Reports & Records

On this page....

TopicsForms & DocumentsLinks
- Records Access OfficerReport Request FormCall Logs page
- Guidelines Document (types of records available) Accident Assistance page
Records release policy - State CORI page
Call Log entries  
Incident, arrest, & accident reports  
Report fees  
Background checks - Holden incidents only  
Background checks - statewide ("CORI")  

IMPORTANT!
Records are NOT immediately available
Massachusetts Public Records Law allows us
10 business days from date of receipt to respond to records requests. The Law specifies that for written requests, the 'date of receipt' is considered the day following the day the request is received. For complex requests, this initial response may be a fee estimate only, with another 10 business days allotted after payment is received to provide records. Therefore, especially if requesting by mail, it is advisable to allow at least 30 days for the entire process. 

Please plan accordingly! Thank you.

 

Here at the Holden Police Department, we receive requests for reports every day. This page includes is an outline of our policy for releasing information, and a Report Request Form is available for printing.

 

RECORDS ACCESS OFFICER

Timothy J. Sherblom
Chief of Police
1370 Main Street
Holden, MA  01520
(508) 210-5600
holdenpd@holdenma.gov


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GUIDELINES
Massachusetts Public Records Law requires us to publish a list of "Guidelines" (types of records in our custody).

>> Click here to access our Guidelines

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HPD RECORDS RELEASE POLICY

  • HOLDEN incidents only. Paxton, Princeton and West Boylston reports must be requested from Paxton, Princeton or West Boylston PD, respectively.
  • By law, we are allowed 10 business days to respond to your request. Massachusetts Public Records Law specifies that for written requests, the 'date of receipt' is considered the day following the day the request is received. Records are not immediately available.
  • All requests are subject to approval by the Chief of Police
  • HPD complies with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Public Records Law (M.G.L. c. 4, § 7)
  • Records may be requested in person, via USPS mail, or email. We are not required by law to fulfill telephone requests; voicemail requests are not accepted.
  • We release records considered public, while applying exemptions allowed by law to comply with statute, protect personal privacy, and ensure public safety. Therefore your request may be denied or some information may be redacted
  • Exempted/denied material may include, but not be limited to:
    • Cases under investigation
    • Open court cases
    • Criminal records protected by CORI (Criminal Offender Record Information) statute
    • Cases involving juveniles (under age 18)
    • Information indicating the ownership or location of firearms
    • Information regarding an individual's health issues (including substance abuse)
    • Confidential witness, victim, or informant data
    • Domestic incidents or sexual assault 
    • Social Security numbers, dates of birth, phone numbers, etc. of involved parties
    • Information which could compromise public safety or effective law enforcement
    • Information which is highly personal in nature, which would constitute an unwarranted invasion of privacy if released

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POLICE REPORTS & LOGS

Log Entries
The majority of our calls for service do not generate a written report, but are simply an entry in our logs. 

  • Our daily logs are public information (with legal exemptions). Single, public log entries (for example, "The animal call at 8PM last night on Malden Street") or all public log entries within a contiguous, reasonable time span (for example, "Last Monday between 10AM and 4PM"), may be reviewed at HPD during normal business hours free of charge by coming to the station and requesting to view them. Please allow our staff time to run a computer search and print the logs.
  • Any logs we make immediately available for public review remain in the station at all times
  • Complex requests for multiple entries - for example, those occurring at different dates and times, a request for all entries pertaining to specific individuals or incidents, all entries for a particular address, and any other requests requiring extensive search, legal review/redaction, etc. - are subject to the ten business day work time allotted by Mass. Public Records Law.
  • Basic information about public calls and the details of each public arrest are available monthly on the Call Logs page of this website

  • >> Click here to link to the Call Logs page

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Incident, Arrest, & Accident Reports*
Major incidents, reportable accidents, and all arrests generate a written report, which may be requested from HPD

>> Click here to link to our Accident Assistance page. Thank you.

  • Reports are requested by submitting a completed report request form.
    >> Click here to access the Report Request Form
  • Requests take up to 10 business days to process. Reports are not immediately available.
  • All requests are subject to approval by the Chief of Police
  • If approved, the report you receive may have some information redacted (see Records Release Policy, above)
  • In some cases, a fee set by Massachusetts law is charged for reports (see fee structure below)

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REPORT FEES
Massachusetts Public Records law details the fee formula we use to charge for police record requests. Although they may vary, the table below is a general guideline. Some notes about fees:

  • Individual accident, incident, and arrest reports are generally not assessed a fee (NOTE: buycrash.com may assess a convenience fee for online purchase of accident reports. This fee is set by Lexis-Nexis, not HPD.)
  • Large requests and those for recordings may be assessed a fee; an estimate is provided prior to fulfillment
  • Requests involving a fee estimate require pre-payment before work commences
  • If your request is denied, your fee will be refunded
  • ​If your request is approved but information is redacted, the full fee applies
  • If the fee will be over the initially stated amount, we will contact you before fulfilling your request
  • Fees include personnel time spent to search and segregate; print or create pdf file; legally review and redact; obtain necessary approvals; package/mail/email; media cost if applicable; per page print fee and postage if applicable.
  • Estimates are based on the $25/hour maximum rate set by Massachusetts Public Records Law. 

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BACKGROUND CHECKS
For yourself or someone else

Holden Police Department incidents only

  • Fill out an HPD report request form and indicate the following:
    • Name and date of birth of the person you want the background of 
    • Date range you are interested in
  • Your request will then be responded to within 10 business days
    • In compliance with HPD Records Release Policy (at the top of this page)
    • In compliance with Massachusetts Public Records Law
    • Applicable fees will be assessed
  • >> Click here to access the HPD Report Request Form

Statewide court record (also known as “BOP” or "CORI check")

  • Must be requested from the State; HPD cannot conduct CORI checks, even for yourself
  • >> Click here to link to the State CORI website

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