Chamblee Police Records Lookup

Chamblee police records are available through the Chamblee Police Department, which provides law enforcement services to this DeKalb County city just northeast of Atlanta. With a population over 32,000, Chamblee sees a regular flow of incident reports, arrest records, and accident reports filed by its officers. Georgia law makes these police records public. Anyone can request copies of police reports held by the Chamblee Police Department through the state's open records process, and most requests are filled within a few business days.

Chamblee Police Department

The Chamblee Police Department is the primary law enforcement agency for the city. Officers patrol Chamblee, respond to emergency and non-emergency calls, and generate police reports for incidents that occur within city limits. The records division at the department processes all requests for incident reports, arrest records, and accident reports. If a Chamblee officer took the report, this is where you get the copy.

Walk-in requests are handled during normal business hours. Call ahead if you want to confirm hours or check on specific records availability. Having the case number, date, or names of people involved makes the search quicker. The department is located on Broad Street in downtown Chamblee, which is easy to get to from Peachtree Boulevard or the Chamblee MARTA station area.

How to Request Chamblee Police Records

You request police records from Chamblee 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 any government agency in the state, including the Chamblee Police Department. You do not need to state a reason for your request. Just provide enough detail to identify the records you want.

Under O.C.G.A. 50-18-71, the department must respond within three business days. The response will either be the records, a cost estimate, or a written denial with the specific legal basis. The first 15 minutes of staff time to locate and compile records are provided at no charge. Copies cost $0.10 per page after that. If estimated costs go over $25, the agency must notify you before doing the work so you can decide whether to proceed.

Note: Written requests produce the best results and create a paper trail. Email is often the fastest written method. Include your name, phone number, the date of the incident, the location, and any case numbers you have.

You can also visit the Chamblee Police Department in person to make your request. Walk-in requests for simple police reports are often fulfilled the same day or within a day or two. Larger requests involving multiple reports or extensive file searches may take the full three days. Mail requests work too, but expect postal transit time on top of the processing period. Send your written request to the Chamblee Police Department at 3518 Broad St, Chamblee, GA 30341.

Accident Reports in Chamblee

Traffic accident reports are among the most commonly requested police records in Chamblee. The city straddles several busy corridors, and crashes happen regularly. When a Chamblee police officer responds to an accident, the report is filed with and maintained by the Chamblee Police Department. You can get a copy through the standard open records request process at the department.

If the Georgia State Patrol was the responding agency, the report goes into the state system instead. You can purchase State Patrol accident reports online through the EPORTS portal for $5 each. The report gets emailed to you. This is most common for accidents on interstates and state highways where a trooper responded. You can also contact the DPS Open Records Unit at openrecords@gsp.net or call (404) 624-7591 if you need help finding a specific crash report.

BuyCrash is worth checking to see if the Chamblee Police Department or DeKalb County Police upload their crash reports to this system for public purchase.

Open Records Law and Chamblee Police Records

The Georgia Open Records Act controls access to police records in Chamblee. Incident reports, arrest records, accident reports, and most other law enforcement files are public records under this law. The Chamblee Police Department must make them available for inspection and copying when someone files a valid request. This is not optional for the department. It is a legal obligation.

Some records are exempt under O.C.G.A. 50-18-72. Records related to active investigations are the main exception. But even with an ongoing case, initial police reports and initial arrest reports stay public. You can always get the basics of what happened, who was involved, and what charges were filed. The investigative details behind the case are what may be held back until things wrap up. If a request is denied, the department must give you the denial in writing and cite the exact statute that applies.

Note: If you think a denial is wrong, contact the Georgia Attorney General's office. They can review the situation and provide guidance on your rights under the open records law.

Criminal Records and Statewide Searches

Police records from Chamblee cover individual incidents. 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 search pulls records from every jurisdiction in the state, not just Chamblee or DeKalb County. This is the resource for a comprehensive criminal background search.

Court records for Chamblee cases go through the DeKalb County court system. The DeKalb County Clerk of Superior Court handles felony case records. State Court and Magistrate Court handle misdemeanors and other lower-level matters. Police records from Chamblee PD show the initial incident. Court records show the legal outcome. Both types of records are public and can be requested separately.

DeKalb County Police and Other Agencies

DeKalb County has its own police department that handles law enforcement in unincorporated areas of the county. The DeKalb County Sheriff's Office operates the county jail and handles court security. If an incident took place outside Chamblee city limits but within DeKalb County, the county police department or sheriff's office may have the report. Check with the right agency based on where the incident occurred.

The Georgia Sheriffs' Association has a directory of all Georgia sheriff's offices. This is a useful starting point when you are not sure which agency handles police records for a particular location in DeKalb County.

DeKalb County Police Records

Chamblee is part of DeKalb County. For police records from incidents outside city limits or handled by county law enforcement, the DeKalb County Police Department and Sheriff's Office are the contacts. Our DeKalb County page covers all county-level police records resources in detail.

View DeKalb County Police Records

Nearby Cities

These nearby cities in the DeKalb County and metro Atlanta area also have police records available through their local departments.