A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was sent to the Jackson County Sheriff's Department in Wisconsin regarding arrest records on October 22, 2024. The request was made by WC Wisconsin News, a media organization committed to providing comprehensive and accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs.
The request, made under the Wisconsin Open Records Law, §19.31 et seq., specifically asked for all arrest records from January 1, 2024, to the present day. The requested data points included arrestee name, sex, race, age, date of birth (DOB), citizenship status, booking ID, date of arrest and booking photo. Additional information such as the names of arresting officers, type of crime committed, location of the crime and date of the crime were also requested.
As members of WC Wisconsin News and part of the media community involved in gathering and reporting news to the public, we believe that access to public records is essential for us to fulfill our professional responsibilities. These responsibilities include holding public institutions accountable and providing transparency to the public. Given our role in disseminating information, we have also requested a fee waiver as media professionals.
We await a response from the Jackson County Sheriff's Department regarding this request and will continue to strive for transparency and accountability in our reporting.
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