Sangamon Sun

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

A request for information was submitted to the Menard County Sheriff's Office by a representative of Sangamon Sun, a media organization dedicated to providing comprehensive and accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs. The request, made under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act (5 ILCS 140), seeks access to all arrest records from January 1, 2023, to December 31, 2023. The requester has specified a preference for receiving this information in electronic format.

The data points requested include the arrestee's name, sex, race, age, date of birth, and citizenship status. Additionally, details such as booking ID, date of arrest, booking photo, names of arresting officers, type of crime committed, location of crime, and date of crime are sought. This comprehensive set of data is intended to aid in the media organization's mission to hold public institutions accountable and provide transparency to the public.

The requester has also noted their affiliation with The Coalition Opposing Governmental Secrecy—a non-profit organization that assists media companies and advocacy groups in investigating state and federal governmental agencies through 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.