Search Lee County Police Blotter

Lee County police blotter records document arrests, crime reports, and incident data across this southwest Georgia county centered in Leesburg. Sheriff Reggie Rachals manages the Lee County Sheriff's Office and all law enforcement records tied to the area. Public access to these police blotter entries is protected by Georgia's Open Records Act. You can search arrest logs and incident reports through the sheriff's office directly or use state-level online tools that include Lee County data. Several databases cover this county, and most requests cost very little to process.

Lee County Police Blotter Office

The Lee County Sheriff's Office is your primary source for police blotter data in this area. Sheriff Reggie Rachals runs the office from 119 Pinewood Road in Leesburg. Call (229) 759-6052 to reach them. All crime reports, arrest logs, and incident records from Lee County deputies flow through this office. You can visit during business hours and request public records in person.

Lee County sits just south of Albany in the Dougherty County area. It is one of the faster-growing counties in southwest Georgia. The sheriff's office handles law enforcement for the unincorporated parts of Lee County, while the Leesburg Police Department covers calls inside city limits. If you need a police blotter record from Lee County, the first step is figuring out which agency responded. The sheriff's office staff can help you sort that out if you are not sure. Both agencies create their own separate police blotter entries for incidents in Lee County.

Bring a photo ID when you visit the office in person.

Lee County Police Blotter Open Records

The Georgia Open Records Act gives you the legal right to ask for police blotter records from the Lee County Sheriff's Office. O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70 defines what counts as a public record, and arrest reports, booking logs, and incident files all qualify. You do not have to live in Lee County to make a request. You do not have to state a reason. The law applies to everyone equally.

After you submit a request, Lee County has three business days to produce the records under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-71. Copies cost up to 10 cents per page. The first quarter hour of staff search time is free. If the search takes longer than 15 minutes, the office can bill you at the rate of the lowest-paid employee who can do the work. For a single incident report from the Lee County police blotter, the total cost rarely goes over a few dollars. Put your request in writing to start the clock and create a clear record of what you asked for.

Some exceptions exist under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-72. Active investigations and pending cases in Lee County may be partially withheld. Confidential source identities are protected. But the initial report that started the case, the basic police blotter entry, is nearly always available to the public.

State Patrol Police Blotter in Lee County

Georgia State Patrol troopers also generate police blotter records for incidents on state roads in Lee County. US Highway 19 runs through the county, and troopers work this corridor along with other state routes. Their reports are filed separately from the sheriff's office records.

The EPORTS online system lets you request these state patrol records from home. Crash reports cost $5.00. Incident reports are $2.00. Your first citation is free. Reports typically come through within three to five business days. For a crash or traffic stop on a state highway in Lee County, EPORTS can save you a trip to an office. You submit the request online, get an email when it is ready, then pay and download.

Keep in mind that state patrol and Lee County sheriff records are tracked in different systems even when both agencies respond to the same event.

Lee County Police Blotter Data

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation provides support to Lee County law enforcement when needed. The GBI handles major case investigations, lab work, and statewide data collection. You can submit an open records request to the GBI Records Request Center for any files they hold on Lee County cases.

Criminal history records follow different rules than police blotter entries. O.C.G.A. § 35-3-34 says you need consent from the person to pull their record unless you only want Georgia felony conviction data, which is public. The GBI also runs the Georgia Sex Offender Registry. You can search it for free to find registered offenders in Lee County. If you have a tip about criminal activity, the GBI tip line is available online at all hours.

Note: GBI crime statistics are not currently viewable online, but Lee County agencies still report their numbers monthly through the Uniform Crime Reporting program.

Lee County Offender Search

The Georgia Department of Corrections offender search lets you look up anyone serving time in a state prison after a Lee County conviction. Photos show up when they are on file. Search by name. This tool covers state prisons only. It does not include the Lee County jail or federal lockups.

For current Lee County jail inmates, call the sheriff's office at (229) 759-6052. Staff can tell you who is in custody and what charges they face. Booking data is part of the police blotter and open to the public under Georgia law.

Lee County Police Record Fees

Police blotter record fees in Lee County follow the state rules. Copies cost up to 10 cents per page. Certified copies add $2.00. The DPS fee schedule shows the full breakdown of what Georgia agencies can charge. Lee County follows this framework for police blotter requests.

EPORTS fees apply to state patrol records only. A crash report from Lee County highways costs $5.00. An incident report is $2.00. The first citation is free. The Lee County Sheriff's Office sets its own copy rates for local records, so call ahead to check their exact fees before you visit. The first 15 minutes of search time are free at every agency in Lee County.

Reading Lee County Incident Reports

Police blotter entries from Lee County follow a standard format. Each report shows the date and time. It lists the location of the event. A brief description of what happened comes next. If there was an arrest, the person's name and charges are included. The responding deputy's name or badge number appears on the report too.

Certain details are removed from public copies of Lee County police reports. Phone numbers get redacted. So do the day and month of birth and any medical data. State law requires this. The year of birth stays visible. If you are directly involved in the case, you may be able to get a less-redacted version. Lawyers with a related case in Lee County can sometimes access more complete files. Verify the sheriff's contact details through the Georgia Sheriffs' Association directory before sending your request.

The Georgia Sheriffs' Association keeps an up-to-date list of all 159 county sheriffs, including Lee County.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Lee County. If something happened near a county line, the report may be on file with the neighboring sheriff. Check the exact location before you request records.