FOIA Request to Decatur County Sheriff’s Department regarding 2023 arrest records on September 24, 2025.
A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was submitted by Hoosier State Today to the Decatur County Sheriff’s Department in Indiana. The request seeks comprehensive arrest records for the entire year of 2023. The specific data points requested include the arrestee’s name, sex, race, age, date of birth, and citizenship status. Additionally, the request asks for booking IDs, dates of arrest, booking photos, names of arresting officers, types and locations of crimes committed, and dates when these crimes occurred.
The FOIA request was made under the Indiana Access to Public Records Act § 5-14-3-1 et seq., with a preference for receiving the information in electronic format. Hoosier State Today emphasizes that access to these public records is crucial for fulfilling their role in holding public institutions accountable and ensuring transparency. As part of this process, they have requested a fee waiver due to their status as a media organization.
The requester is affiliated with The Coalition Opposing Governmental Secrecy, a non-profit organization that assists media companies and advocacy groups in investigating governmental agencies through Freedom of Information and Sunshine Laws. More information about this coalition can be found on their website: 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.
