Decatur County Police Blotter Search

Decatur County police blotter records document arrests, incident reports, and crime data in southwest Georgia near the Florida border. Sheriff Wiley Griffin leads the Decatur County Sheriff's Office in Bainbridge, the county seat. This office handles law enforcement for the rural areas of the county and runs the local jail. If you need to search police blotter entries, request an arrest report, or find out about a recent incident in Decatur County, you can reach the sheriff's office by phone or in person. Georgia's Open Records Act protects your right to get copies of these police blotter records, and state-level tools also provide access to some information online.

Decatur County Police Blotter Office

Sheriff Wiley Griffin runs the Decatur County Sheriff's Office from 912 Spring Creek Road in Bainbridge. The phone number is (229) 248-3044. Every arrest by a Decatur County deputy gets logged through this office. Incident reports, booking records, and other police blotter data for the county are maintained here. The office also operates the county detention center.

The Bainbridge Public Safety Department handles incidents within the city limits. But the sheriff's office covers everything outside the city and manages the jail for all of Decatur County. When someone gets booked into the county jail, regardless of which agency arrested them, the booking record is at the sheriff's office. To request police blotter records from Decatur County, call (229) 248-3044 or walk in during business hours. Georgia law under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70 classifies these records as public.

Have a name, date, or case number ready when you call. It speeds up the search.

Decatur County Police Blotter Records

The Georgia Open Records Act applies to all police blotter records in Decatur County. Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-71, the sheriff's office has three business days to produce records after receiving your request. Copies run up to 10 cents per page. The first quarter hour of staff time is free. You do not need to state why you want the records, and you do not need to be a Decatur County resident.

Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-72, certain records are exempt. Active investigation files can be held back. Confidential sources stay protected. Material that could endanger someone is also off limits. The initial police blotter entry for a reported crime, however, is almost always public. That is the basic log of what happened, where, and when. For most Decatur County requests, you will get what you ask for within the three-day window.

State Patrol Police Blotter in Decatur County

Georgia State Patrol troopers file separate police blotter records for incidents on state highways in Decatur County. US Highway 27 and US Highway 84 both pass through the area. Crashes and traffic enforcement on these roads produce state patrol reports that do not go through the sheriff's office.

Use the EPORTS online system to request state patrol records for Decatur County. Crash reports cost $5.00. Incident reports are $2.00. Your first citation copy is free. Reports are usually available within three to five business days. EPORTS lets you handle the whole thing from home: submit the request, get the email, pay, and download the file.

If both a state trooper and a Decatur County deputy respond to the same incident, each agency files its own separate report.

GBI Crime Data for Decatur County

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation gathers crime statistics from Decatur County agencies. If the GBI investigated a case in the county, you can submit a request through the GBI Records Request Center. The Georgia Sex Offender Registry lets you search for offenders in Decatur County at no charge.

Criminal history requests fall under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-34. You need consent from the person unless you are looking for Georgia felony convictions only. Felony data is public. The Georgia Department of Corrections offender search covers people serving state prison time after a Decatur County conviction. You can submit tips through the GBI online tip form.

Note: Decatur County sits near the Florida state line, so some incidents may involve agencies from both states.

Decatur County Police Record Fees

Fees for police blotter records in Decatur County follow Georgia's statewide rules. Standard copies cost up to 10 cents per page. Certified copies add $2.00. The DPS fee schedule details what agencies can charge for search time and copying.

State patrol reports through EPORTS cost $5.00 for crash reports and $2.00 for incident reports from troopers in Decatur County. The sheriff's office may charge different rates for its own police blotter records. Call (229) 248-3044 to check before you submit your request. The first 15 minutes of search time are always free under Georgia law.

Understanding Decatur County Reports

A Decatur County police blotter entry shows the date, time, and location of the incident. It describes what occurred and names the parties involved. Arrest entries list charges, the arresting officer, and booking details. A case number ties all the documents for each Decatur County incident together.

Before release, the agency redacts personal details from Decatur County police reports. Phone numbers, the day and month of birth, and medical information are removed per state law. The year of birth stays visible. What the public receives protects privacy while still conveying the core facts. If you are named in the report, you may get a more complete copy from the Decatur County Sheriff's Office. The Georgia Sheriffs' Association directory is helpful for confirming sheriff office contact details across the state.

Visit the Georgia Sheriffs' Association website to verify contact information for Decatur County and all 159 Georgia counties.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Decatur County in southwest Georgia. For incidents near a county line, check with both agencies to make sure you request the record from the right jurisdiction.