Prairie State Wire

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

A request for information has been submitted to the Macon County Sheriff's Department under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act, 5 ILCS 140. The request was made 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 includes detailed information such as the arrestee's 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 of crimes committed, locations of crimes, and dates when these crimes occurred. Prairie State Wire has emphasized the importance of accessing these public records to fulfill its role in holding public institutions accountable and ensuring transparency for the public.

Prairie State Wire is affiliated with The Coalition Opposing Governmental Secrecy, a non-profit organization that assists media companies and advocacy groups in investigating governmental agencies using Freedom of Information and Sunshine Laws. More information about this coalition can be found on their website: https://stopsecrecy.org/about/.

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.