Chattooga County Police Blotter Search

Chattooga County police blotter records cover arrests, incident reports, and law enforcement calls across this northwest Georgia county. The sheriff's office in Trion is the main agency that handles police blotter data for the area. Chattooga County sits in the Appalachian foothills along the Alabama state line, and the sheriff's deputies patrol a mix of mountain roads and small towns. Getting copies of police blotter records is a straightforward process under Georgia's open records law. Start with the sheriff's office for county-level reports, or use state tools if the incident involved the Georgia State Patrol on local highways.

Chattooga County Police Blotter Office

Sheriff Mark Schrader runs the Chattooga County Sheriff's Office from an office on Underwood Drive in Trion. The office handles patrol, criminal investigations, warrant service, and the county jail. Deputies cover all the unincorporated land in Chattooga County plus provide backup for smaller towns like Summerville, Trion, Lyerly, and Menlo. The police blotter at this office captures every arrest, incident, and call for service that deputies respond to across the county.

Chattooga County is rural, and the sheriff's office is the dominant law enforcement presence. The police blotter is the main record of day-to-day activity. It shows who was arrested, what happened, and where. The office keeps these records on file for years and can pull them on request. If you need a specific police blotter entry from Chattooga County, the staff at the sheriff's office can search by date, name, or incident type.

Reading Chattooga County Police Blotter

Call (706) 857-3411 to start a police blotter request in Chattooga County. The staff can look up records while you wait and tell you what is available. Give them the date, a name, or any other detail that helps narrow the search. You can also visit the office at 533 Underwood Drive in Trion during business hours. In-person visits let you view records without paying for copies first.

For written requests, mail your letter to 533 Underwood Drive, Trion, GA 30753. State what records you want and include your phone number. Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-71, the office must respond within three business days. Copies cost up to 10 cents per page. The first quarter hour of search time is free. Most basic police blotter lookups in Chattooga County cost very little because the search is usually quick.

Note: If the person you are looking up has a case that is still open, parts of the record may be held back under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-72.

State Records for Chattooga County

State patrol incidents on US 27 and GA 48 in Chattooga County go through the Georgia Department of Public Safety. Use the EPORTS system to request those reports online. Incident reports from the state patrol cost $2.00 each. Crash reports cost $5.00. The first citation is free, and additional ones in the same 24-hour period cost $1.00 each.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation handles major case work in Chattooga County when the local office needs state support. You can submit an open records request through the GBI records request portal. Criminal history data beyond felony convictions requires consent under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-34, but basic police blotter entries from Chattooga County are public without needing consent.

The Georgia Sheriffs' Association website has a full directory of all 159 county sheriffs. The Georgia Department of Corrections offender search tracks people sent to state prison after arrests in Chattooga County. The GBI online tip form takes anonymous tips on serious crimes.

Chattooga County Police Blotter Records

Georgia's Open Records Act applies to all police blotter records in Chattooga County. Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70, records kept by a public agency are available for public inspection. You do not have to give a reason for wanting the records. The sheriff's office must let you see them or provide copies within three business days of your request.

O.C.G.A. § 50-18-72 lists the exemptions. Pending case files can be held. Confidential source names are protected. Information that would put someone in danger is withheld. Phone numbers and birth dates get blacked out. But the core facts in every Chattooga County police blotter entry, like dates, locations, charges, and descriptions, are public information.

Chattooga County Record Fees

Fees for copies of police blotter records in Chattooga County follow state guidelines under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-71. Paper copies cost up to 10 cents a page. The first 15 minutes of search time are free. After that, you pay based on the hourly rate of the lowest qualified staff member.

For state patrol records from highways in Chattooga County, the DPS fee schedule sets the prices. Those are paid online through EPORTS when you submit your request.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Chattooga County. If you are not sure where an incident was recorded, check with the neighboring sheriff's office as well.