Find Catoosa County Police Blotter

Catoosa County police blotter records cover law enforcement activity in this northwest Georgia county near the Tennessee border. The sheriff's office in Ringgold maintains daily logs of arrests, incidents, and calls for service. Catoosa County is part of the Chattanooga metro area, so the volume of police activity can be higher than in other Georgia counties of similar size. Public access to blotter records is guaranteed under the Georgia Open Records Act. You can request copies from the sheriff's office or use state-level tools for incidents handled by the Georgia State Patrol on I-75 or other highways in Catoosa County.

Catoosa County Police Blotter Office

Sheriff Gary Sisk leads the Catoosa County Sheriff's Office from Ringgold. The office runs patrol, investigations, the county jail, and court security. Deputies cover all unincorporated areas of Catoosa County plus backup for the smaller city departments. Every call that goes to dispatch ends up in the blotter, and every arrest creates a booking record. The police blotter from this office gives you the most complete picture of what is happening across Catoosa County on any given day.

Catoosa County borders Chattanooga, Tennessee, which means there is a steady flow of cross-border traffic. I-75 cuts through the county, and Fort Oglethorpe sits in the southern part. The mix of suburban growth and interstate traffic keeps the sheriff's office busy. The police blotter reflects all of that activity. Records go back years, and the office stores them in both paper and digital form depending on when the report was made.

Reading Catoosa County Police Blotter

Call (706) 935-2424 to request police blotter records from Catoosa County. Give the staff the date, name, or case number tied to the record. They will check what is available and let you know the cost. You can also mail a request to PO Box 909, Ringgold, GA 30736. Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-71, the office has three business days to respond. Copies run up to 10 cents per page, and the first 15 minutes of search time are free.

In-person visits work well if you want to look at records without paying for copies right away. Walk in during business hours and ask to see the blotter. Staff will pull the records, and you can review them on site. If you decide to get copies, pay the per-page fee at the counter. For large requests, you may need to come back after the records are pulled together. This happens sometimes with requests that span weeks or months of police blotter data in Catoosa County.

State Patrol Police Blotter in Catoosa County

I-75 runs through Catoosa County from the Tennessee line south toward Dalton. The Georgia State Patrol handles many incidents on this highway. Those reports do not go into the sheriff's police blotter. Instead, they go to the Georgia Department of Public Safety. You can get them through the EPORTS online system.

The EPORTS system handles crash reports, incident reports, and citations. Crash reports cost $5.00. Incident reports cost $2.00. The first citation is free, with extras at $1.00 each in the same 24-hour cycle. Reports are usually ready within three to five business days. For anything not available through EPORTS, like video or photos from Catoosa County incidents, email openrecords@gsp.net.

Catoosa County Open Records Access

Georgia's Open Records Act at O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70 guarantees your right to access police blotter records in Catoosa County. The law covers all documents kept by a public agency. You do not need to state a reason for your request. The sheriff's office must let you view the records or provide copies within three business days.

There are limits to what can be released. Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-72, pending investigation files stay sealed until the case is done. Records that reveal confidential sources or put someone in danger are also held back. Personal details like phone numbers and birth dates get redacted on Catoosa County police blotter copies. But the basic facts of the incident, the arrest charges, and the location are all public.

Note: Motor vehicle accident reports require a written statement of need under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-72(a)(5), even though they are otherwise part of the public record system in Catoosa County.

State Agencies and Catoosa County

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation provides support to Catoosa County on major cases. You can file an open records request with the GBI through their records request center. The GBI also runs the Georgia Crime Information Center, which collects crime data from all 159 Georgia counties on a monthly basis. Criminal history records beyond felony convictions need consent under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-34, but basic police blotter data from Catoosa County is open to all.

The Georgia Sheriffs' Association directory lists Sheriff Gary Sisk and every other county sheriff in the state. This is a helpful tool if you need contact information fast. For inmates who were arrested in Catoosa County and sent to state prison, the Georgia Department of Corrections offender search shows their current status and facility.

Report Crime in Catoosa County

To report a crime in Catoosa County, call the sheriff at (706) 935-2424. For emergencies, call 911. The GBI tip line at (800) 597-8477 is open for state-level matters. You can also submit tips online without giving your name.

The Georgia State Patrol can be reached at (404) 624-7700 for highway incidents in Catoosa County. The DPS fee schedule page provides contact information and details on how to submit open records requests for state patrol reports.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Catoosa County. Incidents near county lines may be handled by a different jurisdiction. Verify which office holds the report before making your request.