* UPDATED – I CAN SEE IT BUT YOU CAN’T? – 2

* BREAKING NEWS *  I literally just received another email from a City Council member saying they were unaware of the allegations of domestic violence against Police Chief Sadler! Amazing! Please see below and there will be more tomorrow. 

AN ABSOLUTE DISGRACE!

The man falling is on video. We got a chance to see it, but police are not releasing it to the public. The man fell in a secure area and they don’t want it broadcasted.

Chris Papst, CBS 21 (click here).

    I placed a call to Patrick Hopkins this morning and left a personal message with his assistant, Karen. You see, I received the below denial letter from him two days ago regarding my request for the video. I told Karen that Chris Papst of CBS 21 saw the video and asked if he had Homeland Security clearance. She said she would have Mr. Hopkins return the call. As of 4:00 pm today he has not done so.
    This is nothing personal against Chris Papst. I’ve met him in person and I like him. But this is simply absurd. Police Lt. Todd Umstead was trying to earn some “favor” points from Papst and showed him the video – so now, everyone gets to see it and that’s just the way it is.
    And for Hopkins to use what is in his letter about an area of the Lancaster Police Station is also absurd. I will call Mr. Hopkins again tomorrow morning and unless I get satisfaction I will obviously appeal.
    How sad and pathetic can Mayor Gray‘s office get? Has the Mayor now notified the City Council members about Police Chief Keith Sadler‘s past or is he going to try to keep them in the dark the way he is trying to keep the public in the dark? That’s not going to work, Mayor Gray! What an absolute disgrace!
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September 7, 2012

Becky Holzinger
209 E. Duval Street
Philadelphia, PA 19144

Dear Ms. Holzinger,

Thank you for writing to the City of Lancaster with your request for information pursuant to the Pennsylvania Right-To-Know law.

On 9/5/12, you requested “The video from the Lancaster Police Station from Friday, August 31, 2012 when Ubaldo Ramos-Rodriguez fell in the booking area of the station. (Please see the press release on the police website if further information is needed.)”. Your request is denied for the following reasons, as permitted by Section 708 of the Act because it contains some or all of the information as stated in the following subparagraph(s):

    (2)  A record maintained by an agency in connection with the
    military, homeland security, national defense, law enforcement
    or other public safety activity that if disclosed would be
    reasonably likely to jeopardize or threaten public safety or
    preparedness or public protection activity or a record that is
    designated classified by an appropriate Federal or State
    military authority.

    (3)  A record, the disclosure of which creates a reasonable
     likelihood of endangering the safety or the physical security
    of a building, public utility, resource, infrastructure,
    facility or information storage system, which may include:

        (i) documents or data relating to computer hardware,
        source files, software and system networks that could
        jeopardize computer security by exposing a vulnerability
        in preventing, protecting against, mitigating or responding
        to a terrorist act;

        (ii) lists of infrastructure, resources and significant
        special events, including those defined by the Federal
        Government in the National Infrastructure Protections,
        which are deemed critical due to their nature and which
        result from risk analysis; threat assessments;
        consequences assessments; antiterrorism protective
        measures and plans; counterterrorism measures and
        plans; and security and response needs assessments; and

        (iii) building plans or infrastructure records that
        expose or create vulnerability through disclosure of the
        location,configuration or security of critical systems,
        including public utility systems, structural elements,
        technology,communication, electrical, fire suppression,
        ventilation,water, wastewater, sewage and gas systems.

You have a right to appeal this denial of information in writing to Terry Mutchler, Executive Director, Office of Open Records, Commonwealth Keystone building, 400 North Street, 4th Floor, Harrisburg, PA 17120.

If you choose to file an appeal you must do so within 15 business days of the mailing date of the City’s response, as outlined in Section 1101 of Pennsylvania’s Right-To-Know Law. If you have further questions, please call the City of Lancaster’s Right-To-Know Officer at 717-291-3556. Please be advised that this correspondence will serve to close this record with our office as permitted by law.

Respectfully,

Patrick Hopkins
Business Administrator / City Open Records Officer
City of Lancaster