BELLEVILLE — A lawsuit against the Fairview Heights Police Department and its police chief alleges they violated the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) by denying requests for a list of categories of records under their control.
Damarlin Johnson, Dallas McIntosh and Lashonda Chapman filed a complaint Nov. 20 in the St. Clair County Circuit Court against the Fairview Heights Police Department and Christopher Lock, in his official capacity as police chief of Fairview Heights Police Department, alleging violation of the Illinois Freedom of Information Act.
According to the complaint, Johnson requested a list of documents from the Fairview Heights Police Department on April 4, 2019, through a FOIA request. The list of documents alleged included a "reasonably current list of all types of categories of records and/or documents" that fall "under the control" of the department. The plaintiffs allege in their suit that on April 5, 2019, the Fairview Heights Police Department responded to Johnson's request by stating they do not "keep a list of documents or categories" which they will provide under the FOIA.
The plaintiffs allege that the same requests made to the Fairview Heights Police Department by McIntosh on Aug. 7, 2019, and Chapman on Sept. 23, 2019, were also denied.
They claim the department "repeatedly failed to specify" any legal reason, claim or exemption for the denials.
The plaintiffs seek compensation of $60,000 and all other just relief. They are representing themselves pro se.
St. Clair County Circuit Court case number 20-L-0940