The Enterprise made a public records request on June 21 for the “names of all finalists for the Brockton Police Department director of communications and community relations position…including all applicants who were interviewed”, but was denied by the administration of Mayor Bill Carpenter.
Our media and First Amendment partner Robert A. Bertsche stated that in this case, the privacy interest of the applicants is trumped by the citizens’ right to know and discuss the identity of the various finalists. “The public records law is designed to be construed in favor of disclosure but, in its response, the City of Brockton has turned that presumption upside down.”
Read the full article to see why Rob believes the Brockton City Hall position is not supported by the Massachusetts public records law.