FOIA Request to Braxton County Sheriff’s Department regarding 2023 arrest records on September 24, 2025.
The Mountain State Times has submitted a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to the Braxton County Sheriff’s Department. The request seeks access to all arrest records from January 1, 2023, to December 31, 2023. The information requested includes specific data points 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 crimes.
This request is made under the West Virginia Freedom of Information Act with a preference for receiving the data in electronic format. The Mountain State Times emphasizes its role in gathering and reporting news to hold public institutions accountable and provide transparency to the public. As a media organization committed to comprehensive coverage of local governmental affairs, they have requested a fee waiver based on their professional responsibilities.
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 using FOIA and Sunshine Laws. More information about this coalition can be found at https://stopsecrecy.org/about/.
We look forward to receiving this information in an electronic format as it will greatly aid in our reporting efforts. As always, we remain open for any questions or clarifications regarding this request.
