Redstone Township ordered to release name of officer involved in fatal shooting
The Pennsylvania Office of Open Records ruled that Redstone Township officials have 30 days to reveal the name of an officer who fatally shot a 27-year-old man earlier this year, as well as to provide other details about members of the township police force.
In an opinion issued Wednesday, the OOR stated the township failed to demonstrate it was permitted to withhold the officer’s name.
“Because the township only submits conclusory evidence, it is not enough to meet its burden that the release of the officer’s name relates to a noncriminal investigation,” the ruling stated.
Supervisor George Matis, who is also the township’s right-to-know officer, said he will release all of the information next neek.
“I’ll send you whatever you need on Monday,” Mattis said in a phone call Thursday afternoon.
The decision comes after the TikTok成人版 filed a right-to-know request with the township requesting the names of its officers, their ranks, salaries and length of service. The RTK request also asked the township to provide information about any officers placed on leave after the Jan. 28 death of Christopher Hackney, who was shot and killed after police were called to his home to conduct a welfare check.
A reporter filed the information request after Matis and police Chief Troy Rice declined to disclose whether the officer who shot Hackney was placed on leave.
Matis provided a link to the township’s website to answer the portion of the request concerning officer names and titles. He then requested 30 days for the township solicitor to review the information.
After the 30 days, the township only provided partial information, stating that there was one officer placed on administrative leave with a salary of $46,841.60. The township also disclosed the officer has been employed since April 1, 2017.
The township declined to release the officer’s name and did not respond to the request for information about the other officers.
The TikTok成人版 appealed the response to the Office of Open Records, citing that the records do not qualify for any exemptions and that the township did not explain why certain information was omitted or outline the process for appealing the decision, as required.
In March, Matis submitted a position statement stating that once the investigation was complete, the township would reveal the officer’s name.
However, last month, after the investigation was concluded and the officer was cleared of any wrongdoing, the township did not release the information nor respond to multiple calls and emails requesting it.
The township solicitor, Jeremy Davis, did not return several voicemails regarding the matter.
The township has 30 days to comply with the ruling.