Athens Police Records Search
Athens police records come from the Athens-Clarke County Police Department, which serves the unified government of Athens and Clarke County. The city and county merged in 1991, creating a single law enforcement agency for the entire area. With around 130,000 residents and a large student population due to the University of Georgia, the police department handles a wide range of calls and produces a significant number of reports each year. Police records from Athens include incident reports, arrest records, accident reports, and other law enforcement files that are available to the public under Georgia law.
Athens Police Records Facts
Athens-Clarke County Police
The Athens-Clarke County Police Department is at 325 E Washington St, Athens, GA 30601. The main line is (706) 613-3330. For emergencies, dial 911. The department is the only general-purpose law enforcement agency for the unified government. There is no separate city police or county sheriff patrol division.
The department has patrol, investigations, traffic, and community outreach divisions. The records section sits within the department and handles all public requests for police reports. Officers patrol the entire Athens-Clarke County area, and all reports feed into one central records system.
| Address | 325 E Washington St, Athens, GA 30601 |
|---|---|
| Phone | (706) 613-3330 |
| Emergency | 911 |
| Hours | Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM |
The Athens-Clarke County government website provides details on all county departments, including the police department. You can find contact information, office hours, and links to records request forms there.
Note: The Clarke County Sheriff still exists but handles courthouse security, the county jail, and civil process rather than patrol duties.
How to Get Athens Police Reports
Visit the records section at 325 E Washington St during business hours for a walk-in request. Bring your ID and as much detail about the incident as you can. Case numbers, dates, and names of people involved make the search faster.
Written requests are also accepted. Mail your request to the Athens-Clarke County Police Department at the address above. Include your name, mailing address, phone number, and a description of the record you need. Email requests may be accepted depending on the department's current policy.
Under O.C.G.A. 50-18-70, Georgia's Open Records Act gives you the right to access police records. You do not need to state a reason. The law applies equally to everyone. The records section must respond within three business days per O.C.G.A. 50-18-71.
Paper copies cost $0.10 per page. The first 15 minutes of search time are free. If the cost will exceed $25, the department must let you know before doing the work. Most standard police reports are short and inexpensive to copy.
Athens Accident Reports
Crash reports from Athens depend on who responded to the scene. For wrecks on city and county roads, the Athens-Clarke County Police Department wrote the report and has the file. For crashes on US-78, the Athens Perimeter (Loop 10), or other state routes where the Georgia State Patrol responded, the report goes through the state system.
State Patrol crash reports are on the EPORTS portal. You can buy them online for $5 each. The report gets emailed to you after purchase.
BuyCrash is an online platform that hosts accident reports from local agencies across Georgia.
Check BuyCrash first for local Athens crash reports. If the department uploads reports there, you can get a copy without visiting the station.
Athens has a lot of traffic around campus, especially during football season and other major events at UGA. Crash reports from these busy periods may take slightly longer to process due to volume.
Records Exemptions in Athens
Not all police records can be released. O.C.G.A. 50-18-72 lists the exemptions. Records from active investigations may be withheld if their release could compromise the case. Information that could endanger someone or reveal a confidential informant is also protected.
However, initial incident reports and initial arrest reports stay public even when a case is still active. This is a core part of Georgia's open records law. You can get the basic facts about what happened even if the investigation has not wrapped up.
Once a case closes and court proceedings end, the full record typically becomes available. If you receive a denial, it must be in writing and must cite the specific statute that justifies withholding the record. You have the right to challenge any denial you believe is improper.
Athens Criminal Case Records
Criminal history records cover a person's full record of arrests and convictions, not just one incident. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation maintains the statewide criminal records database through the Georgia Crime Information Center.
Court records from Athens criminal cases are kept by the Clarke County Clerk of Superior Court. The clerk has filings, pleas, trial outcomes, and sentencing data. These records tell you what happened after an arrest. The police report covers the scene. The court record covers the legal process. Together they give the full picture.
Athens is home to the University of Georgia. UGA has its own police department that handles incidents on campus. Campus police records are separate from Athens-Clarke County Police records. If an incident happened on UGA property, contact UGA Police directly. They have their own records division.
Other Law Enforcement in Athens
Several agencies operate in the Athens area beyond the main police department. The UGA Police Department is the most notable. They have full law enforcement authority on campus. The Clarke County Sheriff handles jail operations and courthouse duties. The Georgia State Patrol covers highways. The GBI assists with certain types of investigations.
The agency that responded to the incident is the one that has the file. If it happened on campus, go to UGA Police. If it was on the highway, check with State Patrol. If it was anywhere else in Athens-Clarke County, the police department has the report.
The Georgia Sheriffs' Association maintains a directory of all Georgia sheriffs if you need to reach offices in neighboring counties like Oconee, Jackson, or Madison.
Note: The student population in Athens fluctuates significantly between the school year and summer, which can affect the types and volume of incidents reported during different times of the year.
Clarke County Police Records
Athens is in Clarke County. All police records for the unified area are managed by the Athens-Clarke County Police Department. The consolidated government means one agency handles law enforcement for the entire county, making records requests simpler than in areas with multiple overlapping agencies.
Nearby Cities
These nearby cities have their own police records resources.