A person desiring to inspect or receive a copy of a public record shall make a written request (PDF).
There are information and records that are exempt from the provisions of the Public Act. Please review the FOIA Act as well as exemptions provided related to officer camera recording.
In general, all records except those specifically cited as exceptions are covered by the FOIA. The records covered include minutes of open meetings, officials’ voting records, staff manuals, final orders or decisions in contested cases and the records on which they were made, and promulgated rules. Other written statements which implement or interpret laws, rules, or policies, including, but not limited to, guidelines, manuals, and forms with instructions, adopted or used by the agency in the discharge of its functions, are also covered. It does not matter what form the record is in. The act applies to any handwriting, typewriting, printing, photostatting, photographing, photocopying, and every other means of recording. It includes letters, words, pictures, sounds, or symbols, or combinations thereof, as well as papers, maps, magnetic or paper tapes, photographic films or prints, microfilm, microfiche, magnetic or punched cards, discs, drums, or other means of recording or retaining meaningful content. It does not include computer software.