Police Blotter in Stephens County

Stephens County police blotter records are maintained by the sheriff's office in Toccoa, in northeast Georgia. Sheriff Randy Shirley leads the department that handles all crime reports, arrest logs, and incident data across the county. Toccoa is the largest community in Stephens County, and both the city police and sheriff's office contribute to the overall police blotter. If you want to look up an arrest, check on a specific incident, or review recent crime activity, this page lays out every option for searching Stephens County police blotter records. Georgia's Open Records Act backs your right to see these files.

Stephens County Police Blotter Office

Sheriff Randy Shirley runs the Stephens County Sheriff's Office at 70 N. Alexander Street, Suite 205, in Toccoa. The phone number is (706) 886-2525. This is the main law enforcement office for the county outside Toccoa city limits. Deputies file all their incident reports and arrest records here, and those documents form the police blotter for Stephens County.

Stephens County sits in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The area around Toccoa Falls and Lake Hartwell draws visitors, which can affect the types of calls deputies handle. The police blotter for Stephens County includes property crimes, traffic incidents, drug cases, and other offenses that happen across the county. With both the sheriff and the Toccoa Police Department working the area, you may need to check with both offices depending on where the incident took place in Stephens County.

Stephens County Police Blotter Records

Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70, police blotter records in Stephens County are public records. The Georgia Open Records Act covers all documents that an agency creates or keeps. Arrest logs, incident reports, and booking sheets all qualify. You do not need to be a Stephens County resident to ask. You do not need a reason.

Write your request and send it to 70 N. Alexander Street, Suite 205, Toccoa, GA 30577. You can also bring it in person during business hours. The sheriff's office has three business days to respond per O.C.G.A. § 50-18-71. Copies cost up to 10 cents a page. The first 15 minutes of search time are free, and after that the fee is based on the lowest-paid employee who can handle the work. Records from active investigations are exempt under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-72. But the initial police blotter entry for any incident in Stephens County is almost always available to the public.

State-Level Police Blotter for Stephens County

Georgia State Patrol troopers cover state roads in Stephens County. Their reports go to the Department of Public Safety, not the local sheriff. The EPORTS system lets you request these police blotter records online. Crash reports are $5.00. Incident reports cost $2.00. The first citation request is free.

Reports are typically ready three to five days after the event. Submit a request, get the email, pay, and download. For dash-cam footage or photos from Stephens County state patrol stops, email openrecords@gsp.net instead. The GBI offers other tools: the Records Request Center for case files and the sex offender registry for free searches. Under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-34, Georgia felony convictions are public record.

EPORTS covers only state patrol records. For county-level Stephens County police blotter data, contact the sheriff's office directly.

Stephens County Offender Lookup

State prison inmates from Stephens County can be found through the Georgia Department of Corrections offender search. Enter a name to see results with photos when available. This tool covers state facilities only.

For current Stephens County jail inmates, call the sheriff's office at (706) 886-2525. They can share who is in custody, the charges, and bond amounts. These booking records are public under Georgia law and are part of the police blotter. The jail processes bookings on a regular basis, so information changes often.

What Stephens County Reports Show

A standard police blotter entry from Stephens County lists the date, time, and location. It describes what happened. Arrest reports include the suspect's name and charges. The responding deputy or officer is noted. These are the core details that every report in Stephens County contains.

Redaction is required by Georgia law before releasing reports to the public. Phone numbers, the day and month portion of birth dates, and medical details are removed. The copy you get from Stephens County will have those items blacked out. People who are parties to the case or their lawyers may get a more complete version. The Georgia Sheriffs' Association directory helps you verify the correct contact details for Stephens County before you submit your request.

Stephens County Record Fees

Fees for police blotter records from Stephens County follow state law. Copies run up to 10 cents per page. Certified copies add $2.00. The first 15 minutes of search time are free. The state fee schedule covers the full range of charges that agencies can impose. EPORTS charges $5.00 for state patrol crash reports and $2.00 for incident reports from Stephens County.

Call (706) 886-2525 before your visit to ask about specific costs at the Stephens County Sheriff's Office.

Nearby Counties

These counties share borders with Stephens County. For incidents near a county line, verify which office has the record before making the trip.