Search Barrow County Police Records

Barrow County police records are managed by the Barrow County Sheriff's Office in Winder, Georgia. The records division handles incident reports, arrest records, accident reports, and other law enforcement documents for the county. All open records requests go through the sheriff's office at 233 East Broad Street. Barrow County has a clear process for getting police records, with a dedicated records manager and an online form that makes submitting requests straightforward for anyone who needs a report.

Barrow County Sheriff's Office Records Division

The Barrow County Sheriff's Office keeps all police records for the county. The records division is at 233 East Broad Street, Winder, GA 30680. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. The phone number is (770) 307-3080, and you press Option 4 to reach the records section. The fax number is (770) 307-3066. You can also email records requests to records@barrowsheriff.com.

Regina Hall is the Records Manager for the Barrow County Sheriff's Office. All open records requests should be submitted by mail to the attention of Regina Hall at the East Broad Street address. Having a named contact person is helpful since it means your request goes straight to the right desk instead of floating around the office. You can also use the Barrow County open records request form on the sheriff's website to submit your request online.

The Barrow County Sheriff's Office website has a section with details on how to request incident reports and other police records from the records division.

The incident reports page on the sheriff's website gives general information about how police records work in Barrow County. It covers what types of reports are available and the basic steps for getting copies.

Barrow County Police Records Fees

Information requested from the Barrow County Sheriff's Office is subject to fees pursuant to O.C.G.A. 50-18-71. The office has a clear fee schedule. Incident report copies cost $0.10 per page. Accident reports cost $5 for parties involved in the crash. Regular page copies are $0.10 each. These fees are standard across most Georgia counties, though the accident report charge is set by the sheriff's office.

Research fees apply when the staff has to search for your records. The good news is that you will not be charged for the first 15 minutes of research. After that, the hourly rate kicks in based on the pay of the employee doing the search. The first quarter hour is free under state law, which means short, simple requests often cost nothing beyond the copy fees. If the total cost goes over $25, the office will let you know before they finish the work.

Barrow County accepts credit and debit cards, but there is a 5% convenience fee for card payments. Cash and checks avoid that extra charge. If you are paying by mail, a check or money order made out to the Barrow County Sheriff's Office is the way to go. Factor in the card fee when you decide how to pay for your police records.

Note: The 5% credit and debit card fee at the Barrow County Sheriff's Office is separate from the records fees set by state law.

How to Request Barrow County Police Records

There are several ways to request police records from Barrow County. The online form is the easiest option. Visit the open records request form on the sheriff's website and fill in the details about the record you need. The form asks for your name, contact information, and a description of the records you want. Be as specific as you can about dates, names, and report types.

The Barrow County Sheriff's Office open records request form is shown below.

Submitting the form online sends your request directly to the records division, where Regina Hall and her team will process it.

Email is another option. Send your request to records@barrowsheriff.com with all the same details you would put on the form. Mail works too. Send your written request to the Barrow County Sheriff's Office, Attention: Regina Hall, Records Manager, 233 East Broad Street, Winder, GA 30680. In person visits during office hours let you speak with someone at the records window and sometimes get copies on the spot for simple requests.

Georgia law requires the agency to respond within three business days. That does not mean the records will be ready in three days. It means they have to acknowledge your request and tell you the status. For records that need more time, the office will let you know when they expect to have everything together and what it will cost.

Accident Reports in Barrow County

Accident reports from Barrow County are available in person at the Administration Building or online through CrashDocs.org. The cost is $5 for parties who were involved in the crash. If a sheriff's deputy responded to the accident, the report is held by the Barrow County Sheriff's Office. City officers in Winder may have their own reports for crashes within city limits.

For crashes handled by the Georgia State Patrol in Barrow County, use the EPORTS system at eports.gamccd.net. State patrol reports cost $5 and are processed within a few business days. You get an email when the report is ready to download. If you do not know which agency responded to a crash in Barrow County, call the sheriff's office and they can help you figure out where to look.

Under O.C.G.A. 50-18-72, accident reports may require a written statement of need from people who were not involved in the crash. Parties to the accident do not need this extra step. Keep that distinction in mind when requesting a Barrow County crash report.

Barrow County Background Checks

Background checks in Barrow County are handled at the courthouse, not the sheriff's office. Go to 652 Barrow Park Drive, Winder, GA 30680. The cost is $15. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. This gives you a county-level criminal history check. For a statewide criminal history, contact the Georgia Bureau of Investigation through their open records process.

A background check is different from a police report. Police records cover specific incidents. A background check pulls a person's full criminal record from the court system. The Barrow County Clerk of Superior Court maintains court records with case outcomes, charges, and sentencing information. These are separate from what the sheriff's office holds in its records division.

Open Records Law and Barrow County

The Georgia Open Records Act under O.C.G.A. 50-18-70 gives the public the right to inspect and copy police records from Barrow County agencies. Public records include documents, papers, photos, and computer data maintained by any agency. This covers the sheriff's office and any municipal police departments operating in the county. You can make a request orally or in writing, though writing is better for your own protection.

The Barrow County Sheriff's Office homepage gives an overview of the department and its services.

Initial incident reports and initial arrest reports are always public in Georgia. Even when a case is still open, these records must be made available. Once all litigation tied to a case ends, the full investigation file opens up. Some records are exempt, including those that would endanger someone or reveal a confidential source. But the default in Georgia is access, not secrecy, and Barrow County follows the same rules as every other county in the state.

Note: If the Barrow County Sheriff's Office denies your open records request, you have the right to challenge the denial in court under Georgia law.

Nearby Counties

If you need police records from areas around Barrow County, check these neighboring counties.