FOIA Request to Shelby County Sheriffs Department Regarding 2024 Arrest Records on January 7, 2025.
As a media organization committed to providing comprehensive and accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs, we at East Central Reporter have requested records under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act, 5 ILCS 140. The request was sent in electronic format and it specifically asked for a list of all arrests from January 1, 2024 till December 31, 2024 with specific fields.
The fields requested include the arrestee's name, arrest date, gender, race, date of birth and the crime committed. We believe that access to public records is essential for us to fulfill our professional responsibilities which include holding public institutions accountable and providing transparency to the public.
Given our role in disseminating information to the public as a media organization, we also stated our eligibility for a fee waiver as a media professional. We are awaiting a response from the Shelby County Sheriffs Department regarding this request.
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