The appellant made a request under the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (the Act) to the Sault Ste. Marie Police Services Board (the Police). The request was for access to all records of the investigation regarding the death of her son.

The Police granted partial access to the records it identified as responsive to the request. Access was denied to parts of the records, including a cassette tape from the appellant’s son’s answering machine, under section 14(1) (invasion of privacy) of the Act.

The appellant appealed the decision of the Police to deny access to the answering machine cassette tape. The appellant indicated that she had provided the tape to the Police, that it was her property and she wanted it returned.

This office provided a Notice of Inquiry to the Police, initially. The Police provided representations in response. A Notice of Inquiry was then sent to the appellant along with the non-confidential portions of the representations of the Police. The appellant also submitted representations.