a public information request from you on April 07, 2026.
Your request mentioned:
OPRA request - Police Investigation
Dear Jersey City,
Please accept this electronic request for public records made under
OPRA and the common law right of access. I am not required to fill out
an official form or use a particular software platform to submit my
request per NJSA 47:1A-5(f), which states that an email from a
requestor including all of the information required on the adopted
form shall suffice in place of a completed form as a valid government
record request.
I HAVE NOT been convicted of any indictable offense under the laws of
New Jersey, any other state, or the United States.
I WILL NOT use the requested government records for a commercial
purpose.
I AM NOT seeking records in connection with a legal proceeding.
Records requested: Jersey City Police Department records, report(s),
audio & video recordings generated in reference to the death of Penn
Railroad Patrolman Michael Fitzgerald on 2/10/1966
Reference is made to your OPRA request captioned above.
Please note that the City is conducting its search and/or reviewing
located records and two additional weeks are needed for processing your
request.
Thank you for your patience.
Sincerely,
Laurie Correa
Clerk 1
Office of City Clerk
To monitor the progress or update this request please log into [3]GovQA
the [2]Jersey City OPRA Center. logo
References
Visible links
2. https://u8387795.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/clic...
--- Please respond above this line ---
[1]GovQA logo
RE: OPEN PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST of April 07, 2026, Reference #
G001772-040726
Ms. Susan Stypa:
The City received a public information request from you on April 07, 2026.
Your request mentioned:
OPRA request - Police Investigation
Dear Jersey City,
Please accept this electronic request for public records made under
OPRA and the common law right of access. I am not required to fill out
an official form or use a particular software platform to submit my
request per NJSA 47:1A-5(f), which states that an email from a
requestor including all of the information required on the adopted
form shall suffice in place of a completed form as a valid government
record request.
I HAVE NOT been convicted of any indictable offense under the laws of
New Jersey, any other state, or the United States.
I WILL NOT use the requested government records for a commercial
purpose.
I AM NOT seeking records in connection with a legal proceeding.
Records requested: Jersey City Police Department records, report(s),
audio & video recordings generated in reference to the death of Penn
Railroad Patrolman Michael Fitzgerald on 2/10/1966
Reference is made to your OPRA request captioned above.
Please note that the City is conducting its search and/or reviewing
located records and two additional weeks are needed for processing your
request.
Thank you for your patience.
Sincerely,
Laurie Correa
Clerk 1
Office of City Clerk
To monitor the progress or update this request please log into [3]GovQA
the [2]Jersey City OPRA Center. logo
References
Visible links
2. https://u8387795.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/clic...
--- Please respond above this line ---
[1]GovQA logo
RE: OPEN PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST of April 07, 2026, Reference #
G001772-040726
Dear Ms. Susan Stypa,
The City received a public information request from you on April 07, 2026.
Your request mentioned:
OPRA request - Police Investigation
Dear Jersey City,
Please accept this electronic request for public records made under OPRA
and the common law right of access. I am not required to fill out an
official form or use a particular software platform to submit my request
per NJSA 47:1A-5(f), which states that an email from a requestor including
all of the information required on the adopted form shall suffice in place
of a completed form as a valid government record request.
I HAVE NOT been convicted of any indictable offense under the laws of New
Jersey, any other state, or the United States.
I WILL NOT use the requested government records for a commercial purpose.
I AM NOT seeking records in connection with a legal proceeding.
Records requested: Jersey City Police Department records, report(s), audio
& video recordings generated in reference to the death of Penn Railroad
Patrolman Michael Fitzgerald on 2/10/1966
The City has reviewed your request and has determined that the records
requested are criminal investigatory records that are exempt from
disclosure under OPRA. N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1.1 specifically states that "a
government record shall not include the following information which is
deemed to be confidential for the purposes of P.L.1963, c.73 (C.47:1A-1 et
seq.) as amended and supplemented: [...] criminal investigatory records."
N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1.1 defines a criminal investigatory record as "a record
which is not required by law to be made, maintained or kept on file that
is held by a law enforcement agency which pertains to any criminal
investigation or related civil enforcement proceeding.”
We may consider these records under the common law right of access;
however, you would need to provide a detailed explanation of why you seek
the records to allow us to balance the interest in disclosure vs. the
interest in non-disclosure. Please let us know if you wish to do so by
way of reply here.
Otherwise, this request will be closed as exempt seven (7) business days
from today.
Sincerely,
Hjordys D. Espinal
Office of City Clerk
To monitor the progress or update this request please log into [3]GovQA
the [2]Jersey City OPRA Center. logo
References
Visible links
2. https://u8387795.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/clic...
Dear Jersey City OPRA Center,
Thank you so much for your reply.
As for my reasoning for seeking this information, the victim in this case was my uncle. The tremendous tragedy of his death became the catalyst for numerous additional tragedies in my family, tragedies that very likely would have been avoided had my family members been given any answers as to what happened to my uncle. We understand that to the PD this was a 'case.' But to our family, this was a son, brother, and uncle. We have waited an extremely long time, 60 years, for answers. Considering anyone connected to this case has long passed on, we respectfully ask for the information regarding my uncle's case. Our purpose is simply for answers. We have no other agenda. We sincerely hope that you honor this request, as all lives deserve empathy, respect, and justice. It is our sincere hope that we can finally understand what caused my uncle's death and this part of our family's history can be put to rest.
Yours sincerely,
Susan Stypa
Dear Jersey City OPRA Center,
Dear Jersey City OPRA Center,
Thank you so much for your reply.
As for my reasoning for seeking this information, the victim in this case was my uncle. The tremendous tragedy of his death became the catalyst for numerous additional tragedies in my family, tragedies that very likely would have been avoided had my family members been given any answers as to what happened to my uncle. We understand that to the PD this was a 'case.' But to our family, this was a son, brother, and uncle. We have waited an extremely long time, 60 years, for answers. Considering anyone connected to this case has long passed on, we respectfully ask for the information regarding my uncle's case. Our purpose is simply for answers. We have no other agenda. We sincerely hope that you honor this request, as all lives deserve empathy, respect, and justice. It is our sincere hope that we can finally understand what caused my uncle's death and this part of our family's history can be put to rest.
Yours sincerely,
Susan Stypa