A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was sent to the Douglas County Sheriff's Department in Wisconsin regarding arrest records on October 22, 2024. The request was made by us at Northwoods Reporter, a media organization dedicated to providing comprehensive and accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs.
We are seeking all arrest records from January 1, 2024, to the present day under the Wisconsin Open Records Law, §19.31 et seq. The requested data points 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 crucial 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 to the community at large, we believe we are eligible for a fee waiver as a media professional.
We eagerly await the department's response and remain committed to delivering accurate and timely information about local law enforcement activities to our readership.
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