Find Public Records in Berwyn

Berwyn public records are kept by the City Clerk and other departments at City Hall on West 26th Street. The city has about 55,600 people and sits in Cook County, just west of Chicago. One thing that stands out about Berwyn is that the city has two separate FOIA officers. The City Clerk handles all city records except for police. The Berwyn Police Department has its own FOIA process with a dedicated online portal. Building permits, business licenses, and council minutes all go through City Hall. Court records, vital records, and property filings are kept at the Cook County level.

Cook County Records for Berwyn

Berwyn is part of Cook County. Court records, vital records, and land documents all come from county offices. The Cook County Circuit Court handles civil, criminal, family, and probate cases for Berwyn residents. Free online case search is available on the circuit court clerk's website for most case types.

Birth and death certificates are issued by the Cook County Clerk at 118 N. Clark St. in Chicago. Marriage records are public. Birth records have access limits. Land records including deeds, mortgages, and liens also go through the Cook County Clerk since the old Recorder of Deeds merged into that office. Property assessments and tax information come from the Cook County Assessor.

Note: Berwyn Township is a separate unit of government, and the City Clerk also serves as the Township Clerk for Berwyn Township.

Berwyn City Clerk and FOIA

City Clerk Leticia "Letty" Garcia is the FOIA officer for all Berwyn public records except police department files. She can be reached at 708-788-2660 ext. 6451 or by fax at 708-788-2675. Deputy Clerk Sandra Anderson is also available at ext. 6453. The clerk's office is on the first floor of City Hall at 6700 West 26th Street, Berwyn, IL 60402.

The clerk attends all meetings of the City Council including executive sessions and keeps a full record of what happens. She creates the official minutes, posts newly adopted ordinances and resolutions, and updates the Berwyn Code of Ordinances. Meeting notices and agendas get posted too. The City Council meets on the second and fourth Tuesdays at 8:00 PM in the City Hall Council Chambers.

To file a FOIA request for Berwyn records, you can use the city's FOIA information portal, send a request by mail, email LGarcia@ci.berwyn.il.us, or go to City Hall in person. The clerk also provides free notary public services for Berwyn residents. You must sign the document in front of the clerk and bring a photo ID. The Illinois Freedom of Information Act (5 ILCS 140) gives the city five business days to respond to most requests.

Berwyn Police Records

Police records in Berwyn have a completely separate FOIA process. Due to the volume of requests and the sensitivity of law enforcement records, the city set up a dedicated system just for police files. Do not send police record requests to the City Clerk. They will not be processed through that office.

The Berwyn Police Department uses a NextRequest portal for all police FOIA submissions. You can access it at berwynpd.org/foia. All requests for police records must be submitted in writing through this portal or directly to the police department. The department publishes a weekly bulletin with crime statistics, and that data counts as an immediate disclosure document.

The NextRequest portal lets you track your request status online and view completed records once they are ready.

This portal is available around the clock so you can submit or check on requests at any time.

Note: Police records must go through the police department portal, not the City Clerk.

Building and Zoning Records in Berwyn

Berwyn's Building Permits Department handles construction permits, code enforcement, and related records. The office is in City Hall. Business licensing and the Blight Division also operate from the same location. If you need copies of building permits or inspection records, you can request them through a FOIA filing to the City Clerk or contact the department directly at 708-788-2660.

Garage sale permits, block party applications, and event permits are also managed through City Hall. The Local Records Act (50 ILCS 205) requires Berwyn to keep these records according to state retention schedules.

Berwyn Public Records Resources

The City of Berwyn makes certain documents available right away without needing a FOIA request. These include the weekly crime bulletin, a directory of city officials, and the annual budget. If your FOIA request gets denied, you can appeal to the Public Access Counselor at the Illinois Attorney General's office. Call 877-299-3642 or email publicaccess@atg.state.il.us.

The Berwyn Township is a separate government body. Though the City Clerk also serves as Township Clerk, township records are managed under their own FOIA process. Keep this in mind if you are looking for township-specific records like road maintenance or property assessment data from the township level.

Nearby Cities

These cities are close to Berwyn and have their own public records pages.