FOIA & Public Records Specialist | Evidence Retrieval for True Crime Content

Overview We produce long-form true-crime video content and are hiring a public records specialist to source primary evidence directly from US law enforcement and court systems. You will file and manage FOIA and state public-records requests to obtain bodycam footage, incident reports, 911 audio, court filings, and case documentation that we use as source material for our channels. This is ongoing work with a steady pipeline of cases, not a one-off. Reliability and volume matter more than speed on any single request. What you will do File FOIA requests (federal) and state public-records requests (e.g. California PRA, Florida Sunshine Law, Texas PIA) with the correct agency for each case Retrieve bodycam and dashcam footage, arrest and incident reports, 911 call audio, autopsy and toxicology reports where public, and booking records Pull court documents via PACER, state e-filing portals, and county clerk offices (dockets, motions, transcripts, judgments) Track each request through to fulfilment: follow up on delays, appeal wrongful denials, and negotiate or flag copying/production fees before they are incurred Deliver clean, organised files with a source log per case (agency, request date, statute cited, status, cost) Requirements Demonstrable experience filing FOIA and state public-records requests, with examples of records successfully obtained Working knowledge of which agency holds what, and how records law differs by state Familiarity with PACER and county court record systems Understanding of what is lawfully releasable versus sealed, redacted, or exempt, so we only pursue obtainable material Organised, persistent, and comfortable chasing unresponsive agencies Clear written English for correspondence with public officials Nice to have Prior work sourcing material for media, documentary, or journalism Paralegal or public-records research background Deliverables per case All obtainable records in agreed formats (video, audio, PDF) A source log documenting each request and its legal basis A short note on anything denied, sealed, or pending, with next steps To apply, include: Two or three examples of records you have obtained via FOIA or state requests (redact anything sensitive) The states or agencies you have the most experience with Your rate: per request, per case, or hourly Your typical turnaround and how many active requests you can manage at once Applications without concrete examples of records obtained will not be considered.