Right To Know Requests

Borough of Nazareth Purpose
All requests for public records must be in writing and signed by the requestor. The request should be on the official NBPD request form or on the universal form promulgated by the Pennsylvania Office of Open Records.

The request should identify or describe the public records sought with sufficient specificity to enable the Open-Records Compliance Officer to ascertain which records are being requested and shall include a name and address to which the NYCRPD should address the response. The Nazareth Borough Police will not accept oral or anonymous requests for open records.

Policy
It is the policy of this Borough to comply with the requirements of the Pennsylvania Right to Know Act (Act 3 of 2008). 65 P.S. Sections 66.1-66.9.

Definitions
A. Pennsylvania's Right to Know Law. (RTK) The Right to Know Law defines what a public record is. It is somewhat restrictive in the amount and type of information that can be released by a Police Borough. A “public record” is not information contained in a report that is Investigative in nature.

B. Police - Arrow, or Right to Know Officer The RTK for the Nazareth Police Department is designated to be the Chief of Police or his designee.

C. Record. Any information regardless of its physical form or character that document a transaction or activity of an agency, and is created, received, or retained pursuant to law or in connection with a transaction business or activity of an agency

General
A. The Nazareth Borough Police Department's Custodian of Records shall serve as the Open-Record Compliance Officer. This person shall be the Chief of police or designee.

B. All requests for public records shall be addressed as follows:

Nazareth Borough Police Department
ATTN: Open-Records Compliance Officer
134 S Main St.
Nazareth, Pa 18064

C. Written requests will be accepted by mail, facsimile to (610) 759-9622, or delivered in person during NBPD’s regular business hours of 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except for holidays or other official office closings.

Under the Right-to-Know Law, investigative reports are exempted from the definition of a "public-record", therefore, any and all such requests will be denied.

If a written request for public records is granted, fees will be assessed in accordance with the fee schedule promulgated by Pennsylvania's Office of Open Records.

Fee schedule can be found at Office of Open Records.

Fees will not be charged for requests totaling less than 2 photocopies.
Postage costs will be charged at actual postage rates.
Fees must be paid in full prior to the public record being released.
If in the opinion of the Open-Records Compliance Officer the total fees will exceed $100.00, the requestor will receive written estimate of such and no duplication shall occur until pre-payment of the estimate is received by the Nazareth Borough Police Department.
All fees shall be paid by cash, check or money order made payable to the "Nazareth Borough Police Department".
"Photocopy" shall be defined as either a single sided copy or one side of a double sided copy of a standard 8.5" x 11" pages
Questions regarding this policy should be directed to the Open-Records Compliance Officer at 610-759-9575.
This policy shall be posted in the main lobby of the Nazareth Borough Police Department and on the Department’s Internet website at Borough of Nazareth.
Police related security video, in car video and body cameras are not subject to an RTK, and will be served under Act 22 regulations.
Any officer or departmental employee who receives a RTK request must immediately bring it to the attention of the departmental RTK officer (Chief of Police
The RTK officer will immediately review the RTK request and respond within the 5-day period if possible. If it is not possible for the RTK officer to fulfil the request withing the 5 days, the RTK officer will respond requesting 30 days to respond.
Any police record that falls under the CHRIA regulation regarding the release of confidential information will not be released.
Also see Directive 9.09.00 on release of information
RTK denial can be appealed at the Office of Open Records using this form.

Office of Open Records Appeal form

There shall be no requirements to limit the number of records requested or for providing the reason for the request.

For more information see the OOR website at Open-Records

Documents
The Standard Right to Know Request Form
Recording Request Form (Act 22 - for audio/video recordings)