Obtain Public Records

Public Records Policy Notice

Pursuant to Section 5.35 of the La Crosse County Code of Ordinances and Section 19.34-19.35 of the Wisconsin Statutes, La Crosse County Public Safety Communications has adopted the following policy regarding public access to department records. 

1.    OFFICE INFORMATION
   1. Department Organization.  The Department is part of La Crosse County Emergency Services and consists of following positions. Emergency Services Administrator; 5 Telecommunicator Supervisors; 22 Telecommunicators;  1 clerk; 1 administrative assistant.
      
      
   2. Legal Custodian.  The legal custodians of Emergency Services records are: the Telecommunicator Supervisors.
      
   
   

1. 1. Office Hours.  Department office hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except legal holidays.
      
      
   2. Fees: 
      • Pursuant to County Resolution (45-84), the minimum fee for duplicate recordings shall be $15.00 per compact disk.  Additional charges may apply depending upon the length of record to be reproduced.
      • A fee of $3.00 per page of type transcription of recordings, with a minimum charge of $18.00 will be charged.
      • The fee for photocopies of written documents shall be .25 cents per side of a page.
      • The fee for other types of copies shall be determined in advance at the time of the request.
      • If mailing or shipping is necessary, the actual cost shall be charged.
      • Other fees may be imposed per County Ordinance Section 5.35 and Wis. Stat. 19.35 (3).
      • Sales tax is required on all service fees.
      • Requests which exceed a total cost of $5.00 shall require prepayment.
        
        
        
   3. Retention. 9-1-1 type audio (incoming and outgoing telephone calls and radio communications) records are retained for 120 days from creation. Other records are retained in accordance with Wisconsin Statutes (Section 19.21).
      
      
      
2.     INFORMATION AND ACCESS TO DEPARTMENT RECORDS 
   1. Department Records:  All current department records are kept in the Public Safety Communications Department in the Law Enforcement Center.  Department records as used in this section include all documents pertaining to the organization, personnel, budget, expenditures, recordings, and general information.   Information and access to general records, except as noted, may be obtained by making requests, written or oral, to the legal custodian pursuant La Crosse County Ordinance Sec. 5.35 and Wis. Stat. 19.35.
      
      
   2. Exceptions:   Information concerning the employment, promotion, compensation, or performance evaluation data of any public employee over which the governmental body has jurisdiction or exercise responsibility may not be released by the custodian per Wis. Stat. 19.85.  Information concerning financial, medical, social, or personal histories, or disciplinary data of specific persons, preliminary considerations of specific personnel problems or the investigation of charges against specific persons, which, if discussed in public, would be likely to have a substantial adverse effect upon the reputation of any person referred to in such histories or data, or involved in such problems or investigations, may be denied by the custodian per Wis. Stat. 19.85 (1) (f).  Other exceptions per Wis. Stat. 19.36 and 19.85 may also apply. 

      Revised April 2022

      
      

      Download an Open Records Request Form .pdf format