Purchase order history for the police department from 2020 - 2023
Dear Emerson Borough,
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:
Please provide all purchase order history for purchases by the police department from January 2020 to September 2023. For each order, please include the date, description, vendor, and amount of the purchase.
Excel form (e.g., csv, xlsx) is preferred, but other electronic forms (e.g., pdf) are fine if that is not feasible.
Yours faithfully,
T. Kim
Dear Mr. Kim,
Thank you for the clarification. We will respond within seven business days.
Best regards,
Jane
Jane Dietsche, RMC
Emerson Borough Clerk
201-262-6086 x1200
[Emerson Borough request email]
Dear Mr. Kim,
The Borough of Emerson received your Open Public Records Act (OPRA)
request on Thursday, August 31st, 2023. As such, the seven (7) business
day deadline to respond to your request is Tuesday, September 12th, 2023.
This response to your request is being provided to you on the third
business day after the custodian’s receipt of said request.
Your OPRA request sought access to the following:
1. Total number of body cameras currently deployed in the police
department. No such documents exist. This request seeks information or
asks questions and does not identify specific government records.
2. Date on which body cameras were deployed to any of the police officers
for the first time (year and month). No such documents exist. This request
seeks information or asks questions and does not identify specific
government records.
3. All invoices of body cameras purchases (if body cameras were
purchased). Please see attached.
4. Dates of initial body camera assignment for each police officer
currently employed. No such documents exist. This request seeks
information or asks questions and does not identify specific government
records.
With respect to #1, #2 and #4, this request seeks information or asks
questions and does not identify specific government records. 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). Kindly note that custodians are not required to conduct
research or create new records in response to an OPRA request.
The attached records in response to request #3 are being transmitted to
you via email, as per your request. Pursuant to N.J.S.A. 47:1A-5.b.,
there is no cost associated with this request.
Kindly confirm receipt of this email to ensure our timely response to your
request.
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 Borough of Emerson 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.
Sincerely,
Jane Dietsche, RMC
Municipal Clerk
Borough of Emerson
201-262-6086