Great Lakes Wire

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

A request for information under the Michigan Freedom of Information Act was sent to the Ontonagon County Sheriff's Office by Great Lakes Wire, a media organization focused on local governmental affairs. The request seeks comprehensive arrest records from January 1, 2023, to December 31, 2023. The requested data includes arrestee details such as name, sex, race, age, date of birth, and citizenship status. Additionally, it asks for booking IDs, dates of arrest, booking photos, names of arresting officers, types of crimes committed, locations and dates of these crimes.

The request emphasizes the importance of access to public records for media professionals in fulfilling their role in providing transparency and holding public institutions accountable. As such, Great Lakes Wire has requested a fee waiver citing their status as a media organization.

The requestor is affiliated with The Coalition Opposing Governmental Secrecy—a non-profit corporation dedicated to aiding news media companies and advocacy groups in investigating governmental agencies through Freedom of Information and Sunshine Laws. More information about this coalition 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.