Find Washington County Police Blotter
Washington County police blotter records document arrests, incidents, and crime data from this central Georgia county. Sandersville is the county seat. Sheriff Joel Cochran runs the Washington County Sheriff's Office, which serves as the main law enforcement agency for unincorporated areas and manages the county jail. Under the Georgia Open Records Act, police blotter files from Washington County are available to the public. You can request incident reports, arrest logs, and booking records from the sheriff's office or search state-level online portals for certain police blotter entries filed by agencies operating in Washington County.
Washington County Quick Facts
Washington County Police Blotter Office
The Washington County Sheriff's Office is your main contact for police blotter records in the county. Sheriff Joel Cochran operates from PO Drawer 30 in Sandersville. The phone number is (478) 552-4795. This office handles arrests in unincorporated Washington County, runs the county jail, and maintains booking records for all inmates. If someone was arrested by a deputy in Washington County, the report starts here.
Sandersville and Tennille both have small police departments that handle calls within their city limits. Their police blotter records are separate from the sheriff's office files. If you need a report from Washington County but are not sure which agency wrote it, call the sheriff's office. Staff can check the address and tell you where to go. For most of Washington County, the sheriff's office is the right place to start.
Visit during business hours for walk-in records requests.
| Office | Washington County Sheriff's Office |
|---|---|
| Address | PO Drawer 30, Sandersville, GA 31082 |
| Phone | (478) 552-4795 |
| Sheriff | Joel Cochran |
Washington County Police Blotter Records
Under the Georgia Open Records Act, you can request police blotter entries from any agency in Washington County. O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70 defines public records as documents created or held by government agencies. Arrest reports, incident logs, and booking sheets from the Washington County Sheriff's Office are all covered. You do not need a reason to make a request.
The response deadline is three business days under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-71. Washington County usually meets this for standard police blotter requests. Copies cost up to 10 cents per page. The first 15 minutes of search time are free. After that, you may be charged at the hourly rate of the lowest-paid staff member who can handle the work. Most single-report requests from Washington County cost just a few dollars.
O.C.G.A. § 50-18-72 allows agencies to withhold records tied to active investigations. The initial police blotter entry from Washington County is almost always public even when later files are restricted.
State Patrol Police Blotter in Washington County
Georgia State Patrol troopers handle incidents on state highways running through Washington County. SR 15, SR 24, and US 1 all pass through the area. State patrol police blotter records are filed separately from Washington County sheriff's reports.
Access state patrol records through the EPORTS online portal. Crash reports are $5.00. Incident reports cost $2.00. Citations are free. Washington County reports are typically ready within three to five business days. EPORTS is a good way to get state-level police blotter records from Washington County without visiting an office.
Search the EPORTS portal for Washington County state patrol police blotter records.
State patrol and local Washington County agency records must be requested from separate sources.
Note: Both state troopers and Washington County deputies write their own reports when they respond to the same scene.
Washington County Police Blotter Data
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation gathers crime statistics from law enforcement agencies in Washington County. The GBI does not patrol locally. It provides lab work, investigative support, and data analysis to local agencies. The GBI Records Request Center processes open records requests for their investigative files.
Criminal history records need consent under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-34 unless limited to Georgia felony convictions. The GBI maintains the Georgia Sex Offender Registry, free to search for offenders in Washington County. Submit crime tips through the GBI online tip form at any time.
Washington County Offender Search
People serving state prison time after a Washington County conviction can be found through the Georgia Department of Corrections offender search. The tool shows current inmates with photos when available. It covers state prison only. People in the Washington County jail or federal facilities are not included.
For current jail inmates, call the Washington County Sheriff's Office at (478) 552-4795. Booking records are public under Georgia law. They show who is in custody, the charges, and the booking date. This is part of the Washington County police blotter. Provide a name and approximate date to help staff locate the record faster.
Washington County Police Record Fees
Police blotter record fees in Washington County follow Georgia state guidelines. Standard copies are up to 10 cents per page. Certified copies add a $2.00 fee. The first 15 minutes of search time are free. The DPS fee schedule details allowable charges for all Georgia agencies.
Through EPORTS, state patrol crash reports from Washington County cost $5.00. Incident reports are $2.00. Your first citation copy is free. These apply to state-generated records only. The Washington County Sheriff's Office may set slightly different rates for local police blotter documents. Call ahead to confirm costs. Most requests for a single report stay under $10.
Reading Washington County Police Reports
A police blotter entry from Washington County lists the date, time, and location of the incident. A narrative describes what happened. If there was an arrest, the report includes the person's name, charges, and arresting officer. A case number ties all related documents together for each Washington County event.
Certain personal details are redacted before release per Georgia law. Phone numbers, day and month of birth, and medical information are removed from Washington County police blotter records. The year of birth stays. Addresses may be partially blocked. The version you receive protects privacy while providing the key facts. If you are a party to the case, a more complete copy may be available. Attorneys handling Washington County cases can sometimes get less-redacted versions through proper legal channels.
Verify Washington County Sheriff's Office details through the Georgia Sheriffs' Association directory.
The sex offender registry is a free resource you can use to check for registered offenders in Washington County.
Nearby Counties
These counties border Washington County. If an incident happened close to a county line, the report might be in a neighboring agency's files. Check the location before requesting police blotter records.