Vigo County Sheriff's Office
Policy Manual
Records Maintenance and Release
(a)
All requests for public records shall be in writing or on a form supplied by the Sheriff's Office and shall identify with reasonable particularity the record being requested (I.C. § 5-14-3-3).
(b)
A written response shall be provided to the requester within seven days.
(c)
Within a reasonable time after the request, the Custodian of Records or the authorized designee shall make records or copies available to the requester as provided by I.C. § 5-14-3-3.
(d)
Copies of electronic data may be provided in the medium requested if it is compatible with the Sheriff's office’s system (I.C. § 5-14-3-3).
(e)
The Sheriff's Office is not required to create records that do not exist.
(f)
When a record contains material with release restrictions and material that is not subject to release restrictions, the restricted material shall be redacted and the unrestricted material released (I.C. § 5-14-3-6).
1.
A copy of the redacted release should be maintained in the case file for proof of what was actually released and as a place to document the reasons for the redactions. If the record is audio/video, a copy of the redacted audio/video release should be maintained in the Sheriff's office-approved media storage system and a notation should be made in the case file to document the release and the reasons for the redacted portions.
804.4.2 DENIALS
The denial of a written request for records shall (I.C. § 5-14-3-9):
(a)
Be made within seven days of receipt of the request.
(b)
Be in writing.
(c)
Include the reason for the denial.
(d)
Contain a citation to the specific authority that authorizes the denial.
(e)
Contain the name and position title of the person denying the request.
804.5 RELEASE RESTRICTIONS
Examples of release restrictions include:
(a)
Any personal identifying information, including an individual’s photograph; Social Security and driver identification numbers; name, address, and telephone number; and medical or disability information that is contained in any driver’s license record, motor vehicle record, or any Sheriff's office record, including traffic accident reports, is restricted except as authorized by the Sheriff's Office, and only when such use or disclosure is permitted or required by law to carry out a legitimate law enforcement purpose (18 USC § 2721; 18 USC § 2722; I.C. § 5-14-3-4).
(b)
Personnel files and files of applicants except for names; compensation; job title; business address and telephone number; job description; education and training background; previous work experience or dates of first and last employment of present or former members; information relating to the status of any formal charges against a