9. Confidential informants.

Witness statements may be withheld (indefinitely) under exemption (f) if their release would create a grave risk of directly or indirectly identifying a private citizen who volunteers as a witness.  Globe Newspaper Co. v. Boston Retirement Board, 388 Mass. 427, 438 (1983) (defining “identifying details” and “grave risk of indirect identification”).  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.