Carrollton Police Records Lookup

Carrollton police records are maintained by the Carrollton Police Department, which serves as the primary law enforcement agency for this Carroll County city in west Georgia. With a population over 28,000, Carrollton is the county seat of Carroll County and home to the University of West Georgia. The department handles a steady flow of incident reports, arrest records, and accident reports throughout the year. Georgia law makes these police records open to the public, and the request process is straightforward once you know which agency has the records you need.

Carrollton Police Department

The Carrollton Police Department is responsible for law enforcement within the city limits. Officers patrol neighborhoods, respond to emergency and non-emergency calls, and file police reports for every incident they handle. The department's records division manages all requests for copies of incident reports, arrest records, and accident reports. If a Carrollton officer took the report, this is the place to get a copy.

The department is located on West Center Street in downtown Carrollton. You can visit during regular business hours to make a records request in person. Walk-in requests are handled routinely. Having details such as a case number, the date of the incident, and the names of people involved makes the search faster. If you are not sure about specific details, the staff can still try to locate the report with whatever information you have. Calling ahead is a good idea if you want to confirm hours or ask questions about the process before making the trip.

Note: Carrollton is the Carroll County seat, so the Carroll County Sheriff's Office and county courts are also located in the city. Confirm which agency handled the incident before submitting your police records request.

How to Request Carrollton Police Records

You request police records from Carrollton by filing an open records request under the Georgia Open Records Act, codified at O.C.G.A. 50-18-70. This law gives the public the right to inspect and copy records held by government agencies in Georgia. The Carrollton Police Department is covered. You do not need to provide a reason for wanting the records. Anyone can make a request, regardless of where they live or their connection to the case.

Under O.C.G.A. 50-18-71, the department has three business days to respond to your request. The response will be the records, a cost estimate for producing them, or a written denial stating the legal basis. The first 15 minutes of staff time to search for and retrieve records are provided at no charge. Copies cost $0.10 per page. If estimated costs exceed $25, the department must notify you before proceeding so you can decide whether to go ahead. Most single police reports from Carrollton are short and inexpensive to copy.

Written requests are strongly recommended. Include your full name, phone number or email address, the date and location of the incident, any case numbers, and a clear description of what records you need. Submit your request in person at the department, by mail to 115 W Center St, Carrollton, GA 30117, or by email if the department accepts electronic submissions. In-person requests for simple police reports are often the quickest option.

Carrollton Accident Reports

Accident reports are frequently requested police records in Carrollton. When a Carrollton police officer responds to a traffic crash within city limits, the accident report stays with the Carrollton Police Department. You get it through the standard open records request. Provide the date, location, and names of drivers involved to help staff find the report.

If the Georgia State Patrol was the responding agency, the crash report goes through the state system. State Patrol accident reports can be purchased online through the EPORTS portal for $5 each. The report is emailed to you. This applies to crashes on interstates and state highways where a trooper was dispatched. You can also reach the DPS Open Records Unit at openrecords@gsp.net or (404) 624-7591 for help finding a specific crash report that may not be in the online system yet.

EPORTS handles State Patrol crash reports only. For accidents within Carrollton city limits handled by a local officer, contact the Carrollton Police Department directly.

Open Records Law and Carrollton

The Georgia Open Records Act governs access to police records in Carrollton. Incident reports, arrest records, accident reports, and most other law enforcement files are public records under this statute. The Carrollton Police Department is legally required to make them available for inspection and copying when a proper request is filed. This is not discretionary. It is a requirement under state law.

O.C.G.A. 50-18-72 lists the exemptions. Records related to active investigations are the most common exception affecting police records requests. If releasing a report could compromise an ongoing case, the department can withhold it. But initial police reports and initial arrest reports remain public even during active investigations. You can always get the basic details. The investigative file behind the case is what may be held back until the case is closed. Any denial must be in writing and cite the specific code section.

Note: If you get a denial and believe it is wrong, contact the Georgia Attorney General's office for guidance. You also have the right to challenge the denial in court if necessary.

Criminal Records and Statewide Searches

Police records from Carrollton cover individual incidents handled by the city's officers. For a broader criminal history, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation maintains the statewide criminal records database through the Georgia Crime Information Center. A GBI criminal history request returns records from every jurisdiction in Georgia, not just Carrollton or Carroll County.

Court records for Carrollton cases are filed with the Carroll County Clerk of Superior Court. These records include charges, pleas, trial outcomes, and sentencing. Carroll County also has State Court and Magistrate Court for other types of cases. Police records from the Carrollton Police Department show what happened on the ground. Court records show the legal process that followed. Both types of records are public and can be requested separately to get the full picture of any case from start to finish.

Carroll County Sheriff and Other Agencies

The Carroll County Sheriff's Office handles law enforcement in unincorporated areas of the county and operates the county jail. For incidents outside Carrollton city limits but still in Carroll County, the sheriff's office is the agency to contact. They process open records requests the same way the city department does.

The Georgia Sheriffs' Association maintains a directory of every sheriff's office in Georgia. It is a helpful resource when you need to track down the right agency for police records in the Carroll County area or elsewhere in the state.

Carroll County Police Records

Carrollton is in Carroll County. For police records outside city limits or for county-level law enforcement records, the Carroll County Sheriff's Office is the primary contact. Our Carroll County page has details on county police records resources, contacts, and how to file requests.

View Carroll County Police Records

Nearby Cities

These nearby cities in west Georgia also have police records available through their local departments or county agencies.