A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was sent to the Northumberland County Sheriff’s Office on October 22, 2024. The request was made by us at the North Central PA Times, a media organization dedicated to providing comprehensive and accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs.
The FOIA request specifically asked for all arrest records from January 1, 2024, to the present day. The requested data points included in these records are as follows: arrestee name, sex, race, age, date of birth (DOB), citizenship; booking ID; date of arrest; booking photo; name(s) of arresting officer(s); type and location of crime; and date of crime.
As a media organization committed to holding public institutions accountable and providing transparency to the public, we believe access to these public records is essential for fulfilling our professional responsibilities. We also expressed our belief that we are eligible for a fee waiver as a media professional due to our role in disseminating information.
The Northumberland County Sheriff’s Office has yet to respond or provide the requested information. We will continue pursuing this matter in order to deliver accurate and timely news regarding local law enforcement activities to our readership.
