McDonough Police Blotter Search
McDonough police blotter records cover all incidents and arrests handled by the McDonough Police Department in Henry County, Georgia. With a population over 32,800, McDonough serves as the county seat and generates a steady flow of police reports, arrest logs, and crime data each year. The McDonough Police Department keeps records for calls within city limits, while the Henry County Sheriff's Office handles unincorporated areas nearby. Georgia's Open Records Act gives you the right to access these police blotter files, and multiple options exist for searching McDonough records online or in person.
McDonough Quick Facts
McDonough Records in Henry County
McDonough is the county seat of Henry County, which means many court proceedings and jail bookings tied to McDonough police blotter entries get processed through county offices right in the city. The Henry County Sheriff's Office runs the county jail and handles arrests in unincorporated areas. When someone is picked up by McDonough police, they may be booked at the Henry County jail. Both the city police blotter and county booking records are public.
The Henry County Clerk of Superior Court holds court records tied to cases that start with a McDonough arrest. If a case moves from the police blotter stage to prosecution, the clerk's office has filings, hearing dates, and outcomes. The county courthouse sits in McDonough, so the police department and court offices are close together. This makes it easy to check both the police blotter and court docket in one trip if you visit in person.
McDonough Police Blotter Records
The McDonough Police Department is the main source for police blotter records within city limits. The department handles all calls for service inside McDonough, from traffic stops and theft reports to more serious incidents. Each call that results in a written report becomes part of the McDonough police blotter. Officers file incident reports, arrest records, and supplemental reports that are maintained by the department's records division.
To get a copy of a McDonough police blotter entry, contact the records unit at (770) 898-7000. You can also visit in person during business hours. Having the case number or the date and location of the incident helps staff find your report faster. The McDonough Police Department processes a fair number of reports each week given its role as the county seat, so specific details make a real difference when you are trying to track down a particular record.
For highway incidents near McDonough, the Georgia State Patrol may have filed the report instead of the city police department.
| Department | McDonough Police Department |
|---|---|
| Phone | (770) 898-7000 |
| County | Henry County |
| Role | Primary law enforcement within McDonough city limits |
McDonough Police Blotter Open Records
Georgia's Open Records Act applies to every police blotter entry filed by the McDonough Police Department. Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70, all records created or kept by a public agency are considered public. This means incident reports, arrest logs, and booking sheets from McDonough are available to anyone who asks. You do not have to give a reason for wanting them. The law protects your right to see what happened.
The McDonough Police Department must respond to your request within three business days under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-71. Standard copies cost up to 10 cents per page for letter or legal size. The first quarter hour of search time is free. If your request takes longer to fill, the department can charge based on the hourly rate of the lowest-paid staff member who can do the work. For a single McDonough police blotter report, the total cost is usually just a few dollars at most.
Some records have limits. O.C.G.A. § 50-18-72 lets agencies withhold parts of files tied to active investigations. If the McDonough Police Department has an open case, they can hold back details that might compromise the work. Juvenile records are sealed. Victim contact details get redacted. But the basic police blotter entry, which covers what happened and when, is almost always available to the public in McDonough.
State Resources for McDonough
State agencies keep records that connect to McDonough police blotter data in several ways. The Georgia EPORTS system lets you pull crash reports, incident reports, and citations filed by state troopers working near McDonough and on the highways that run through Henry County. Interstate 75 passes close to the city, and state patrol officers handle many accidents on that stretch. 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 handles requests for state-level investigation files. If the GBI assisted the McDonough Police Department on a case, their records may hold details not found in the local police blotter. The Georgia Sex Offender Registry lets you search for registered offenders living in and around McDonough at no charge. And criminal history records fall under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-34, which requires the subject's consent unless the search is limited to Georgia felony convictions.
The Georgia Department of Corrections offender search covers people serving state prison time after a McDonough conviction. The tool does not include people held at the Henry County jail.
McDonough Police Record Fees
Fees for McDonough police blotter records follow state guidelines. Standard copies cost up to 10 cents per page. Certified copies carry an extra fee, usually around $2.00 per document. The DPS fee schedule explains what Georgia agencies can charge for copies and search time. The first 15 minutes of search time are free. After that, the McDonough Police Department can bill at the hourly rate of the lowest-paid employee who handles the request.
Through EPORTS, state patrol reports from highways near McDonough have set prices. Crash reports are $5.00. Incident reports are $2.00. Citations are free. These fees apply only to state-generated records and are separate from anything the McDonough Police Department charges. For most routine police blotter lookups in McDonough, the total cost stays low.
McDonough Police Blotter Resources
The EPORTS portal is a useful tool for pulling police blotter records tied to traffic incidents near McDonough. State troopers file crash and incident reports into this system, and you can search by report number, date, or name. Since Interstate 75 runs near McDonough, a good number of state patrol reports come from the area each year. The portal processes payments online, so you can get copies without visiting an office.
Search the Georgia DPS EPORTS portal for McDonough area police blotter and traffic records.
EPORTS works best when you have a report number or the exact date of the incident near McDonough.
Understanding the fee structure helps you plan ahead when requesting records from McDonough agencies. Georgia law sets clear rules about what can be charged. The DPS fee schedule page gives a full breakdown that applies to all open records requests in the state, including those filed with the McDonough Police Department and the Henry County Sheriff's Office.
View the Georgia DPS fee schedule for open records requests including McDonough police blotter copies.
Check this page before requesting records to know what fees to expect from McDonough and Henry County agencies.
Nearby Cities
These cities near McDonough have their own police departments and separate police blotter records. If an incident happened close to a city boundary, the report may be filed with a neighboring agency. Check the exact location before requesting records from McDonough.