Non-Police Freedom Of Information Act Request


On average, the City of Detroit over 9,500 FOIA requests per year.

All FOIA requests must be in writing and describe a public record sufficiently to enable the public body to find the public record.  (MCL15.231 et seq.)   

For your convenience, you may now electronically submit your Non-Police FOIA Request using this LINK. You will receive immediate confirmation of receipt and can choose to have a copy of your request sent to your email address.

While using the above link is the quickest way to submit your Non-Police FOIA request, there are other options available. Although no specific form is required to submit a FOIA request to the City of Detroit, the City has a Non-Police FOIA Request Form specifically for your use and convenience. Please note that failure to provide the information in the Form may result in a processing delay or denial of the request.

  • You must provide your full name and mailing address.
  • Requests cannot be made in the name of a company; a company representative must be identified.
  • If you know which City department, agency, board, or commission would have the requested record, please identify them.
  • The more descriptive and specific your request is, the easier it would be for City personnel to search and retrieve the requested record(s).
  • Please try to avoid “any and all”. If your request is too broad, City personnel who will be searching and retrieving the record(s) will most likely encounter difficulties in locating the record(s).
  • If the scope of your request is too broad for City personnel to locate the requested record(s), your request may be denied or you may be presented with a request for a deposit payment.
  • If you are not using the Non-Police FOIA Request Form  your request should include the word "FOIA" or "FOIA Request".

The following information is required to search for non-police City records:

  1. The names of City personnel or an indication that the request is for all City personnel
  2. Specific Search Terms
  3. If requesting communications for persons and/or entities outside the City, the email domain of the outside person and/or entity to be searched.
  4. A comprehensive description of the document(s) you are seeking; and
  5. Time frame and/or date(s), if appropriate.

    
Without this information, your request may be denied as such information is necessary to conduct a search for the record(s).

For additional information, including processing of FOIA requests, fees/costs, and appeals, please refer to the FOIA Procedures and Guidelines  and the sample FOIA Fee Estimate Form.

While preferred by the City, if you choose to not use the link to submit your request electronically, you may submit your Non-Police FOIA Request Form  (or written request) to the City of Detroit in one of the following ways:
 

1. U.S. Mail or hand delivery to:

       City of Detroit Law Department FOIA Division
        Coleman A. Young Municipal Building
        2 Woodward Avenue, Suite 500
        Detroit, Michigan 48226

2.    Fax No.:        313-224-5505

3.   Email Address:     [email protected]

 

Note: If the FOIA request is for medical records, such as ambulance or EMS run sheets, compliance with both federal HIPAA regulations and the Michigan Medical Records Access Act is required. In order to reasonably ensure compliance, the City requires that authorizations be signed and notarized.