Request for Public Documents
Requests for Disclosure of Public Records Guidelines
Requests for public records are governed by Indiana’s Access to Public Records Act (APRA) which has been codified at Indiana Code § 5-14-3 et seq.
This form is for Public Records. If you want to request Body Camera Footage Access records or 911 Public Records, please use the applicable form.
General Rule:
Records of a public agency are public records and must be disclosed upon request, unless the request falls under an exception provided the law. A public agency must state that a record falls under an identified APRA exception in order to withhold a specific record. Some exceptions include:
- Records deemed confidential by law.
- Investigatory records of a law enforcement agency.
- Grand jury documents.
- Attorney and client communications.
- The work product of an attorney.
- Materials relating to the deliberative process.
- Personnel files.
- Criminal intelligence information
All Requests:
A request for inspection or copying must identify with reasonable particularity the record being requested. See IC § 5-14-3-3(a)(1). This means a request must include a description of the record or document with enough detail to allow agency staff to locate and produce the requested record or document. A request for inspection or copying must be in writing on a form provided by the agency. See IC § 5-14-3-3(a)(2).
Response by Agency:
The APRA requires a public agency to respond to requests within a specified time.
Important Note: This response does not mean that the requested record must be produced at that time. First, the agency must, at a minimum, acknowledge receipt of a request. Second, the record(s), if disclosable, must be produced within a “reasonable time” after the request is received.
Records That Do Not Exist:
Under the APRA, an agency is not required to create any record(s) in response to a public record request. An agency is only required to disclose existing records.
Fees:
Public agencies may charge fees for copies, please refer to our fee schedule.
Important Note: The fees set forth above are pursuant to Indiana Code §5-14-3-8. The Vigo County Sheriff's Office requires payment for fees in advance. Contact our office for accepted methods of payment. You will be notified in advance if there is a fee to fulfill your public record request.