FOIA Request to Bay County Sheriff’s Office regarding 2023 arrest records on September 24, 2025.
A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was submitted to the Bay County Sheriff’s Office by the Sunshine Sentinel, a media organization focused on local governmental affairs. The request seeks comprehensive data on all arrest records from January 1, 2023, to December 31, 2023. The requested information includes details such as 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 of crimes committed, locations and dates of these crimes.
The Sunshine Sentinel emphasizes its role in gathering and reporting news to the public as a key reason for this request. The organization asserts that access to public records is crucial for holding public institutions accountable and ensuring transparency. In light of their media role, they have requested a fee waiver for accessing these records.
The requestor is affiliated with The Coalition Opposing Governmental Secrecy, a non-profit corporation that aids media companies and advocacy groups in investigating governmental agencies through FOIA and Sunshine Laws. More information about this coalition can be found at this link.
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.
