PA Right to Know Law

Open Record Officer
The Plumstead Township Police Department hereby designates Sarah Ferri as the Plusmtead Township Police Department Open Records Officer. The Open Records Officer may be reached at 5186 Stump Road, Pipersville, PA 18947, phone (215) 766-741 Ext 142, fax (215) 766-8509, or e-mail at sferri@plumstead.gov

General
All documents deemed public records shall be available for inspection, retrieval, and duplication at the Police Building during established business hours 8:00 am - 4:30 pm with the exception of weekends and holidays.

Requests
Requests shall be made in writing to the Plumstead Police Open Records Officer on a form provided by the Department. When filing an RTK request, please make certain you are seeking records and NOT asking questions. The law governs the release of records, NOT answering questions or conducting research.

The Right to Know Law (RTKL) requires that Plumstead Township Police Department act upon each non-anonymous written request when such request is made in person, by mail, by fax or by email. The RTKL does not require the Police Department to act upon an oral request and the Police Department shall refuse to accept oral requests. In addition, the RTKL does not require the Police Department to act upon an anonymous request, and the Police Department will refuse to honor an anonymous request.

The Pennsylvania Office of Open Records has created and published a standard statewide form on its website that must be accepted by Plumstead Township Police Department for the filing of a request. (https://www.openrecords.pa.gov/RTKL/Forms.cfm) Also below is the County’s standard form for requests. Effective February 1, 2020, Plumstead Township Police Department will require the standard statewide form be used for the submission of Right To Know requests, and will not consider a request to be a written request pursuant to the Right To Know Law unless the request is submitted on or with the standard form..)

RTK REQUEST FORM: (Download Form Here HERE).

Redaction

If Plumstead Township Police Department determines that the public record contains information which is subject to access as well as information which is not subject to access, PTPD response will grant access to information which is subject to access and deny access to the information which is not subject to access. PTPD will redact from the record information which is not subject to access. PTPD may not deny access to the record if the information which is not subject to access is able to be redacted.

Fees
Paper copies shall be .25 per page (black), .50 per page (color). The certification of a record is $5.00 per record. Specialized documents including, but not limited to blueprints, color copies and non-standard sized documents shall be charged the actual cost of production. If mailing is requested, the cost of postage will be charged. The township shall require prepayment if the total fees are estimated to exceed $100.

Response
The Plumstead Township Police Department shall make a good-faith effort to provide the requested public record (s) as promptly as possible. The Open Records Officer shall review all written requests for access to public records. As soon as possible, but no later than five business days after receiving a written request to access public records, the Open Records Officer shall respond to such requests in writing consistent with Act 3 of 2008, the Right-to-Know Law. If access to a record is denied, the response shall include for denial as stipulated in Act 3 of 2009, the Right-to-Know Law.

Extension of time

Upon receipt of a written request for access, the Open Record Officer may determine the request may not be completed within the five-day time limit. A letter will be sent to the requester with an anticipated completion date.

Denial

If PTPD response is a denial a written request for access, whether in whole in or part, the denial will be issued in writing and include:

-A description of the record requested.

-The specific reasons for the denial, including a citation of supporting legal authority, if available.

-The typed or printed name, title, business address, business telephone number and signature of the Open Records Officer who is issuing the denial.

Contact Information for Appeals
If a written request is denied or deemed denied, the requester may file an appeal in writing to: Office of Open Records, 333 Market Street, 16th Floor, Harrisburg, PA 17101-2234. Appeals of criminal records shall be made to the District Attorney of Bucks County. Michelle A. Henry, District Attorney, 55 E. Court Street, 4th Floor, Doylestown, PA 18901, 215-348-6344.

Appeals Process
The appeal shall be filed within 15 business days of the mailing date of the Plumstead Township Police Deaprtments response or within 15 business days of a deemed denial. The appeal shall state the grounds upon which the requester asserts the records is a public record and shall address any grounds stated by the township for delaying or denying the request.