Nicholas M. Petitgout, Sheriff at McDonough County | https://www.tspr.org/
Nicholas M. Petitgout, Sheriff at McDonough County | https://www.tspr.org/
FOIA Request to McDonough County Sheriff's Office regarding 2023 arrest records on September 24, 2025.
A request for public records was submitted to the McDonough County Sheriff's Office by Prairie State Wire under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act. The request seeks comprehensive data on all arrests made within the year 2023. Specifically, the requested information includes arrestee details such as name, sex, race, age, date of birth, and citizenship status. Additionally, it requests booking IDs, dates of arrest, booking photos, names of arresting officers, types and locations of crimes committed, and dates of those crimes.
The Prairie State Wire emphasizes its role in providing accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs and asserts that access to these public records is vital for holding public institutions accountable. They also seek a fee waiver for this request due to their status as a media organization.
Furthermore, the requester is affiliated with The Coalition Opposing Governmental Secrecy. This non-profit organization aids media companies and advocacy groups in investigating government actions through Freedom of Information and Sunshine Laws. More information about this coalition can be found on their website here.
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.
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