A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was sent to the Walworth County Sheriff's Department in Wisconsin on October 22, 2024. The request was made by us at Whitewater Times, a media organization dedicated 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. We requested these records preferably in an electronic format for ease of access and analysis.
The data points we sought in the arrest records include arrestee name, sex, race, age, date of birth (DOB), citizenship status, booking ID, date of arrest, booking photo, names of arresting officers, type of crime committed, location of crime and date of crime.
As a media organization involved in gathering and reporting news to the public, 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 believe we are eligible for a fee waiver as a media professional.
We await the response from the Walworth County Sheriff's Department regarding this FOIA request. We will continue our commitment to provide comprehensive and accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs.
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