A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was sent to the Barron 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 committed to providing comprehensive and accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs.
We requested all arrest records from January 1, 2024, to the present day under the Wisconsin Open Records Law, §19.31 et seq., preferably in electronic format. The data points we sought in these records include the arrestee's 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 to the public, we believe we are eligible for a fee waiver as a media professional.
The Barron County Sheriff's Department has yet to respond to our request. We will continue to keep you updated as this story unfolds.
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