Great Lakes Wire

FOIA Request to St. Joseph County Sheriff's Office regarding 2023 arrest records on September 24, 2025.

A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was submitted by Great Lakes Wire to the St. Joseph County Sheriff's Office in Michigan, seeking detailed arrest records for the entire year of 2023. The request was made under the Michigan Freedom of Information Act § 15.231 et seq., and the media organization has asked for these records preferably in electronic format.

The specific data points requested include the arrestee's name, sex, race, age, date of birth, and citizenship status. Additionally, the request seeks information such as booking ID, date of arrest, booking photo, names of arresting officers, type and location of crime, and date of crime. This comprehensive data collection aims to facilitate thorough reporting on local governmental affairs.

Great Lakes Wire emphasizes its role in gathering and disseminating news to hold public institutions accountable and ensure transparency. As a media organization involved in public reporting efforts, they have requested a fee waiver for accessing these public records.

The requestor is affiliated with The Coalition Opposing Governmental Secrecy, a non-profit organization that assists media companies and advocacy groups in investigating government actions through FOIA requests. More information about this coalition can be found on their website here.

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.