Worcester Police Department Continues its FAIL Game

Months after insisting it would cost $1500 for records sought by the Worcester Telegram & Gazette, the Worcester Police Department has cashed the check and not produced any records.

Worse, the police chief publicly acknowledges that not only have the records not been produced — but the department has not even begun work to process the request.

According to the Telegram & Gazette,

“This is outrageous. Look, we know what the law is, and the chief knows what the law is,” said Mr. Robinson, a journalism professor and a former editor at The Boston Globe. “Here we have the chief law enforcement officer of a major city, who is sworn to uphold the law and seek sanctions against those who violate the law, willfully violating the law.”

Naturally, the Telegram & Gazette has appealed to the State Supervisor of Public Records which is based out of the Secretary of State’s office. Naturally, the law is on the Telegram’s side.

They are mistaken, according to state Supervisor of Records Alan N. Cote, whose job it is to enforce the public records law in Massachusetts.

“The work should have begun the minute you paid your check. His record management responsibility to the community is to have his records managed so he can produce them in a reasonable time. His files should be available,” Mr. Cote said of Chief Gemme. “It’s unreasonable to wait so long.”

Unfortunately there are not any criminal penalties that can be used against government officials who fail to comply with the letter of the law.

Read More. . .Telegram & Gazette
Read For Yourself…MA Public Records Guide (PDF file)