Access Carrollton Police Blotter

Carrollton police blotter records document arrests, incident reports, and calls for service processed by the Carrollton Police Department in Carroll County, Georgia. As the county seat with about 28,300 residents, Carrollton is the largest city in Carroll County and home to the University of West Georgia. The Carrollton Police Department handles police blotter entries for everything within city limits, while the Carroll County Sheriff's Office covers unincorporated areas. Georgia's Open Records Act gives you the right to access these police blotter files, and multiple search methods are available.

Carrollton Records in Carroll County

Carrollton serves as the county seat of Carroll County, so the county courthouse and most county offices are located in the city. The Carroll County Sheriff's Office runs the county jail and provides law enforcement in unincorporated areas. When someone is arrested by the Carrollton Police Department, they may be booked at the Carroll County jail. The city police blotter entry stays with Carrollton PD, but the booking record goes through the sheriff's office. Both sets of records are open to the public.

The Carroll County Clerk of Superior Court maintains court records for criminal cases that begin with a Carrollton arrest. Once a police blotter entry leads to prosecution, court filings, hearing dates, and case outcomes are tracked by the clerk. The courthouse sits in Carrollton, making it convenient to check both police blotter entries and court records in the same visit. Carroll County's Coweta Judicial Circuit handles felony cases, while the solicitor's office takes misdemeanors from Carrollton and the rest of the county.

The University of West Georgia also has its own campus police that generate separate reports for incidents on university property.

Carrollton Police Blotter Records

The Carrollton Police Department is the main agency for police blotter records within city limits. Officers handle everything from traffic stops and theft reports to drug offenses and violent crimes. Each call that produces a written report becomes a police blotter entry for Carrollton. The department's records section maintains incident reports, arrest records, accident reports, and supplemental files. As a college town with a growing population, Carrollton generates a consistent volume of police blotter activity throughout the year.

Call (770) 834-4451 to request a copy of a Carrollton police blotter entry. You can also visit the department in person during normal business hours. Having a case number makes the process faster. Without one, provide the date, approximate time, and location of the incident. Carrollton's police department is not as large as those in metro Atlanta, so staff typically know their system well and can locate records efficiently. Written requests are also accepted and create a clear paper trail.

Incidents on state routes passing through Carrollton may be handled by the Georgia State Patrol instead of city police.

Carrollton Police Blotter Open Records

Georgia's Open Records Act applies to all police blotter entries from the Carrollton Police Department. Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70, every document a public agency creates or keeps is a public record. That includes incident reports, arrest logs, and booking sheets from Carrollton. You do not need to give a reason for requesting copies. The law protects your access regardless of who you are or why you want the records.

The Carrollton Police Department must respond to your request within three business days under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-71. Copies cost up to 10 cents per page for standard sizes. The first 15 minutes of search time are free. Beyond that, the department can charge at the hourly rate of the lowest-paid person who can handle the work. For a single Carrollton police blotter report, the cost is usually just a few dollars. Putting your request in writing starts the three-day clock and gives you documentation if there is any delay.

O.C.G.A. § 50-18-72 lists exemptions that allow agencies to withhold certain information. Active investigations in Carrollton may have portions held back. Juvenile records are sealed. Victim contact details get redacted from police blotter entries before release. The core facts of the incident are nearly always available to the public. If the Carrollton Police Department denies any part of your request, they must explain the legal basis in writing.

State Resources for Carrollton

State agencies maintain records that tie into Carrollton police blotter data. The Georgia EPORTS system handles crash reports, incident reports, and citations from state troopers working near Carrollton. Several state routes run through the city, and state patrol officers file their own reports for incidents on those roads. A crash report costs $5.00 through EPORTS. An incident report is $2.00. Citations are free for the first copy.

The GBI Records Request Center accepts open records requests for state-level investigation files. If the GBI assisted the Carrollton Police Department on a case, their records may contain details beyond the local police blotter. The Georgia Sex Offender Registry is free and covers registered offenders in the Carrollton area. Under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-34, criminal history checks require the subject's consent unless you are only looking at Georgia felony convictions, which are public.

The Georgia Department of Corrections offender search covers people serving state prison time. It does not include inmates at the Carroll County jail.

Carrollton Police Record Fees

Fees for Carrollton police blotter records follow state guidelines. Standard copies cost up to 10 cents per page. Certified copies add about $2.00 per document. The DPS fee schedule outlines what all Georgia agencies can charge for search time and copies. The first 15 minutes of staff search time are free when requesting records from the Carrollton Police Department.

EPORTS charges $5.00 for crash reports, $2.00 for incident reports, and nothing for the first citation copy. These fees cover state-generated records only and are separate from what the Carrollton Police Department charges for its own police blotter files. If both a state trooper and a Carrollton officer filed reports at the same scene, you would pay each agency separately. For most routine Carrollton police blotter lookups, expect to spend just a few dollars.

Carrollton Police Blotter Resources

When you want to submit an open records request to the GBI for a case connected to Carrollton, the online request portal makes it straightforward. The GBI handles investigations across Georgia and sometimes works alongside the Carrollton Police Department on major cases. Through the request portal, you fill out a form describing what records you need. The GBI follows the same three-day response requirement under Georgia law. For Carrollton cases where the GBI was involved, this portal gives you access to state-level investigative files that may not appear in the local police blotter.

Use this form when you need GBI investigative files tied to a Carrollton case.

The Georgia Code is available online and includes the statutes that govern how police blotter records are handled in Carrollton and across the state. O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70 through § 50-18-77 make up the Georgia Open Records Act. Knowing these statute numbers can help when you are dealing with an agency that is slow to respond or claims certain records are exempt. Having the law at your fingertips gives you a clear basis for your Carrollton police blotter request and lets you point to specific sections if needed.

Look up the open records statutes that apply to all police blotter requests in Carrollton and the rest of Georgia.

Nearby Cities

Carrollton is located in western Georgia, farther from the Atlanta metro core than most cities on this site. The nearest qualifying cities with their own police blotter pages are listed below. If an incident happened outside Carrollton city limits, the Carroll County Sheriff's Office or a neighboring agency may hold the report.