A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was submitted to the Mercer County Sheriff's Department regarding arrest records from the year 2024 on January 7, 2025. The request was made by us at Chambana Sun, a media organization dedicated to providing comprehensive and accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs.
The information sought under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act, 5 ILCS 140, includes a list of all arrests from January 1, 2024, till December 31, 2024. The specific fields requested in this list are the arrestee name, arrest date, arrestee gender, arrestee race, arrestee's date of birth and the crime committed.
As a media organization involved in gathering and reporting news to the public, access to public records is crucial for us to fulfill our professional responsibilities. These include holding public institutions accountable and providing transparency to the public. In light of our role in disseminating information, we believe we are eligible for a fee waiver as a media professional.
We await response from the Mercer County Sheriff's Department and will keep our readers updated with any developments.
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