Right To Know
Pennsylvania codified a citizen’s right to access government records in Act 3 of 2008, called the Right to Know (RTK) Law. This law also established the state Office of Open Records. The law governs the release of records, not answering questions. A record is defined as “any information regardless of its physical form or character that documents a transaction or activity of an agency and is created, received, or retained pursuant to law or in connection with a transaction, business or activity of an agency.”
Kingston Township provides open access to the public records of the Township in accordance with the Right to Know law. Citizens need only complete an RTK Request Form to receive a public record. A request may be made in person or by mail, email, or fax.
Click here for the Right to Know Request Form
Name of Open Record’s Officer
Name: Fred J. Rosencrans
Address: 180 E. Center Street Shavertown, Pa. 18708-1514
Phone: (570) 696-3809
Fax: (570) 696-3411
Email: [email protected]
To appeal the response to a request or for information concerning Pennsylvania’s open records laws, please contact the state Office of Open Records:
Office of Open Records
333 Market Street, 16th Floor
Harrisburgh, PA 17126-0333
Phone 717-346-9903 * Fax 717-425-5343
[email protected]
The township charges the fees listed in the Pennsylvania “Office of Open Records Official RTKL Fee Structure”
REQUESTING POLICE RECORDINGS (Video & Audio) in Pennsylvania– ACT 22 of 2017
Office of Open Records- Police Recordings information and requesting Police Recordings
How to File a Request
Under Act 22, a request for an audio or video recording in the possession of a law enforcement agency must be made within 60 days of the date the recording was made. Requests must be submitted via personal delivery or certified mail (§67A03).
A written request must be submitted to the Agency Open Records Officer (AORO) for the law enforcement agency that possesses the record. The request is not officially received until it is personally delivered to the AORO, or when it is marked as “delivered” by certified mail.
The request must include:
- The date, time and location of the event recorded;
- A statement describing the requester’s relationship to the event recorded; and
- If the recorded incident took place inside a residence, the request must also identify every person present at the time of the recording, unless unknown and not reasonably ascertainable.
Once a request is filed, the agency has 30 days to respond, although the requester and agency can agree to an extension.
The OOR has developed this request form for police recordings (also available as a Word file) to help ensure that requesters include all of the required information.
