A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was submitted to the Pope County Sheriffs Department in Illinois on January 7, 2025. The request was made by Southern Illinois News, a media organization dedicated to providing comprehensive and accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs.
The FOIA request seeks access to all arrest records from the year 2024. Specifically, the requested data includes the arrestee's name, date of arrest, gender, race, date of birth, and the crime committed.
As representatives of Southern Illinois News, we believe that 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. We have requested these records under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act, 5 ILCS 140.
In line with our role in gathering and disseminating information to the public, we have also asked for a fee waiver as a media professional.
We await a response from the Pope County Sheriffs Department regarding this request.
Alerts Sign-up