Great Lakes Wire

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

A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was submitted to the Berrien County Sheriff's Office by Great Lakes Wire, a media organization dedicated to providing comprehensive and accurate news coverage on 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 such as the arrestee's name, sex, race, age, date of birth (DOB), 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 emphasizes the importance of accessing public records for media professionals in order to hold public institutions accountable and provide transparency to the public. It also mentions that as a member of the media involved in gathering and reporting news to the public, Great Lakes Wire is eligible for a fee waiver.

The requestor is affiliated with The Coalition Opposing Governmental Secrecy—a non-profit organization that assists news media companies and public advocacy groups in investigating state and federal governmental agencies. The coalition uses Freedom of Information and Sunshine Laws to promote transparency in government actions. More information about this organization can be found on their website: 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.