Charlton County Police Blotter Lookup

Charlton County police blotter records track arrests, incidents, and calls handled by the sheriff's office in Folkston, Georgia. This southeast Georgia county is home to part of the Okefenokee Swamp and has a small but active law enforcement presence. The sheriff's office is the only agency that covers the full county, making it the single source for police blotter data. Georgia open records law gives the public a clear right to access these reports. If you want to find a specific arrest or incident from Charlton County, start with the sheriff's office or use state-level tools for highway incidents.

Charlton County Police Blotter Office

Sheriff Robert Phillips heads the Charlton County Sheriff's Office at 1548 Third Street in Folkston. The office provides law enforcement for the entire county. Deputies handle patrol, criminal investigations, traffic enforcement, and the county jail. Every arrest, traffic stop, and incident gets logged in the police blotter. In a county this size, the sheriff's office is the sole agency responsible for keeping blotter records, so all the data comes from one place.

Charlton County is large in land area but small in population. The Okefenokee Swamp takes up a big chunk of the county. Law enforcement calls range from traffic accidents on US 1 and US 301 to wildlife-related incidents near the swamp. The police blotter captures it all. If you need a record of what happened on a certain date or at a certain location in Charlton County, this office has it.

Access Charlton County Police Blotter

To request a police blotter report from Charlton County, call the sheriff's office at (912) 496-7321. Tell them the date, name, or type of incident you are looking for. Staff can check the files while you wait on the phone and tell you what they have. If the record is ready, you can pick it up in person or have it mailed to you. Written requests should be sent to 1548 Third Street, Folkston, GA 31537.

Georgia law under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-71 requires a response within three business days. Standard copies cost up to 10 cents per page. The first quarter hour of staff time for the search is free. Most police blotter requests in Charlton County are simple and cost very little. In-person visits are also welcome during business hours. You can look at the blotter records without paying for copies if you just want to see what is on file.

Note: Records from pending investigations may not be released until the case is closed, as allowed by O.C.G.A. § 50-18-72.

State Records for Charlton County

Highway incidents in Charlton County handled by the Georgia State Patrol go through the Department of Public Safety. Those reports are not in the sheriff's blotter. Use the EPORTS system to request them online. Incident reports cost $2.00 each, crash reports cost $5.00, and the first citation is free. Reports take three to five business days to process after the incident date.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation steps in on major cases in Charlton County when state resources are needed. You can submit an open records request to the GBI through their records request portal. The GBI Crime Information Center tracks monthly crime statistics from every county, including Charlton County. Under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-34, criminal history records beyond felony convictions require consent from the person whose record is being searched.

The Georgia Sheriffs' Association directory lists the contact info for Sheriff Robert Phillips and all other Georgia county sheriffs. For someone sent to state prison after an arrest in Charlton County, the Georgia Department of Corrections offender search shows current inmate details.

Charlton County Police Blotter Records

Georgia's Open Records Act at O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70 makes police blotter records public documents. Any person can ask to see them. You do not need to be part of the case or give a reason for your request. The Charlton County Sheriff's Office must respond within three business days. If they need more time, they must put that in writing and explain why.

Exemptions under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-72 protect certain information from being released. Active investigation files can stay sealed. Confidential informant names are never released. Personal details like phone numbers and dates of birth get blacked out on copies. But the core information in the Charlton County police blotter, including arrest charges, incident descriptions, and locations, is public.

Charlton County Blotter Record Fees

Copy fees for police blotter records follow state law. Paper copies cost up to 10 cents a page under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-71. The first 15 minutes of search time are free. After that, the charge is based on the pay rate of the lowest qualified employee. For a quick blotter lookup in Charlton County, the total cost is usually just a few dollars.

State patrol reports from highways in Charlton County have set fees through the DPS. The DPS fee schedule shows the full breakdown. These are paid online when you use the EPORTS system.

Reporting Crime in Charlton County

Call the Charlton County Sheriff's Office at (912) 496-7321 to report a crime. Dial 911 for emergencies. The GBI online tip form is available for state-level crimes, and the tip line is (800) 597-8477. You can remain anonymous when submitting tips to the GBI.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Charlton County. An incident near a county boundary may be on file with a different sheriff's office. Check which jurisdiction handled the call before making your request.