Find Police Records in Union City

Union City police records are filed and maintained by the Union City Police Department, which handles law enforcement for this Fulton County city in south metro Atlanta. With a population over 28,000, Union City generates a regular volume of incident reports, arrest records, and accident reports through its police department. Georgia's open records laws make these police records available to the public. The request process runs through the department's records division, and most reports can be obtained within a few business days of filing a proper request.

Union City Police Department

The Union City Police Department is the primary law enforcement agency within city limits. Officers patrol Union City, respond to calls, conduct investigations, and generate police reports for all incidents they handle. The department's records section manages open records requests for incident reports, arrest records, accident reports, and other police files. If a Union City officer was the responding officer, the report is kept at this department.

The department is located on Union Street. Walk-in requests during business hours are accepted and handled regularly. Bring a case number if you have one. If not, the date of the incident and the names of people involved will help staff locate the right police report. A phone call before your visit can confirm hours and help you figure out exactly what you need to bring. The records staff processes these kinds of requests as part of their daily work.

How to Request Union City Police Records

Requesting police records from Union City follows the Georgia Open Records Act 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 Georgia, including the Union City Police Department. You do not need to be a Union City resident. You do not need to state a reason. Just file a request with enough detail to identify the records you want.

O.C.G.A. 50-18-71 sets the timeline. The department has three business days to respond. That response will be the records themselves, a cost estimate, or a written denial with the legal basis stated. The first 15 minutes of staff time for searching and retrieving records are free. Copies cost $0.10 per page after that. If estimated costs exceed $25, the department must let you know before proceeding. Most individual police reports are short and cost very little.

Written requests are the best approach. Put your request on paper or in an email and include:

• Your full name and contact info
• Date of the incident
• Location of the incident
• Case or report number if available
• Description of the records you need

You can hand-deliver your request, mail it to 5060 Union St, Union City, GA 30291, or email it if the department accepts electronic submissions. In-person requests often get the fastest results for simple police reports. Mail requests work but add postal transit time to the turnaround.

Note: If you are not sure whether Union City PD or the Fulton County Sheriff's Office handled an incident, call Union City PD first. They can check their system and redirect you if needed.

Union City Accident Reports

Accident reports are commonly requested police records in Union City. When a Union City officer responds to a traffic crash inside city limits, that report is filed with and kept by the Union City Police Department. You request a copy through the standard open records process. Provide the crash date, location, and driver names to help staff find the report.

State Patrol crash reports are a different matter. If a Georgia State Patrol trooper responded to the accident, the report goes into the state system rather than the Union City PD system. You can buy State Patrol accident reports online through the EPORTS portal for $5 each. The report is emailed after payment. This covers crashes on interstates and state highways where a trooper was dispatched. Contact the DPS Open Records Unit at openrecords@gsp.net or (404) 624-7591 if you need help finding a specific report.

Check BuyCrash to see if the Union City Police Department or Fulton County Sheriff uploads crash reports to this platform for online purchase.

Open Records Exemptions in Union City

The Georgia Open Records Act makes most police records in Union City public. But exemptions exist under O.C.G.A. 50-18-72. The most common exemption affecting police records requests is for records tied to active or pending investigations. If releasing a report would compromise an ongoing case, the Union City Police Department can hold it back temporarily.

The law draws an important line. Initial incident reports and initial arrest reports are always public, even during an active investigation. The basic facts of what occurred, who was involved, and what charges were filed are available right away. The deeper investigative materials, including witness statements, surveillance footage, and forensic reports gathered as part of the investigation, are what may be withheld. Once the investigation closes, those records generally become available. Any denial has to be in writing and must cite the specific Georgia code section that applies.

If you disagree with a denial, the Georgia Attorney General's office can review it. You also have the option of taking legal action to compel the release of records you believe should be public.

Criminal Records Beyond Union City

For criminal history that goes beyond a single Union City police report, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation is the statewide resource. The GBI runs the Georgia Crime Information Center, which holds criminal records from every law enforcement agency in Georgia. A search through the GBI returns arrest records, charges, and dispositions from across the state.

Court records for Union City cases are filed through the Fulton County court system. The Clerk of Superior Court handles felony cases. State Court and Magistrate Court manage other matters. Police records from Union City PD show the initial incident. Court records show what happened in the legal system after that. Together they give you the complete picture from the initial police report through final disposition or sentencing.

Note: Fulton County is one of the largest counties in Georgia, and the court system handles a high volume of cases. Court records requests may take longer than in smaller counties, so plan accordingly.

Fulton County Police Records

Union City is in Fulton County. For police records from incidents outside city limits or handled by county agencies, the Fulton County Sheriff's Office is the main contact. The Georgia Sheriffs' Association directory lists every sheriff's office in the state. Our Fulton County page covers all county-level police records resources in detail.

View Fulton County Police Records

Nearby Cities

These nearby south metro Atlanta cities also have police records available through their local departments or county agencies.