A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was sent to the Union County Sheriff’s Office in Pennsylvania regarding arrest records on October 22, 2024.
As a part of our commitment to providing comprehensive and accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs at North Central PA Times, we requested these records under the Pennsylvania Right to Know Law, 65 §66.1 et seq., preferably in electronic format.
The request specifically asked for all arrest records from January 1, 2024, to the present day with certain data points if available. These data points include the arrestee’s name, sex, race, age, date of birth (DOB), citizenship status, booking ID, date of arrest and booking photo. Additionally, we asked for the names of arresting officers involved in each case as well as details about the type and location of crime committed and its date.
We believe that access to public records is essential for us to fulfill our professional responsibilities which include holding public institutions accountable and providing transparency to the public. Given our role in disseminating information as a media organization, we are eligible for a fee waiver as per standard procedures.
We await a response from the Union County Sheriff’s Office regarding this request. We will continue our efforts in gathering and reporting news that brings transparency and holds public institutions accountable.
