A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was sent to the Winnebago County Sheriff's Department regarding all arrest records from the year 2024 on January 7, 2025.
As part of our commitment to providing comprehensive and accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs, we at Rockford Sun have requested these records under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act, 5 ILCS 140. We prefer to receive these records in an electronic format for ease of access and dissemination.
The specific details requested include a list of all arrests from January 1, 2024, till December 31, 2024. The fields requested are the arrestee name, arrest date, arrestee gender, arrestee race, arrestee's date of birth, and the crime committed.
As a media organization involved in gathering and reporting news to the public, access to public records is essential for us to fulfill our professional responsibilities. These responsibilities include holding public institutions accountable and providing transparency to the public. Given our role in disseminating information, we believe we are eligible for a fee waiver as a media professional.
We will keep you updated on any developments or responses received from the Winnebago County Sheriff's Department regarding this request.
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