Google Alerts (Boston Police Department)

Dear Emma Best
Thank you for your interest in public records of Boston Police Department. Your request has been received and is being processed. Your request was received in this office on 8/1/2020 12:07:57 AM and given the reference number B001142-080120 for tracking purposes.
If this is a media request, please contact the Office of Media Relations directly at 617.343.4520.
To Whom It May Concern:

Pursuant to the Massachusetts Public Records Law, I hereby request the following records:

A. Copies of emailed Google Alert subscription confirmations received between January 1, 2016 and the date of the processing of this request.

B. Copies of all emailed Google Alerts received between January 1, 2016 and the date of the processing of this request. Google Alerts may be identified by any or all of the following:

1. Containing the phrase "Google Alert" in the Subject line
2. Being sent by an email address with the display name "Google Alerts"
3. Being sent from the email address googlealerts-noreply@google.com

I am a member of the news media and request classification as such. I have previously written about the government and its activities, with some reaching over 100,000 readers in outlets such as Gizmodo, MuckRock, Motherboard, Property of the People, Unicorn Riot, and The Outline, among others. As such, as I have a reasonable expectation of publication and my editorial and writing skills are well established. In addition, I discuss and comment on the files online and make them available through non-profits such as the library Internet Archive and the journalist non-profit MuckRock, disseminating them to a large audience. While my research is not limited to this, a great deal of it, including this, focuses on the activities and attitudes of the government itself. As such, it is not necessary for me to demonstrate the relevance of this particular subject in advance.

As my primary purpose is to inform about government activities by reporting on it and making the raw data available, I request that fees be waived.

I also request that, if appropriate, fees be waived as we believe this request is in the public interest, as suggested but not stipulated by the recommendations of the Massachusetts Supervisor of Public Records. The requested documents will be made available to the general public free of charge as part of the public information service at MuckRock.com, processed by a representative of the news media/press and is made in the process of news gathering and not for commercial usage.

I expect the request to be filled in an accessible format, including for screen readers, which provide text-to-speech for persons unable to read print. Files that are not accessible to screen readers include, for example, .pdf image files as well as physical documents.

In the event that there are fees, I would be grateful if you would inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment if available or CD-ROM if not.

Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. I look forward to receiving your response to this request within 10 business days, as the statute requires.

Sincerely,

Emma Best

Upload documents directly: https://https://www.muckrock.comhttps://accounts.muckrock.com/accounts/login/?url_auth_token=AAAj3SmFwCqGc-tMmfYbORz2o9M%3A1k1idb%3A9CDzKA0iyqsLgASKElnNRKDxN6k&next=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.muckrock.com%2Faccounts%2Flogin%2F%3Fnext%3D%252Faccounts%252Fagency_login%252Fboston-police-department-174%252Fgoogle-alerts-boston-police-department-99014%252F%253Femail%253Dshawn.williams%252540boston.gov
You can monitor the progress of your request at the link below and you'll receive an email when your request has been completed. Again, thank you for using the Public Records Center.
Director, Public Information
Boston Police Department

August 18, 2020

Emma Best

requests@muckrock.com

Re: *August 1, 2020 Public Records Request*

Ms. Best:

The BPD (Boston Police Department) has received your request for public
records. This response applies only to records that exist and are in the
custody of the City. See *A Guide to the Massachusetts Public Records Law*,
p. 32, n.115. It is expected that a custodian of records must use her
superior knowledge of her records with respect to responses to public
records requests. 950 CMR 32.04(5). Specifically, you stated:

*To Whom It May Concern:*

*Pursuant to the Massachusetts Public Records Law, I hereby request the
following records:*

*A. Copies of emailed Google Alert subscription confirmations received
between January 1, 2016 and the date of the processing of this request.*

*B. Copies of all emailed Google Alerts received between January 1, 2016
and the date of the processing of this request. Google Alerts may be
identified by any or all of the following:*

*1. Containing the phrase "Google Alert" in the Subject line*

*2. Being sent by an email address with the display name "Google Alerts"*

*3. Being sent from the email address googlealerts-noreply@google.com
<googlealerts-noreply@google.com>*

*I am a member of the news media and request classification as such. I have
previously written about the government and its activities, with some
reaching over 100,000 readers in outlets such as Gizmodo, MuckRock,
Motherboard, Property of the People, Unicorn Riot, and The Outline, among
others. As such, as I have a reasonable expectation of publication and my
editorial and writing skills are well established. In addition, I discuss
and comment on the files online and make them available through non-profits
such as the library Internet Archive and the journalist non-profit
MuckRock, disseminating them to a large audience. While my research is not
limited to this, a great deal of it, including this, focuses on the
activities and attitudes of the government itself. As such, it is not
necessary for me to demonstrate the relevance of this particular subject in
advance.*

*As my primary purpose is to inform about government activities by
reporting on it and making the raw data available, I request that fees be
waived.*

*I also request that, if appropriate, fees be waived as we believe this
request is in the public interest, as suggested but not stipulated by the
recommendations of the Massachusetts Supervisor of Public Records. The
requested documents will be made available to the general public free of
charge as part of the public information service at MuckRock.com, processed
by a representative of the news media/press and is made in the process of
news gathering and not for commercial usage.*

*I expect the request to be filled in an accessible format, including for
screen readers, which provide text-to-speech for persons unable to read
print. Files that are not accessible to screen readers include, for
example, .pdf image files as well as physical documents.*

*In the event that there are fees, I would be grateful if you would inform
me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer
the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment if available or
CD-ROM if not.*

*Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. I
look forward to receiving your response to this request within 10 business
days, as the statute requires.*

*Sincerely,*

*Emma Best*

Please find responsive documents from December 31, 2015 to January 1, 2016
to your request attached in this email. The number of documents you
requested will be over 139107 emails.

You may appeal this response to the Supervisor of Records in the Office of
the Secretary of the Commonwealth. G. L. c. 66, § 10A (c); G. L. c. 66, §
10(b)(ix); 950 CMR 32.08; 950 CMR 32.08(1)(h) (in petitioning the
Supervisor, the requester shall provide a copy of such petition to the
records access officer associated with such petition). You may also appeal
to the Superior Court. 950 CMR 32.06(3)(c).

Thank you,

Sgt Det. John Boyle
--
*Sergeant Detective John Boyle*
*Boston Police Department*
*Office of Media Relations*
*1 Schroeder Plaza*
*Boston, Massachusetts, 02120*
617-343-4520