Search Augusta Police Records

Augusta police records are managed through the Augusta-Richmond County Sheriff's Office. Augusta has a consolidated city-county government with Richmond County, which means one agency handles law enforcement for the entire area. With a population of over 206,000, the sheriff's office deals with a wide range of incidents from minor property crimes to major investigations. Police records from Augusta include incident reports, arrest logs, accident reports, and other documents that fall under Georgia's public records laws. If you need a police record from Augusta, the sheriff's office is the place to start.

Augusta-Richmond County Sheriff

The Augusta-Richmond County Sheriff's Office is at 400 Walton Way, Augusta, GA 30901. Sheriff Gino Brantley leads the department. The main phone number is (706) 821-1068. For emergencies, dial 911. Because Augusta and Richmond County merged their governments, the sheriff's office serves as the primary law enforcement agency for the entire consolidated area.

This is different from most Georgia cities, where a city police department and county sheriff operate as separate agencies. In Augusta, there is no separate city police department. The sheriff's office fills that role. All police reports from anywhere in Augusta-Richmond County go through one agency, which can simplify the process of finding records since you only have one place to look.

The sheriff's office has divisions for patrol, investigations, and records. The records division is the group that handles public requests for police reports and other law enforcement documents.

Getting Police Reports in Augusta

You can request police records from the Augusta-Richmond County Sheriff's Office in person, by mail, or in writing. Visit the office at 400 Walton Way during business hours. Bring your ID and the details of the record you need. Dates, names, and case numbers all help the staff find your file.

Georgia law gives you the right to these records. O.C.G.A. 50-18-70 establishes that police records are public and must be made available for inspection and copying. You do not need to give a reason for your request. The law treats all requesters the same way.

The fee structure is standard across Georgia. Copies cost $0.10 per page. The first 15 minutes of search time are free. After that, the agency can charge an hourly rate based on the pay of the lowest-paid employee who can fill the request. If the cost will go over $25, they must notify you before proceeding.

Written requests are a good idea. Put your request in a letter or email with your name, contact info, and all the details about the record. This creates a paper trail and makes it easier to follow up if needed.

Augusta Accident Reports

Crash reports from Augusta are available through the sheriff's office for incidents that deputies responded to. Augusta sits at the intersection of I-20 and I-520, so highway accidents are common in the area. For crashes on interstates where the Georgia State Patrol responded, use the EPORTS system run by the Georgia Department of Public Safety.

The Georgia Sheriffs' Association directory can help you find the right contact at the Richmond County Sheriff's Office if you are looking for a specific crash report.

This directory is useful for finding direct contact information for the records division in Augusta and other Georgia sheriff's offices.

You can also try BuyCrash to search for accident reports from local agencies. Some departments upload their crash reports to this platform for quick online access. It is worth checking there first before making a formal request to the sheriff's office.

Note: Augusta's consolidated government means all crash reports from within the city-county area go through one agency rather than being split between city police and county sheriff.

Open Records Requests in Augusta

The Georgia Open Records Act gives the public the right to access police records. O.C.G.A. 50-18-71 requires agencies to respond within three business days. That means the Augusta-Richmond County Sheriff's Office has three days from when they get your request to either provide the records, give you a cost estimate, or issue a written denial explaining which law applies.

Most routine records come through without issues. Incident reports, accident reports, and arrest records from closed cases are generally available. The process is straightforward as long as you can identify what you need.

If a request is denied, the agency must cite the specific exemption under Georgia law. You have the right to challenge a denial. The Georgia Attorney General's office handles complaints about open records violations. Courts can also order the release of records if the denial was not legally justified.

Augusta Criminal Case Records

Criminal history records show more than a single police report does. They cover the full record of a person's arrests and convictions across time and agencies. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation manages the statewide criminal records database through the Georgia Crime Information Center.

For court records tied to Augusta criminal cases, the Richmond County Clerk of Superior Court is the source. The clerk keeps filings, plea agreements, trial records, sentencing info, and other court documents. Court records show what happened after an arrest. They tell you if charges were dropped, if there was a plea, or if the case went to trial. Between police records and court records, you can piece together the full story of a case.

The Augusta-Richmond County government website has links to various departments and services, including court system information. You can find contact details for the clerk's office there along with other county services.

Records Exemptions That Apply

Not every police record in Augusta is available right away. O.C.G.A. 50-18-72 lists the exemptions that allow agencies to withhold certain records. Active investigation files can be held back if releasing them would compromise the case. Confidential informant information is protected. Records that could put someone in danger may also be restricted.

But initial incident reports and initial arrest reports stay public even during active investigations. This is a key part of Georgia law. You can still get the basics of what happened. Once the case closes and court proceedings end, the full file typically becomes available.

Augusta's sheriff's office follows these same rules. If your request is denied, ask for the written explanation and the specific statute cited. That gives you the information you need to decide whether to appeal.

Note: The consolidated government structure in Augusta sometimes means records cross departments, so ask staff to check all relevant divisions if they cannot locate your file right away.

Other Agencies in the Augusta Area

While the sheriff's office is the main law enforcement agency in Augusta, other agencies operate in the area. The Georgia State Patrol covers highways. Fort Eisenhower (formerly Fort Gordon) has military police for on-base incidents. The Augusta University Police Department covers the campus. The GBI has a regional office that handles certain types of investigations.

If an incident happened on a military installation, the civilian sheriff's office would not have the report. Same for campus incidents handled by university police. Knowing which agency responded is always the key to finding the right record. The 911 dispatch center can help you figure out who was sent to a specific call if you are unsure.

Richmond County Police Records

Augusta is in Richmond County. All police records at the county level fall under the Augusta-Richmond County Sheriff's Office due to the consolidated government. There is no separate county sheriff's office and city police department. They are one and the same.

View Richmond County Police Records

Nearby Cities

These cities near Augusta also have police records resources available.