Clerk’s Office
Township of North Bergen
4233 Kennedy Blvd
North Bergen, NJ 07047

Dear NBPD
I am writing to follow up on my OPRA request dated December 26, 2024, regarding body camera footage and related logs from an incident involving Officer Perez (Badge #94) on or around April 24, 2024, in North Bergen, New Jersey.

On the date of the incident, I was walking near 4233 Kennedy Blvd, North Bergen, NJ, when I was stopped by Officer Perez without any reasonable explanation or evidence of illegal activity. Under the protections provided by the Fourth Amendment, individuals cannot be stopped without reasonable suspicion or evidence of a crime. I believe this stop was unwarranted, and I am seeking access to the body camera footage to verify the nature of the interaction.

The response I received from the North Bergen Police Department stated that no records related to my request were found in the database and indicated that the footage could not be provided without additional information. Upon contacting the department directly, I was informed that the footage is “not available,” but it was also stated that it “cannot be guaranteed.” These conflicting statements raise further questions.

I am respectfully requesting the following clarifications and explanations:
1. Whether the footage exists: Please confirm if the body camera footage from Officer Perez on the date and location specified exists. If it does not, please explain why (e.g., deleted, not recorded, or inaccessible).
2. Retention policies: If the footage has been deleted or is no longer available, I request detailed information about the department’s body camera footage retention policies and confirmation of whether this specific incident falls outside those guidelines.
3. Efforts to locate records: Please provide a detailed account of the steps taken to locate the body camera footage, system data logs, or dispatch logs related to this incident.
4. Detailed explanation for the stop: I am also requesting a formal letter from the department explaining why Officer Perez detained me on this date and what reasonable suspicion or probable cause justified the stop.

As a citizen of New Jersey, I am exercising my rights under OPRA and the Fourth Amendment, and I am requesting full transparency regarding this matter. If this request cannot be fulfilled, I ask for a written explanation detailing why, within the statutory time frame.

Thank you for your time and attention to this matter. If additional details are needed, please contact me via email.

Email: [email address]

Sincerely