FOIL Request for Information Regarding Threatening Emails Sent to Capital Region Schools (Watervliet City Police Department)

To Whom It May Concern:

Pursuant to the New York Freedom of Information Law, I hereby request the following records:

Pursuant to the New York Freedom of Information Law (FOIL), I hereby request copies of the threatening emails received by the North Colonie Central School District, Watervliet City School District, and Green Island Union Free School District, as reported in the news article published by the Times Union on March 6, 2023, titled "Some Capital Region schools received nationally sent email threat Monday" (https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/capital-region-schools-received-nationally-sent-17822662.php)

Additionally, I request copies of any police reports, witness statements, and/or narratives submitted by police officers related to the threatening emails. Please also provide any correspondence between the school districts and law enforcement agencies related to the emails.

As a reminder, FOIL requires that requests for records be granted or denied within five business days of receipt of a request. If access to any records is denied, please provide a written response detailing the reasons for denial.

Thank you for your assistance in this matter.

The requested documents will be made available to the general public, and this request is not being made for commercial purposes.

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 5 business days, as the statute requires.

Sincerely,

Jackson Parker

Thank you for your response to my FOIL request dated 3/14/2023. I understand that the release of the requested information would interfere with an ongoing law enforcement investigation and that you have therefore denied my request.

However, I would like to request that you provide me with a written explanation of the specific exemption(s) used to justify the denial, as required by Section 87(3)(c) of the New York State Public Officers Law. Specifically, I would like to know how the release of the requested information would interfere with the ongoing investigation and what specific harm would result from its release.

As you may be aware, FOIL law requires that agencies must release as much information as possible without interfering with ongoing investigations. Therefore, I respectfully request that you reconsider my request and provide me with any information that can be released without interfering with the investigation.

Thank you for your attention to this matter. I look forward to your response.

I would also like to place in the record of this FOIL request this quote from Superintendent Ross of Green Island UFSD on 3/6.

"Albany County Sheriff’s Office and federal agencies deemed the threat not to be credible and there is no immediate danger to the Heatly school community"

https://www.greenisland.org/site/default.aspx?PageType=3&DomainID=4&ModuleInstanceID=10&ViewID=6446EE88-D30C-497E-9316-3F8874B3E108&RenderLoc=0&FlexDataID=1840&PageID=1

Thank you for your response to my FOIL request dated 3/14/2023. I understand that the release of the requested information would interfere with an ongoing law enforcement investigation and that you have therefore denied my request.

However, I would like to request that you provide me with a written explanation of the specific exemption(s) used to justify the denial, as required by Section 87(3)(c) of the New York State Public Officers Law. Specifically, I would like to know how the release of the requested information would interfere with the ongoing investigation and what specific harm would result from its release.

As you may be aware, FOIL law requires that agencies must release as much information as possible without interfering with ongoing investigations. Therefore, I respectfully request that you reconsider my request and provide me with any information that can be released without interfering with the investigation.

Thank you for your attention to this matter. I look forward to your response.

would also like to place in the record of this FOIL request this quote from Superintendent Ross of Green Island UFSD on 3/6.

"Albany County Sheriff’s Office and federal agencies deemed the threat not to be credible and there is no immediate danger to the Heatly school community"

https://www.greenisland.org/site/default.aspx?PageType=3&DomainID=4&ModuleInstanceID=10&ViewID=6446EE88-D30C-497E-9316-3F8874B3E108&RenderLoc=0&FlexDataID=1840&PageID=1