DEPARTMENT OF LAW CITY OF BALTIMORE GEORGE A. NILSON, City Solicitor SHEILA DIXON, Sayer OFFICE OF LEGAL AFFAIRS 242 W. 28th Steet Boltimere, MD 21211 January 5, 2009 Melissa Harris Reporter, The Baltimore Sun Company 501 N. Calvert Street Baltimore, Maryland 21278 RE: Maryland Public Information Act Request Dear Ms. Harris: In an e-mail dated December 19, 2008 to Baltimore City Police (“BCPD”) Commissioner Bealefeld and BCPD Public Affairs Director Anthony Guglielmi, you requested a record pursuant to the Maryland Public Information Act, codified in sections 10-611, ef seq. of the State Government Article of the Maryland Code (hereinafter “MPIA”). Specifically, you requested a copy of “The American Society of Crime Laboratory [sic: Leboratory] Directors Laboratory Accreditation Board intetim inspection report of the Baltimore Police Department Crime Laboratory dated Nov. 19, 2008.” The document to which you refer is exempt from disclosure under section 10-618(0(1) of the MPIA and will not be produced. Although generally the MPIA favors disclosure of the remaining paris of a record after severing the exempt portions, Maryland's Court of Appeals has clarified that an exemption from disclosure under section 10-618(f)(1) of the MPIA, “applies to the entire record, to the extent that inspection would be contrary to the public interest,” as it would be in this case. Mayor and City Council v. Maryland Committee Against the Gun Ban, 329 Md. 78, 97 (1992). Other exemptions listed in the MPIA may also apply to protect informatioa in the seport from disclosure. I have not addressed those exemptions in this correspondence because the exemption in 10-618(f(1) of the MPIA governs in this instance, If you disagree with the denial of your request, you may seck judicial review pursuant to section 10-623 of the MPIA. ‘Very truly yours, Gf Mark H. Grimes Chief Legal Counsel (410) 396-2495 ® proses ecylad pper wihemnnsenily es cy hs ink