An individual made a request under the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act to the police for access to records relating to her sister’s death. The police provided some information but decided not to provide the requester with a suicide note stating it was exempt under the personal privacy exemption in section 14(1) of the Act. The individual appealed stating that the deceased’s parents needed the suicide note for closure in their grieving.
In this order, the adjudicator finds that though the individual provides compassionate reasons for requesting the suicide note, its disclosure is not desirable in this case as it would be an unjustified invasion of personal privacy of the deceased’s spouse and other individuals. The adjudicator upholds the police’s decision and dismisses the appeal.