Great Lakes Wire

FOIA Request to Benzie County Sheriff's Office regarding the number of job applications and tracking on August 14, 2025.

The Great Lakes Wire, a media organization dedicated to delivering comprehensive news coverage on local governmental affairs, has submitted a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to the Benzie County Sheriff's Office. The request, sent on August 14, 2025, seeks access to specific records under the Michigan Freedom of Information Act § 15.231 et seq.

The records requested include data on the number of job applications received by the Benzie County Sheriff's Office, broken down by week, month, or year. Additionally, the request seeks information about the department or individual responsible for tracking these application numbers. The Great Lakes Wire has expressed a preference for receiving this information in electronic format.

In their communication, Great Lakes Wire emphasized their role in gathering and reporting news to the public. They highlighted that access to public records is crucial for fulfilling their professional responsibilities of holding public institutions accountable and ensuring transparency. As a media organization involved in disseminating information, they have requested a fee waiver for accessing these records.

Furthermore, it was noted that the requestor is affiliated with The Coalition Opposing Governmental Secrecy—a non-profit organization assisting media companies and advocacy groups in investigating governmental agencies through FOIA and Sunshine Laws. More details about this coalition can be found at https://stopsecrecy.org/about/.

Our team will continue to keep you updated as we gather and report news related to this request and other matters of public interest. Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions or need further clarification regarding this matter.