Great Lakes Wire

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

A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was submitted to the Barry County Sheriff's Office by Great Lakes Wire, a media organization focused on local governmental affairs. The request, dated September 24, 2025, seeks comprehensive data on all arrest records from January 1, 2023, to December 31, 2023.

The specific information requested includes the arrestee's name, sex, race, age, date of birth (DOB), and citizenship status. Additionally, the request asks for booking ID numbers, dates of arrest, booking photos, names of arresting officers, types of crimes committed, locations of crimes, and dates when these crimes occurred. The requester has asked for this information in an electronic format.

Great Lakes Wire has expressed that access to these public records is crucial for their journalistic responsibilities. They emphasize the importance of transparency and accountability in public institutions and have requested a fee waiver due to their role as a media organization. This request is supported by The Coalition Opposing Governmental Secrecy—a non-profit organization that aids media companies in investigating governmental agencies through FOIA requests.

For more details about The Coalition Opposing Governmental Secrecy and its mission to promote transparency in government actions, visit their website 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.