Find Franklin County Police Blotter

Franklin County police blotter records are maintained by the Sheriff's Office in Carnesville, which serves as the county seat for this northeast Georgia community. Every arrest, call for service, and incident report generated by law enforcement in Franklin County goes into the blotter. Public access to these records is protected by Georgia's open records law, and residents can request copies at any time. This page covers how to search the Franklin County police blotter, what you can expect to find, and which state-level databases also hold records from this area. Whether you need a recent incident report or older arrest data, the process starts with the Franklin County Sheriff's Office.

Franklin County Police Blotter Office

Sheriff Scott Andrews runs the Franklin County Sheriff's Office. The mailing address is PO Box 310, Carnesville, GA 30521. Call (706) 384-2525 to reach the main line. This office patrols the unincorporated parts of Franklin County and handles jail operations. Deputies respond to calls, make arrests, and write incident reports. Each of those actions creates a new entry in the Franklin County police blotter.

Walk-in requests are handled during business hours at the sheriff's office in Carnesville. The records clerk can search by name, date, or case number. If you are looking for a specific police blotter entry from Franklin County, bring as much detail as you can. A date range and at least one name involved in the incident will give the clerk a good starting point. Recent records are usually the easiest to pull. Older blotter entries from Franklin County may take more time to locate if they have been moved to archive storage. The staff is generally helpful and used to handling public records requests under Georgia's open records law.

Franklin County Police Blotter Records

Georgia's Open Records Act applies to all police blotter data in Franklin County. O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70 says that public records include documents that government agencies prepare or keep. Police logs, arrest sheets, and incident reports all count. The law gives agencies up to three business days to produce records after a request comes in.

O.C.G.A. § 50-18-72 sets out the exemptions. Active investigation files in Franklin County can be withheld if their release would hurt the case. Records naming confidential informants stay sealed. Details that could endanger a person are protected too. But initial incident reports and arrest booking records are nearly always available, even while an investigation continues. Once a Franklin County case closes, the rest of the file opens up. You do not have to tell the sheriff's office why you want to see a police blotter record. Georgia law does not require a statement of purpose for these kinds of requests.

Note: Copy fees in Franklin County are capped at 10 cents per page, and the first 15 minutes of search time is free under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-71.

Access Franklin County Police Blotter

There are a few ways to get police blotter records from Franklin County. The most straightforward method is to go to the sheriff's office in Carnesville. Fill out a records request form and the clerk will start searching. If the records are available, you can often get copies the same day for small requests.

You can also submit a request by mail. Write a brief letter explaining what you need and send it to PO Box 310, Carnesville, GA 30521. Be specific. Include dates, names, and any case numbers you have. The more information you provide, the faster the clerk can locate the right police blotter files in Franklin County. Phone requests work for simple questions about whether a record exists, but you will likely need to follow up in person or by mail to get actual copies. If you need state patrol reports from incidents in Franklin County, use the Georgia EPORTS system instead. State trooper incident reports cost $2.00 and are usually ready in three to five business days.

Georgia Blotter Databases for Franklin County

State-level databases hold records that may relate to Franklin County law enforcement activity. The EPORTS portal from the Georgia Department of Public Safety covers all state trooper reports, including any from Franklin County. You need to create a free account to submit a request. Reports are delivered electronically once you pay the fee.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation runs an online records request center. Use it to ask for GBI case files from investigations in Franklin County or elsewhere in Georgia.

The Georgia Department of Corrections has a free offender lookup tool. It covers anyone from Franklin County who has been in state prison. The search shows names, photos, and basic case details. For full criminal history records beyond felony convictions, you need the subject's consent under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-34. The Georgia Sheriffs' Association keeps a directory with contact information for all 159 county sheriffs, including Franklin County.

The GBI tip line takes anonymous crime tips. You can call (800) 597-8477 or use the online form. Tips about criminal activity in Franklin County may lead to investigations that result in new police blotter entries.

Franklin County Arrest Blotter Data

Arrest records make up a significant part of the Franklin County police blotter. When someone is booked into the Franklin County jail, staff create a record with the person's name, date of birth, charges, arresting agency, and bond amount. These booking records are public.

You can ask to see recent arrest records at the sheriff's office in Carnesville. The jail division processes bookings and can tell you if a specific person is currently in custody. For people who have moved on to state prison, the GDC offender search is the tool to use. It is free and shows photos when available. The GDC warns that its data may not be fully complete, so verify any results by writing to Inmate Records at P.O. Box 1529, Forsyth, GA 31029. The same caution applies to any police blotter data from Franklin County: confirm important details with the original source agency.

The Georgia Sheriffs' Association connects the public with all 159 county sheriffs across the state, including the Franklin County office.

Nearby Counties

Franklin County is in northeast Georgia and borders several other counties. A police blotter record from an incident near the county line could be filed with any of these neighboring offices.