Prairie State Wire

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

A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was submitted to the Lake County Sheriff's Office in Illinois by Prairie State Wire, a media organization dedicated to providing comprehensive and accurate news coverage on 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 emphasizes the importance of access to public records for media professionals in fulfilling their role in holding public institutions accountable and ensuring transparency. Prairie State Wire has also requested a fee waiver as they are a member of the media. The requester is affiliated with The Coalition Opposing Governmental Secrecy, a non-profit organization that assists media companies and advocacy groups in investigating state and federal governmental agencies using Freedom of Information and Sunshine Laws.

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.