Dear Mr. and Ms.(?) Timmis,
This firm represents the City of Thomaston Police Deptartment, and we have been provided with your letter of Sept.1,1999, directed to the chief of police and demanding production of certain documents.
Please be advised that Georgia does not have a "Freedom of Information Act". The "Freedm of Information Act" is a Federal statute, normally not considered to be applicipable to municipalities.
Access to public records in Georgia is controlled by the Georgia Open Records Act.{"ORA" OCGA ss.50-18-70 et seq.} Under the provisions of that act, members of the public are allowed to inspect and copy public documents, but the custodian of those public documents is not required to compile and deliver those documents to the requesting party.
The right to inspect the public documents on file with the City of Thomaston Police Deptartment is controlled by the provisions of the ORA. If you wish to inspect and copy any public documents of that office, same will be made available to you only at the department, 613 North Church St., Thoamston, Georgia.
Access to the public documents will be made available during normal administrative office hours and only under the supervision of department personnel.
You will be expected to pay the costs and expenses authorized by the ORA, including photocopy expense of $.25 per page.
If you will notify the office of the chief of police of the date and time you would like to commence your inspection of public documents, arrangements will be made to have the necessary personnel and facilties available to accomadate your request.
This letter was signed by David Dunaway, Attorney at Law.
Carbon copies were sent to: Mr.Kerry Waldron-City Manager
Chief Tony McCard-Chief of Police
Mr.Robert Holloway-Personnel Director.
Quite alot of fuss, wouldn't you say???
You may find it interesting to know, ( we did! ) that this very letter was taken and shown to Alan Adams, ( 'for his opinion' ) BEFORE it was ever sent to us!!
