Worth County Police Blotter Records
Worth County police blotter records track arrests, incidents, and crime reports from this south Georgia county. Sylvester serves as the county seat. Sheriff Don Whitaker runs the Worth County Sheriff's Office, which patrols unincorporated areas and operates the county jail. Public access to police blotter data from Worth County is protected under the Georgia Open Records Act. You can request incident reports, arrest records, and booking logs from the sheriff's office or use state online tools to search for certain police blotter entries filed by state agencies serving Worth County.
Worth County Quick Facts
Worth County Police Blotter Office
The Worth County Sheriff's Office is the primary source for police blotter records in the county. Sheriff Don Whitaker operates from 201 North Main Street, Room 14, in Sylvester. The phone number is (229) 776-8211. Deputies patrol unincorporated Worth County, and the office runs the county jail. Every person booked into the jail gets a record that becomes part of the police blotter.
Sylvester has its own police department covering calls inside city limits. Their police blotter files are separate from the sheriff's office records. Worth County also includes the smaller communities of Poulan and Warwick. If you need a specific police blotter record from Worth County and are not sure which agency handled it, the sheriff's office can help figure out jurisdiction based on the address. For most of the county, the sheriff's office is the right source.
Visit during business hours for walk-in requests. Call ahead if you want to make sure someone is available to help.
| Office | Worth County Sheriff's Office |
|---|---|
| Address | 201 North Main Street, Room 14, Sylvester, GA 31791 |
| Phone | (229) 776-8211 |
| Sheriff | Don Whitaker |
Worth County Police Blotter Open Records
Georgia's Open Records Act protects your right to request police blotter entries from Worth County agencies. O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70 says that any document a government agency creates or holds is a public record. Arrest reports, incident logs, and booking data from the Worth County Sheriff's Office all qualify. No reason is needed for your request.
Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-71, the agency has three business days to respond. The Worth County Sheriff's Office usually handles routine police blotter requests within that window. Standard copies cost up to 10 cents per page. The first 15 minutes of search time are free. After that, an hourly charge may apply based on the lowest-paid qualified employee. A single incident report from Worth County rarely costs more than a few dollars.
O.C.G.A. § 50-18-72 lists exemptions for active investigations and confidential information. The initial police blotter entry from Worth County is almost always released to the public even when later investigative files are restricted.
Note: Put your request in writing to create a paper trail and formally start the three-day response period.
State Patrol Police Blotter in Worth County
Georgia State Patrol troopers handle incidents on state highways running through Worth County. US 82 and SR 33 both pass through the area. State patrol police blotter records are filed separately from Worth County sheriff's reports.
Get state patrol records through the EPORTS online portal. Crash reports cost $5.00. Incident reports are $2.00. Citations are free for the first copy. Worth County reports are typically available within three to five business days after the filing date. EPORTS is a practical way to get state-level police blotter records from Worth County without driving to an office.
Submit an open records request for Worth County police blotter information through the GBI portal.
The GBI records request portal handles state-level investigative files that may involve Worth County cases.
Worth County Police Blotter Data
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation gathers crime statistics from all law enforcement agencies in Worth County. The GBI does not patrol local streets. It provides lab work, investigative support, and statewide data collection. The GBI Records Request Center processes open records requests for their files.
Criminal history records require consent under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-34 unless limited to Georgia felony convictions, which are public. The GBI maintains the Georgia Sex Offender Registry, free to search for registered offenders in Worth County. Tips about crime can be submitted through the GBI online tip form at any time.
Worth County Offender Search
People serving state prison sentences after a Worth County conviction can be located through the Georgia Department of Corrections offender search. The system shows inmates with photos when available. It only covers state prison. People in the Worth County jail or federal custody are not included.
For current inmates in the Worth County jail, contact the sheriff's office at (229) 776-8211. Booking records are public under Georgia law. They show who is in custody, the charges, and the booking date. This information is part of the Worth County police blotter. A full name and approximate date make the search faster for staff.
Note: The corrections database only covers people who have been sentenced to state prison, not those awaiting trial in Worth County.
Worth County Police Record Fees
Fees for police blotter records in Worth County follow Georgia state guidelines. Standard copies cost up to 10 cents per page. Certified copies add a $2.00 fee. The first 15 minutes of search time are free at any Worth County agency. The DPS fee schedule details what can be charged.
Through EPORTS, a state patrol crash report from Worth County costs $5.00. An incident report is $2.00. Your first citation copy is free. These fees apply to state-generated records only. The Worth County Sheriff's Office may have its own pricing for local police blotter documents. Call ahead if cost matters. Most requests for a single report cost well under $10 total.
Reading Worth County Incident Reports
A police blotter entry from Worth County contains the date, time, and location of the incident. A narrative section describes what happened. If there was an arrest, the report includes the person's name, charges filed, and the arresting officer. A case number links all related documents for each Worth County event.
Georgia law requires certain personal details to be redacted before release. Phone numbers, day and month of birth, and medical information are removed from Worth County police blotter records. The year of birth stays in the file. Addresses may be partially blocked. You receive a version that protects privacy while providing the key facts. If you are a party to the case in Worth County, you may get a more complete copy from the sheriff's office or through your attorney. Legal professionals working on Worth County matters can sometimes request less-redacted versions through proper channels.
Check the Georgia Sheriffs' Association directory to verify Worth County Sheriff's Office contact details before requesting records.
The sex offender registry is a free public resource for checking registered offenders in Worth County.
Nearby Counties
These counties share borders with Worth County. An incident near a county line could be filed by a neighboring agency. Confirm the location before requesting police blotter records.