A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was submitted to the Brown County Sheriff’s Department in Wisconsin on October 22, 2024. The request was made by us at Green Bay Reporter, a media organization committed to providing comprehensive and accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs.
We are seeking all arrest records from January 1, 2024, to the present day under the Wisconsin Open Records Law, §19.31 et seq. Our request specifically asks for several data points related to each arrest if they are available. These include the arrestee’s name, sex, race, age, date of birth (DOB), citizenship status, booking ID number, date of arrest and booking photo. We have also requested information about the arresting officer(s), including their names and details about the crime such as its type and location along with the date it occurred.
As members of the media dedicated to gathering and reporting news to the public, access to these public records is essential for us to fulfill our professional responsibilities. These responsibilities include holding public institutions accountable and providing transparency to our readership.
We believe that we are eligible for a fee waiver as media professionals given our role in disseminating information. We await a response from the Brown County Sheriff’s Department regarding this request.
