FAQ

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

WHAT IS FOIA?

The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) is a state statute that provides the public with the right to access government documents and records in order for the public to be informed about what the government is doing.

The Illinois Police Officers' Pension Investment Fund (IPOPIF) is subject to FOIA. Under FOIA, all IPOPIF records are open for inspection and copying (except records that are exempt under the law).

Records not subject to release via the FOIA process include confidential and trade secret information.

WHO CAN FILE A FOIA REQUEST?

Any person has the right to request public records from any state or local public body. A person is defined as "any individual, corporation, partnership, firm, organization or association acting individually or as a group."

Public bodies are allowed to require that FOIA requests be submitted in writing, but the requester is not required to use the specific form provided.

WHAT IS A COMMERCIAL REQUEST?

A commercial request is defined as when the requester seeks to use part of all of the public records for "sale, resale, or solicitation or advertisement for sales or services." Commercial requests are subject to different fulfillment time limits.

HOW TO SUBMIT A FOIA REQUEST?

You can send a FOIA request through the IPOPIF Online FOIA request system.

If you send a request through a method other than the Online FOIA request system, direct your request to the IPOPIF FOIA OFFICER:

Richard White, Executive Director

Freedom of lnformation Officer

Illinois Police Officers' Pension Investment Fund

456 Fulton Street, Suite 402

Peoria, IL 61602

Email: FOIA@ipopif.org

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER I SUBMIT A REQUEST?

Public bodies have FIVE business days after receiving the request to comply with the request. Public bodies are allowed to extend this period by an additional five days, in writing, citing the reasons why the public body may be unable to fulfill the request within the initial five-day time frame.

Public bodies have TWENTY-ONE business days after receiving the request to comply with a FOIA request for commercial purposes.

DOES THE PUBLIC BODY HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO CHARGE FEES?

Except when a fee is otherwise fixed by statute, each public body may charge fees reasonably calculated to reimburse its actual cost for reproducing and certifying public records and for the use, by any person, of the equipment of the public body to copy records.

No fees shall be charged for the first 50 of black and white, letter, or legal-sized copies requested by a requester. The fee for black and white, letter, or legal-sized copies shall not exceed 15 cents per page.

IPOPIF RECORDS IMMEDIATELY AVAILABLE.

Many IPOPIF records are immediately available on our website, such as:

•        Annual Comprehensive Financial Reports (ACFR)

•        Article 3 Participating Police Pension Fund Monthly Statements

•        Article 3 Participating Police Pension Fund Annual Actuarial Valuation Report

•        Board of Trustee and Committee Meeting Agendas and Minutes

•        Board Governance Documents, including Policies and Rules

•        Current Annual Budget

•        FOIA Request Archive

•        Investment Trust Fund monthly and quarterly performance reports

•        Total Compensation Package

(January 2024)