Massachusetts - Traffic Stop Data_1

To Whom It May Concern:

I am the managing editor of Peninsula Press, a multimedia news website based out of Stanford University in California. We are working on collecting data on traffic stops and searches made by state patrols across the country. (I previously contacted your agency regarding record layout information about what datapoints your state collects and Jenniffer O'Neil provided the type of data you collect on November 4, 2015.)

Pursuant to the Massachusetts Public Records Law, M.G.L. c.66, §10, I hereby request the following records:

I am requesting the raw data of traffic stops made in your state and laid out in your record description for the last ten (10) years. The fields of data include:

-Written or Verbal
-Type of Violation: Operator/Commercial Vehicle/Passenger/Owner
-During: Patrol/Commute/Detail
-Citation Number
-Date Issued (and time issued)
-Result
-Plate reader (yes/no)
-City/Town
-RoadwayType
-Route
-Road Class
-State of ID
-Race
-Sex
-Year of Birth
-Reg type
-Non inventory Search (yes/no)
-Search Code
-Special Event
-Result of search: Nothing found/drugs or paraphernalia/alcohol/weapons/money/other
-Speeding
-Seat Belt 90-13A
-Child Passenger Restraints 90-7 AA

These were all fields provided by the state.

Additionally, if collected, we’d like to request the officer ID, officer race and what type of enforcement took place.

The requested data will be analyzed, eventually be made available to the general public and be used for editorial purposes. This request is not being made for commercial purposes. We kindly ask the request be filled electronically. We can accept the data in many common formats, including as CSV, spreadsheet or other database formats. Data can be emailed to vram@stanford.edu or uploaded to this Dropbox folder: https://www.dropbox.com/request/tHge4TJrELPRswivYnrL

In the event data has to be sent physically on a CD or portable drive, please mail to Peninsula Press, Stanford Journalism Program, 450 Serra Mall, Building 120, Stanford, CA 94305.
In the event that fees cannot be waived, I would be grateful if you would inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request.

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

Sincerely,
Vignesh Ramachandran

Vignesh Ramachandran
Managing Editor, Peninsula Press
Stanford Journalism Program
email vram@stanford.edu
phone 650.723.0703
physical mail 450 Serra Mall, Building 120, Stanford, CA 94305