FOIA and Records Requests - Village of Arlington Heights | AH PD Info
Freedom of Information Act - Illinois

FOIA and records requests for Arlington Heights

How to ask the Village of Arlington Heights for public records about the police department and village government, what deadlines apply, and what to do if the village denies or ignores your request.

Submit a FOIA request online See sample FOIA language Learn how to appeal a denial
This page is based on the Illinois Freedom of Information Act and publicly available Village information. It is not legal advice.
Basics

What FOIA gives you in Illinois

Who can request

Anyone can file

Any person can request records. You do not have to live in Arlington Heights or even in Illinois, and you do not have to explain why you want the records.

Timing

Five business days to respond

The village usually has five business days to respond to a non-commercial request. They can extend the deadline by another five business days if they give a written reason.

Fees

Limited copying fees

The first 50 pages of standard paper copies are often free. After that, public bodies may charge a small per page fee. Electronic copies are usually provided at low or no cost.

FOIA is for records, not answers to general questions. Ask for documents, emails, reports, videos, policies, or data, not explanations or legal opinions.

Where to send requests

FOIA contacts for the Village of Arlington Heights

Online portal (recommended)

Village of Arlington Heights FOIA portal

The village uses an online system to manage public records requests. You can file, track, and read past requests through this portal.

FOIA officers

Key FOIA contacts

For village-wide records, including most police records, the Village Clerk serves as the primary FOIA officer.

  • Village FOIA Officer:
    Village Clerk Maggie Mattio
    Phone: 847.368.5540
    Email: mmattio@vah.com
  • Police FOIA Officer:
    Maureen Schmidt
    Phone: 847.368.5319
    Email: mschmidt@vah.com

The online portal is still the best way to submit and track FOIA requests, including Arlington Heights Police Department records.

Email option

Submitting by email instead of the portal

If you prefer, you can email your request directly to village leadership. For example:

Put “FOIA Request” in the subject line and keep the text of your request in the body of the email for easier tracking.

How to file

Step by step FOIA request for police records

1. Decide what you want

Be as specific as you can about the records. Examples:

  • Police incident or arrest reports for a specific date, address, or case number.
  • Body camera or dash camera video for a particular incident.
  • Email communications between named officials about a topic, during a date range.
  • Policies, training materials, or internal memos about a specific practice.

2. Check if the record is already online

Before you file a new request, you can:

  • Search the Village FOIA portal for similar past requests and posted records.
  • Look on the Village of Arlington Heights website for posted ordinances, agendas, and reports.
  • Check AH PD Info for policies, rosters, and other documents that have already been obtained.

3. Write a clear, focused request

You do not need special legal language, but it helps to be direct. Here is a sample you can adapt:

Under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act, I am requesting copies of the following records: [Describe the records you want. Include dates, locations, case numbers, names of officers or officials, or keywords.] I request that these records be provided in electronic format, by email or through the Village's FOIA portal, if possible. I am requesting these records for non-commercial purposes. Please inform me in advance if there will be any copying or production fees, and waive any fees that can be waived in the public interest. If you believe any part of this request is unclear or overly broad, please contact me so I can narrow or clarify it.

4. Submit and track your request

Submit your request through the portal or by email and keep a copy. Make note of:

  • The date the village received your request.
  • Any request number assigned by the portal.
  • The deadline for the response, based on business days.

5. Watch for delays or extensions

The village must either provide records, deny the request with a reason, or send a written extension notice. If you do not receive any response by the legal deadline, that silence counts as a denial.

Keep all emails and portal messages. They matter if you later appeal to the Attorney General or go to court.

If they say no

FOIA denials, delays, and appeals

First steps

Start by pushing back in writing

If the village denies your request or claims it is too broad or unduly burdensome, you can:

  • Ask them to explain the specific FOIA exemption they are using.
  • Request that they release any non-exempt portions of the records.
  • Offer to narrow the time frame or scope while keeping the core of what you need.

Sometimes a short, focused follow up is enough to get records released without a formal appeal.

Formal appeal

Appeal to the Illinois Attorney General

If the village still refuses or simply does not respond, you can ask the Illinois Attorney General's Public Access Counselor to review the denial.

  • You usually have 60 days from the denial or improper response to request review.
  • Include your original FOIA request, the village's response (or lack of response), and any follow up.

The Public Access Counselor can mediate, issue advisory letters, or in some cases issue a binding opinion on whether the village violated FOIA.

How to contact the Public Access Counselor

Send your request for review to:

  • By mail:
    Public Access Bureau
    Office of the Illinois Attorney General
    500 S. 2nd Street
    Springfield, IL 62706
  • By email: publicaccess@atg.state.il.us

Filing a lawsuit

Illinois FOIA also allows you to file suit in circuit court to force disclosure of records.

  • You can file in the county where the records are kept or where you live.
  • If you win, the court can order the records released and require the public body to pay your attorney fees and costs.
  • FOIA cases can take time, but they are an important tool when agencies refuse to follow the law.

If you are considering litigation, it can help to talk with an attorney or transparency focused advocacy group.

Privacy conscious option

Filing FOIA requests without exposing your personal info

FOIA requests and responses can become part of the public record. That can include your name, contact information, and the subject of your request. If you are concerned about harassment, retaliation, or doxxing, be thoughtful about what contact details you share.

Some people use forwarding email addresses, post office boxes, or intermediaries to add a layer of separation between their personal identity and the request. Separate tools and services exist to help manage that. Always make sure any approach you use still complies with the law and provides a way for the public body to contact you about clarifying the request.

Disclaimer. The information on this page summarizes parts of the Illinois Freedom of Information Act and local practice in Arlington Heights, based on public sources. It is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Laws, procedures, and personnel can change. For official or up to date information, consult the text of the Illinois FOIA statute, the Illinois Attorney General, or the Village of Arlington Heights.