Search McDonough Police Records

McDonough police records are maintained by the McDonough Police Department, which serves as the primary law enforcement agency for this Henry County city. As the county seat of Henry County with a population over 32,000, McDonough generates a steady volume of incident reports, arrest records, and accident reports each year. These police records are public under Georgia law. The process for getting copies involves filing a request with the right agency, and most people can obtain the police reports they need within a few business days of asking.

McDonough Police Department

The McDonough Police Department handles all law enforcement within the city limits. Officers respond to calls, take reports, and document incidents ranging from theft and assault to traffic crashes and domestic disputes. The department's records division is where you go to get copies of police reports. If a McDonough officer was the one who responded, the report lives here.

You can visit the department in person during regular business hours. Walk-in requests are common. Bring as much detail as you can about the incident you need a report on. A case number speeds things up considerably. If you don't have one, the date of the incident and the names of people involved usually help staff locate the right file. Phone calls to confirm what you need before making the trip can save you time.

Note: McDonough is the county seat of Henry County, so the Henry County Sheriff's Office and Henry County courts are also located here. Make sure you contact the right agency for your police records request.

How to Get Police Records in McDonough

Getting police records from McDonough starts with an open records request. Georgia's Open Records Act, found at O.C.G.A. 50-18-70, gives any person the right to inspect and copy public records held by government agencies. The McDonough Police Department falls under this law. You do not need to explain why you want the records. Just ask for them in writing and include enough detail for the staff to find what you need.

The response deadline is three business days under O.C.G.A. 50-18-71. The department will either give you the records, provide a cost estimate, or issue a written denial citing the specific legal basis. The first 15 minutes of search and retrieval time are free. After that, the department can charge a reasonable hourly rate. Copies cost $0.10 per page. Most single police reports come to just a few dollars at most. If the total exceeds $25, the agency must notify you before proceeding so you can decide whether to go ahead with the request.

Written requests work best. You can hand-deliver a letter, send one by mail, or email the department if they accept electronic submissions. Include your full name, contact information, the date of the incident, any case or report numbers, and a description of the records you want. The more specific your request, the faster the turnaround.

McDonough Accident Reports

Accident reports are among the most frequently requested police records in McDonough. When a McDonough officer responds to a traffic crash within city limits, that report stays with the McDonough Police Department. You get it through the same open records process described above. Visit the department, call, or submit a written request with the date and location of the accident.

If the Georgia State Patrol responded instead, the accident report goes through a different system. State Patrol crash reports are available online through the EPORTS portal at a cost of $5 each. The report is emailed to you after payment. This applies mainly to crashes on highways and interstates where a trooper was dispatched rather than a local officer.

Reports available through EPORTS cover crashes handled by the Georgia State Patrol. For accidents within McDonough city limits, contact the McDonough Police Department directly.

Note: If you are not sure which agency responded to a crash, call McDonough PD first. They can check their records and point you to the right place if they were not the responding agency.

Georgia Open Records Act in McDonough

The Georgia Open Records Act is the backbone of public access to police records in McDonough and across the state. Under this law, incident reports, arrest records, accident reports, and other police department files are available for inspection and copying. The law applies equally to the McDonough Police Department, the Henry County Sheriff's Office, and every other government entity in Georgia.

Exemptions exist under O.C.G.A. 50-18-72. Records tied to ongoing investigations are the most common reason for a denial. However, the law makes a clear distinction. Initial police reports and initial arrest reports are always public, even when an investigation is still active. You can get the basic facts of an incident at any time. The investigative materials behind the case are what may be withheld until the investigation concludes or the case is closed. Any denial must cite the specific code section and be provided in writing.

If you believe a denial is improper, you have options. You can contact the Georgia Attorney General's office for guidance, or you can pursue the matter in court. Most routine police records requests in McDonough do not run into problems. The department processes open records requests regularly and the staff knows the law.

Criminal Records and Court Records

A police report from McDonough tells you what happened at the scene. Court records tell you what happened in the legal system afterward. The two are different but related. For criminal history that spans the entire state, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation operates the Georgia Crime Information Center. You can submit a request through the GBI open records page for a statewide criminal history search.

Court records for McDonough cases are filed with the Henry County Clerk of Superior Court. These include charges, arraignment details, plea agreements, trial results, and sentencing. Henry County also has a State Court and a Magistrate Court, each handling certain types of cases. The Clerk's office can help you figure out which court has the records you need. Between the police records from McDonough PD and the court records from Henry County, you can piece together the full timeline of a criminal case.

Henry County Sheriff and Other Agencies

The Henry County Sheriff's Office is responsible for law enforcement in unincorporated Henry County and runs the county jail. If an incident occurred outside McDonough city limits but still in Henry County, the sheriff's office likely handled it. Their records division processes open records requests the same way the city department does.

The Georgia Sheriffs' Association maintains a directory of all sheriff's offices statewide. It can be helpful when trying to track down the right agency for a police records request in the Henry County area or elsewhere in Georgia. You can also reach the DPS Open Records Unit at openrecords@gsp.net or (404) 624-7591 for State Patrol records.

Check BuyCrash to see if the McDonough Police Department or Henry County Sheriff uploads accident reports to this platform.

Henry County Police Records

McDonough is in Henry County. For police records from incidents outside city limits or for county-level law enforcement records, the Henry County Sheriff's Office is the primary contact. Our Henry County page has full details on resources, contact information, and how to request records at the county level.

View Henry County Police Records

Nearby Cities

These nearby cities in the greater Henry County and south metro Atlanta area also have police records available through their local departments or county agencies.