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Dear
This determination is issued pursuant to section 9.5(c) of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) ( 5 ILCS 140/ 9.5( c) (West 2024)). For the reasons explained below, the Public Access Bureau has determined that no further action is warranted in this matter.
On May 21, 2025 , you submitted a FOIA request to the Macon County Sheriff's Office (Sheriff's Office) seeking video footage of a search performed during your booking at the Macon County Jail on May 20, 2025. On May 28, 2025, the Sheriff' s Office denied your request in its entirety pursuant to section 7(1)( e) of FOIA ( 5 ILCS 140/ 7 (1)( e) ( West 2024)). On June 12, 2025 , this office received your complete Request for Review contesting the Sheriff's Office's denial.
Section 7(1)(e) of FOIA exempts from disclosure "[r]ecords that relate to or affect the security of correctional institutions and detention facilities." The Public Access Bureau has previously determined in certain circumstances that the disclosure of video footage of the holding or booking area of a detention facility would pose a security threat by enabling the viewer to determine the range of the security cameras or by revealing blind spots that detainees could exploit to harm others while evading detection. See, for example , Ill. Att'y Gen. PAC Req. Rev. Ltr. 40573, issued August 17, 2016 ( video footage depicting police department' s jail cell and booking area exempt from disclosure because it revealed blind spots and police activity such as shift changes that could be used to undermine jail security); Ill. Att'y Gen. PAC Req. Rev. Ltr. 36649, issued November 28, 2018 (determining that disclosure of surveillance footage of a jail's booking bullpen, sally port, hallways, and other internal areas would enable the viewer to determine blind spots and exits that could be exploited to undermine jail security ); Ill. Att'y Gen.
Your FOIA request specifically seeks footage that captures the booking area of the Macon County Jail. Because release of footage of that area of the jail could undermine the safety of the facility by showing this area's internal layout and potential blind spots, the Sheriff's Office did not improperly withhold the video footage pursuant to section 7(1)( e) of FOIA. Accordingly, this office has determined that no further inquiry is warranted in this matter.
This file is closed . If you have any questions, please contact me at [email protected] .
Very truly yours, BENJAMIN J. SILVER Supervising Attorney Public Access Bureau 87081 f no fi war sho cc: Via electronic mail Mr. Chad Gordy FOIA Officer Macon County Sheriff 's Office 333 South Franklin Street Decatur, Illinois 62523 foiainformation@macon - sheriff -il.us