Sewer back up calls

Carteret Police Department did not have the information requested.

Anonymous please

Dear Carteret Police Department,

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:

All records relating to emergent and non emergent calls for sewer system back ups (or any similar sewer problems) in the city over the past 10 years.

If the department does not have these records, please provide contact information for local authority that provides these records.

Yours faithfully,

Elyssa C

VanWoeart, Jeffrey, Carteret Police Department

Good afternoon,

In regards to your OPRA Request.

All records relating to emergent and non emergent calls for sewer system back ups (or any similar sewer problems) in the city over the past 10 years.

A request pursuant to the Open Public Records Act, N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1 et seq. (“OPRA”) must identify the records sought with specificity. Bart V. Passaic County Pub. Hous. Agency, 406 N.J. Super.445, (App.Div 2009).The Court affirmed the GRC’s decision (GRC Complaint No. 2004-78) that the complainant’s request was broad and unclear (“any and all”). The Council ruled that the information sought did not amount to an identifiable government record. Bent v. Stafford Police department. 381 N.J. Super. 30 (App. Div. 2005): MAG Entm’t, LLC v. Div. of Alcohol Beverage Control, 375 N.J. Super. 534 (App. Div. 2005): The Court held that “[w]hile OPRA provides an alternative means of access to government documents not otherwise exempted from its reach, it is not intended as a research tool litigants may use to force government officials to identify and siphon useful information. Rather, OPRA simply operates to make identifiable government records ‘readily accessible for inspection, copying, or examination.’ N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1.” (emphasis added). The Court further held that “[u]nder OPRA, agencies are required to disclose only ‘identifiable’ government records not otherwise exempt . . . In short, OPRA does not countenance open-ended searches of an agency's files.” Id. at 549 (emphasis added).

Please contact the Carteret Sewerage Authority at 732-969-9659.

Respectfully,

Capt. Van Woeart

-----Original Message-----
From: Anonymous please [mailto:[OPRA #42175 email]]
Sent: Wednesday, May 3, 2023 11:30 AM
To: VanWoeart, Jeffrey <[Carteret Police Department request email]>
Subject: OPRA request - Sewer back up calls

Dear Carteret Police Department,

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:

All records relating to emergent and non emergent calls for sewer system back ups (or any similar sewer problems) in the city over the past 10 years.

If the department does not have these records, please provide contact information for local authority that provides these records.

Yours faithfully,

Elyssa C

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Please deliver records electronically via email to the below UNIQUE address for all replies to this request:
[OPRA #42175 email]

Is [Carteret Police Department request email] the wrong address for OPRA requests to Carteret Police Department? If so, please contact us using this form:
https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=ht...
Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
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View this OPRA request & responses online:
https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=ht...

Please note that in some cases publication of requests and responses will be delayed.

If you find this service useful as an OPRA custodian, please ask your web manager to link to us from your organisation's website.

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Anonymous please

Dear VanWoeart, Jeffrey,

This request is not open ended. I am requesting information on a specific call type (sewer backups/failures) over a specific time period. In addition, this information is not being requested in association with any type of litigation. I am requesting as a Carteret resident who has been affected by this and would like to ascertain how wide spread and frequent this issue is. As such, your response appears to be a generic message used to deny citizens access to information that should legally be available to them. Please review this request again and provide requested information. Thank you.

Yours sincerely,

Elyssa C

VanWoeart, Jeffrey, Carteret Police Department

Good morning,

The Carteret Police Department does not have Sewer Back Up's / Failures listed a search option in our report system . This would require me to conduct research which I am not obligated to do under the law. If you would like to provide me with specific dates and times, addresses, locations or names of residents then I could possibly assist you better. You can also contact the Carteret Sewerage Authority.

Respectfully,

Capt. Van Woeart

-----Original Message-----
From: Anonymous please [mailto:[OPRA #42175 email]]
Sent: Monday, May 15, 2023 11:05 AM
To: VanWoeart, Jeffrey <[Carteret Police Department request email]>
Subject: RE: OPRA request - Sewer back up calls

Dear VanWoeart, Jeffrey,

This request is not open ended. I am requesting information on a specific call type (sewer backups/failures) over a specific time period. In addition, this information is not being requested in association with any type of litigation. I am requesting as a Carteret resident who has been affected by this and would like to ascertain how wide spread and frequent this issue is. As such, your response appears to be a generic message used to deny citizens access to information that should legally be available to them. Please review this request again and provide requested information. Thank you.

Yours sincerely,

Elyssa C

-----Original Message-----

Good afternoon,

In regards to your OPRA Request.

All records relating to emergent and non emergent calls for sewer system back ups (or any similar sewer problems) in the city over the past 10 years.

A request pursuant to the Open Public Records Act, N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1 et seq. (“OPRA”) must identify the records sought with specificity. Bart V. Passaic County Pub. Hous. Agency, 406 N.J. Super.445, (App.Div 2009).The Court affirmed the GRC’s decision (GRC Complaint No. 2004-78) that the complainant’s request was broad and unclear (“any and all”). The Council ruled that the information sought did not amount to an identifiable government record. Bent v. Stafford Police department. 381 N.J. Super. 30 (App. Div. 2005): MAG Entm’t, LLC v. Div. of Alcohol Beverage Control, 375 N.J. Super. 534 (App. Div. 2005): The Court held that “[w]hile OPRA provides an alternative means of access to government documents not otherwise exempted from its reach, it is not intended as a research tool litigants may use to force government officials to identify and siphon useful information. Rather, OPRA simply operates to make identifiable government records ‘readily accessible for inspection, copying, or examination.’ N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1.” (emphasis added). The Court further held that “[u]nder OPRA, agencies are required to disclose only ‘identifiable’ government records not otherwise exempt . . . In short, OPRA does not countenance open-ended searches of an agency's files.” Id. at 549 (emphasis added).

Please contact the Carteret Sewerage Authority at 732-969-9659.

Respectfully,

Capt. Van Woeart

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Please use this UNIQUE email address for all replies to this request and no other:

[OPRA #42175 email]

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:

https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=ht...

View this OPRA request & responses online:

https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=ht...

Please note that in some cases publication of requests and responses will be delayed.

If you find this service useful as an OPRA custodian, please ask your web manager to link to us from your organisation's website.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

hide quoted sections