Request for body camera/cruiser camera footage
Dear Howell Township,
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-6(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.
Re: Open Public Records Act Request
Dear New Jersey Department of Community Affairs or OPRA Officer,
This is a request under the Open Public Records Act (OPRA).
I request that a copy of the following documents be provided to me:
All records related to the incident involving Det./PTL. MATTHEW CADOTT badge # 653, S/O D BERTINELLI, SGT. NICHOLAS BONDAREW #250,S/O D. MARINO, PTL. RYAN NORTON #681, PTL. D. GILLIAND, DET. ROBERT ORTENZI,PTL. WIATROWSKI #701, PTL. CAMPAGNOLA, CPL. HURLEY specifically any and all electronic/surveillance via body-worn camera and cruiser camera footage at approximately 1830 to 1845 hours on APRIL 06,2023, at #4011 RT.9 NORTH in Howell Township, of Monmouth County, New Jersey, 07731.
The time frame for these records is from 02/27/2023, 03/15/2023, 03/21/2023, 04/06/2023, 04/20/2023
I request a waiver of all fees for this request. Disclosure of the requested information to me is in the public interest because it is likely to contribute significantly to public understanding of the operations or activities of the government and is not primarily in my commercial interest.
Please provide the records in electronic copies via email if applicable.
Thank you for your consideration of my request.
My preferred delivery method for response(s) to this request is by E-mail as attachments. Please confirm you have received this request. If you are not the custodian of records, please forward my request to that person and provide their email address to me for future reference.
Yours faithfully,
Jennifer Monticello
Good afternoon,
Your OPRA request below has been refused as it is overly broad and unclear. You request footage from officers on from a specific date and time (1830 to 1845 hours on APRIL 06,2023), but you then advise that the time frame for these records is from 02/27/2023, 03/15/2023, 03/21/2023, 04/06/2023, 04/20/2023.
Additionally you ask for all records and then say that you are looking for surveillance and body-worn camera footage.
Please clarify what it is that you are requesting and the time frame and then re-submit your request.
Thank you.
Jill Abernathy
Office of the Municipal Clerk
Township of Howell
4567 Route 9 North, 2nd Floor
Howell, NJ 07731
732-938-4500 ext. 2241
Dear Jill Abernathy,
( Howell Township),
Thank you for the opportunity to properly clarify my request and I want to apologize for any inconvenience or confusion this may have caused. I hope that I was able to edit my request in a acceptable manner that can be interpreted more clearly.
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-6(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.
Re: Open Public Records Act Request
Dear New Jersey Department of Community Affairs or OPRA Officer,
This is a request under the Open Public Records Act (OPRA).
I request that a copy of the following documents be provided to me:
All electronic/surveillance records, including body-worn camera and cruiser camera footage, related to the incident involving Det./PTL. MATTHEW CADOTT badge # 653, S/O D BERTINELLI, SGT. NICHOLAS BONDAREW #250, S/O D. MARINO, PTL. RYAN NORTON #681, PTL. D. GILLIAND, DET. ROBERT ORTENZI, PTL. WIATROWSKI #701, PTL. CAMPAGNOLA, CPL. HURLEY at approximately 1830 to 1845 hours on APRIL 06, 2023, at #4011 RT.9 NORTH in Howell Township, of Monmouth County, New Jersey, 07731.
I request a waiver of all fees for this request. Disclosure of the requested information to me is in the public interest because it is likely to contribute significantly to public understanding of the operations or activities of the government and is not primarily in my commercial interest.
Please provide the records in electronic copies via email if applicable.
Thank you for your consideration of my request.
My preferred delivery method for response(s) to this request is by E-mail as attachments. Please confirm you have received this request. If you are not the custodian of records, please forward my request to that person and provide their email address to me for future reference.
Yours faithfully,
Jennifer Monticello
Good afternoon,
Your request requires additional time beyond the seven (7) business days. OPRA allows custodians to seek extensions of time pursuant to N.J.S.A. 47:1A-5.i
Please be advised that investigatory records and the content of another person's arrest cannot be released under OPRA.
Additionally, there will not be a waiver of fees for the relevant footage if it exceeds 90 minutes.
Please advise if you wish to proceed with your request for the footage.
Thank you.
Jill Abernathy
Office of the Municipal Clerk
Township of Howell
4567 Route 9 North, 2nd Floor
Howell, NJ 07731
732-938-4500 ext. 2241
Good morning,
As I previously advised, there will not be a waiver of fees for this OPRA request 25-0009. In order for the review and production of the video footage requested in your OPRA to proceed please submit a 50 percent deposit of the total estimated charge of $687.75. When the deposit is received the footage will be processed. The additional 50 percent will need to be paid before the footage is sent out to you.
Please see the attached letter, invoice, and breakdown for fee assignment to produce the video footage for this OPRA request.
If you wish to proceed with this request please respond to this email by 1/30/25. If I do not hear back from you within that time your OPRA request will be closed.
Thank you.
Jill Abernathy
Office of the Municipal Clerk
Township of Howell
4567 Route 9 North, 2nd Floor
Howell, NJ 07731
732-938-4500 ext. 2241
Good afternoon,
As I have not heard back from you with regard to your intent to pay for the processing of the footage for this OPRA request, your OPRA request 25-0009 is now closed.
Thank you.
Jill Abernathy
Office of the Municipal Clerk
Township of Howell
4567 Route 9 North, 2nd Floor
Howell, NJ 07731
732-938-4500 ext. 2241