Great Lakes Wire

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

A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was submitted to the Cheboygan County Sheriff's Office by Great Lakes Wire, a media organization dedicated to local governmental affairs. The request, sent on September 24, 2025, seeks access to all arrest records from January 1, 2023, to December 31, 2023. The requested data includes various details about each arrestee and the circumstances surrounding their arrest.

The specific information sought includes the name, sex, race, age, date of birth (DOB), and citizenship of each arrestee. Additionally, the request asks for the booking ID, date of arrest, booking photo, names of arresting officers, type of crime committed, location of the crime, and date of the crime. This comprehensive set of data points is intended to facilitate thorough reporting on law enforcement activities within Cheboygan County.

Great Lakes Wire has expressed its commitment to transparency and accountability in public institutions. The organization believes that access to these public records is crucial for fulfilling its role in informing the public and holding governmental entities accountable. In light of this role and as a member of The Coalition Opposing Governmental Secrecy—a non-profit corporation assisting media companies in investigating government actions—Great Lakes Wire has requested a fee waiver for accessing these records.

We look forward to receiving this information in an electronic format as it will greatly aid in our reporting efforts. As always, we remain open for any questions or clarifications regarding this request.