A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was sent to the Waupaca County Sheriff's Department on October 22, 2024. The request was made by Fox Cities News, a media organization committed to providing comprehensive and accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs.
In our quest for transparency and accountability, we sought all arrest records from January 1, 2024, to the present day. We requested these records under the Wisconsin Open Records Law, §19.31 et seq., preferably in an electronic format.
The specific data points we asked for include the arrestee's name, sex, race, age, date of birth (DOB), citizenship status, booking ID, date of arrest and booking photo. Additionally, we also requested information about the arresting officer(s), type of crime committed by the arrestee, location of the crime and the date it occurred.
As a media organization dedicated to gathering and reporting news to the public, access to public records is essential for us to fulfill our professional responsibilities. These responsibilities include holding public institutions accountable and providing transparency to the public. Given our role in disseminating information, we believe we are eligible for a fee waiver as a media professional.
We will continue to keep you updated as more information becomes available.
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