FOIA

Freedom of Information Act Procedures

The Illinois Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), 5 ILCS 140/1 et seq., promotes transparency and accountability in government by allowing members of the public to request access to public records maintained by governmental agencies.

The Stephenson County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) is committed to complying with FOIA while also protecting information that is confidential, private, or exempt from disclosure under Illinois law.

Jurisdictional Notice – Please Read Before Submitting a FOIA Request

The Stephenson County Sheriff’s Office can only respond to FOIA requests for records that are prepared, possessed, used, received, or controlled by this office.

If the records you are seeking are maintained by another agency, your request should be directed to that agency.

Please be aware of the following:

City of Freeport Incidents
Incidents occurring within the City of Freeport are generally handled by the Freeport Police Department, which is the appropriate agency for those records.

Village of Lena Incidents
Incidents occurring within the Village of Lena are generally handled by the Lena Police Department, which is the appropriate agency for those records.

FOIA requests submitted to the Stephenson County Sheriff’s Office for records not maintained by this office may be denied or returned with instructions to contact the appropriate agency.

Notice Regarding Requests for Multiple Arrest Reports
Requests seeking large numbers of arrest reports or police reports from unrelated incidents may require significant staff time to locate, review, and redact records prior to release. Requests that appear to seek records for data aggregation, database creation, or publication of arrest information may be reviewed to determine whether they constitute a commercial request under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act.
Requests submitted through automated or bulk systems may require additional clarification to ensure the request complies with FOIA.

How to Submit a FOIA Request

FOIA requests may be submitted using the online form available below, or by downloading and completing the FOIA request form located in the Downloads section of this page.
Although use of the Sheriff’s Office FOIA request form is not required under Illinois law, it helps ensure requests contain sufficient information for prompt processing.

Requests should be directed to:

Alyssa Wales – FOIA Officer
Stephenson County Sheriff’s Office
15 N. Galena Ave., 3rd Floor
Freeport, IL 61032

Email |

Fax | 815-235-8306
Attn: FOIA Officer

Requests may also be submitted in person or by mail at the address listed above.

Response Time

Under Illinois law, public bodies must respond to FOIA requests within five (5) business days after receipt.

In certain circumstances permitted by law, the Sheriff’s Office may extend the response time by an additional five (5) business days to allow for the collection, review, and redaction of responsive records.

Availability of Police Reports

If you are requesting a police report related to a recent incident, you may wish to wait approximately 5 to 7 days after the incident before submitting a FOIA request.

Depending on the complexity of the matter, reports often require several days to be:

Completed by the responding deputy
Reviewed and approved by a supervisor
Finalized by Sheriff’s Office command staff

Body Worn Camera and Squad Video Requests

Law enforcement incidents frequently involve multiple video sources, including body worn cameras, squad cameras, jail cameras, and other recording systems. These systems often capture several hours of video footage before and after an incident.

Requests for all video related to an incident may require the Sheriff’s Office to review many hours of footage in order to locate responsive recordings and apply legally required redactions.

Law enforcement video recordings frequently contain information that must be reviewed and redacted before release, including:

juvenile information
victim information
medical information
private residential interiors
other confidential material protected under Illinois law

To help ensure efficient processing of video requests, requesters are encouraged to include:

the approximate date and time of the incident
the location of the incident
the names of individuals involved, if known
a reasonable timeframe for the requested footage

Requests seeking all video recordings without reasonable limitations may be considered unduly burdensome under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act (5 ILCS 140/3(g)).

Copy Fees

Illinois FOIA establishes the following fees for copies of records:

Black and White Copies
First 50 pages – No charge
Additional pages – Up to $0.15 per page

Color or Oversized Copies
Actual cost of reproduction.

Electronic Records
Records maintained in electronic format will be provided electronically when available and legally permissible.

Tips for Submitting a FOIA Request

To help ensure a prompt and accurate response, please consider the following:

Be Specific
Clearly describe the records you are requesting, including:
- names of individuals involved
- dates or approximate timeframes
- incident numbers if known
- locations of the incident
Avoid Overly Broad Requests
- Requests for “any and all records” may require an extensive search and may be considered unduly burdensome under Illinois FOIA.
Include Contact Information
- Providing an email address or phone number allows the FOIA Officer to contact you if clarification is needed.

Unduly Burdensome Requests

Under 5 ILCS 140/3(g), a FOIA request may be denied if compliance would require the public body to locate, review, redact, and produce a substantial volume of records and the request would place an undue burden on the operations of the agency.

In such cases, the FOIA Officer may request that the requester narrow or clarify the scope of the request.

Law Enforcement Records

Certain records maintained by the Sheriff’s Office may be exempt from disclosure under Illinois FOIA.

Examples include records that would:

interfere with active or reasonably contemplated law enforcement proceedings
reveal confidential sources
disclose law enforcement investigative techniques or procedures
endanger the life or physical safety of law enforcement personnel or others

These exemptions are found in Section 7(1)(d) of the Illinois Freedom of Information Act.

Recurrent Requestors

Under 5 ILCS 140/2(g), a person who submits numerous FOIA requests within a specified period may be classified as a recurrent requester.

Requests submitted by recurrent requesters may be processed under the procedures outlined in 5 ILCS 140/3.2.

Criminal History Records

FOIA is not the appropriate method for obtaining a complete statewide criminal history record.

Requests for a full criminal background history should be directed to:

Illinois State Police – Bureau of Identification
260 North Chicago Street
Joliet, IL 60432
Phone: (815) 740-5160

Commitment to Transparency

The Stephenson County Sheriff’s Office is committed to transparency and accountability in government operations while also protecting information that is confidential, private, or safety-sensitive under Illinois law.

Stephenson County Sheriff’s Office FOIA Request Form

Personal Information

Records Requested

Please provide as much detail as possible, so that the Sheriff’s Office can identify the information that you are seeking.

Additional Details

Do you want copies of the documents?

Yes

Are you requesting a fee waiver?

Yes

If you are requesting that Stephenson County waive any fees for copying the documents, you must attach a statement for the purpose of the request, and whether the principal purpose of this request is to access or disseminate information requiring the health, safety, and welfare or legal rights of the general public. 5ILCS 140/6(c)

Paper Copies?

Yes

Is the request for commercial purposes?

Yes

It is a violation of the Freedom of Information Act for a person to knowingly obtain public records for commercial purposes without disclosing that it is for a commercial purpose, if requested to do so by the public body. 5LCS 140.3.1(c)

Save Form

Downloads

FOIA Request Form

FOIA Request Information

Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Guidelines