7. Victims.

Victim statements, like witness statements, may be released after redaction for medical information and indirect identification of a witness or a victim.  Troublingly, the Supervisor of Public Records has opined, without citation, that if a requester “is familiar with the individuals who were involved in the incident(s) …, then the department may withhold the entire record because it would not be possible … to redact the report in a manner as to avoid indirect identification of the voluntary witness and complainant.”  “Guide to Massachusetts Public Records Law” (Sec’y of State, rev. March 2009), at 16.