Great Lakes Wire

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

A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was submitted to the Kalkaska County Sheriff's Office by Great Lakes Wire, a media organization dedicated to comprehensive and accurate news coverage of local governmental affairs. The request seeks access to all arrest records from January 1, 2023, to December 31, 2023. The requested data points include arrestee name, sex, race, age, date of birth, citizenship status, booking ID, date of arrest, booking photo, names of arresting officers, type of crime committed, location of the crime, and date of the crime.

The request was made under the Michigan Freedom of Information Act § 15.231 et seq., with a preference for receiving the information in electronic format. Great Lakes Wire emphasized its role in gathering and reporting news to the public as part of its professional responsibilities. The organization highlighted its commitment to holding public institutions accountable and providing transparency through access to public records.

Great Lakes Wire also mentioned its affiliation with The Coalition Opposing Governmental Secrecy—a non-profit corporation that assists media companies and advocacy groups in investigating governmental agencies using FOIA and Sunshine Laws. This affiliation supports their eligibility for a fee waiver as they fulfill their role in disseminating information to the public.

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.