SE Illinois News

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

A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was submitted to the Edwards County Sheriff's Office in Illinois by SE Illinois News. The request, sent on September 24, 2025, seeks comprehensive arrest records for the entire year of 2023. The media organization is requesting detailed information about each arrest made during this period.

The specific data points requested include the name, sex, race, age, date of birth, and citizenship status of each arrestee. Additionally, they are seeking the booking ID, date of arrest, booking photo, names of the arresting officers, type and location of crime committed, and the date of the crime. This request is made under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act (5 ILCS 140), with a preference for receiving these records in electronic format.

SE Illinois News emphasizes its role in providing accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs and stresses that access to such public records is vital for transparency and accountability. As a media organization involved in gathering and reporting news to the public, they have requested a fee waiver based on their professional responsibilities.

The requestor is affiliated with The Coalition Opposing Governmental Secrecy, a non-profit organization dedicated to assisting media companies and advocacy groups in investigating governmental agencies through FOIA and Sunshine Laws. More information about this coalition can be found at 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.