Hart County Police Blotter Search
Hart County police blotter records document arrests, crime reports, and incident logs in this northeast Georgia county on the shores of Lake Hartwell. Sheriff Chris Carroll heads the Hart County Sheriff's Office in Hartwell, the primary law enforcement agency serving the area. You can search police blotter entries by contacting the sheriff's office, walking in to request records, or checking state tools that include Hart County data. Georgia's Open Records Act ensures public access to initial incident reports, and online databases let you look up arrest records and offender data tied to Hart County at no charge.
Hart County Quick Facts
Hart County Police Blotter Office
The Hart County Sheriff's Office sits at 890 Vickery Street in Hartwell. Sheriff Chris Carroll runs the department. The phone number is (706) 376-3114. Deputies patrol the county, which includes both the town of Hartwell and the surrounding rural areas along Lake Hartwell. Every call, arrest, and incident produces a report that goes into the Hart County police blotter.
Hart County is on the South Carolina border in northeast Georgia. Lake Hartwell draws visitors and seasonal residents, which can affect the types of calls the sheriff's office handles. Boating incidents, property crimes at lake homes, traffic accidents on rural roads, and drug activity all show up on the police blotter in Hart County. You can walk in during business hours to request copies of public records. Staff will search the system if you provide enough detail, like a name or date.
| Office | Hart County Sheriff's Office |
|---|---|
| Address | 890 Vickery Street, Hartwell, GA 30643 |
| Phone | (706) 376-3114 |
| Sheriff | Chris Carroll |
Hart County Police Blotter Records
Georgia's Open Records Act makes police blotter records in Hart County available to the public. Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70, any document the sheriff's office creates or stores is a public record. That includes arrest reports, incident logs, booking data, and more. You can request these files without giving a reason. Residency does not matter.
The office must respond within three business days per O.C.G.A. § 50-18-71. Copies cost up to 10 cents per page, and the first quarter hour of search time is free. Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-72, some records are exempt. Active investigations and pending prosecutions can be withheld. Confidential informant names stay sealed. But the basic police blotter entry is nearly always open to the public in Hart County. Send written requests to 890 Vickery Street, Hartwell, GA 30643.
State Patrol Police Blotter in Hart County
Georgia State Patrol troopers generate police blotter records in Hart County as well. They cover state highways and handle crashes, traffic stops, and citations. Their records are separate from the sheriff's files. Request them through the EPORTS online portal.
Crash reports cost $5.00 on EPORTS. Incident reports are $2.00. Your first citation download is free. Reports take three to five business days to become available. Hart County has several state routes running through it, so state patrol activity is steady. If the incident you need was on a state road, EPORTS is the place to look for that Hart County police blotter entry.
The GBI Records Request Center is another option for investigative files tied to Hart County.
GBI and Offender Records for Hart County
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation holds crime data that covers Hart County. The GBI helps local agencies with major cases and forensic work. Criminal history records need the subject's consent under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-34, unless the record is a Georgia felony conviction. The Georgia Sex Offender Registry is free to search for registered offenders in Hart County.
The GDC offender search covers people in state prison. It does not include those in the Hart County jail. For current jail information, call (706) 376-3114. Booking records and arrest data from the Hart County jail are part of the police blotter and are public under state law.
Note: GBI crime statistics are currently not available online, but Hart County data is still submitted through the Uniform Crime Reporting program.
What Hart County Police Reports Include
A police blotter entry from Hart County includes the date, time, and location of the incident. It summarizes what took place. Arrests name the person and their charges. The officer who responded is also listed. These entries document law enforcement work in Hart County.
Phone numbers, exact birth dates, and medical information are removed from public copies under Georgia law. The redacted version is what you see. Parties to the case or their attorneys can sometimes get fuller records from the Hart County Sheriff's Office. Use the Georgia Sheriffs' Association directory to confirm the sheriff's contact details before sending a request.
Hart County Record Fees
Fees for police blotter records in Hart County follow state guidelines. Standard copies run up to 10 cents per page. Certified copies add $2.00. The first 15 minutes of search time come at no charge. After that, the rate ties to the lowest-paid qualified employee. The DPS fee schedule has the full breakdown of allowable charges.
EPORTS crash reports cost $5.00 and incident reports cost $2.00. The Hart County Sheriff's Office may set its own rates for records it generates. Call ahead to confirm.
Nearby Counties
These counties border Hart County. If you are unsure which agency handled an incident near the county line, contact both offices.