Search Bulloch County Police Records

Bulloch County police records are managed by the Bulloch County Sheriff's Office in Statesboro. The sheriff's office keeps incident reports, arrest records, crash reports, and booking data for the whole county. Public access to these records falls under Georgia's Open Records Act, which means most police records are available on request. Bulloch County is home to Georgia Southern University and has a mix of city and rural law enforcement needs. The sheriff's office serves as the main records hub for unincorporated areas and handles requests from the public on a daily basis.

Bulloch County Sheriff's Office Records

The Bulloch County Sheriff's Office is the primary law enforcement agency for the county. Sheriff Noel Brown leads the department, which handles patrol, investigations, and the county jail. The office is on US Highway 301 North in Statesboro. You can reach them by phone at (912) 764-8888. Walk-in requests for police records are taken during regular business hours. Staff at the front desk can help you fill out the right forms and give you a cost estimate before they pull any files.

The Statesboro Police Department also keeps its own police records for incidents inside the city limits. If you are not sure which agency handled your case, call both offices. The sheriff covers the rest of the county outside Statesboro. Knowing which agency responded will save time on your request. In Bulloch County, the sheriff's office and the city police work closely but maintain separate records systems.

Bulloch County has a steady flow of records requests due to the large student population and the growth in and around Statesboro. The sheriff's office processes these requests on a first-come basis. Most standard requests are turned around within a few business days.

How to Request Bulloch County Police Records

Start by deciding what type of record you need. Incident reports, arrest records, and crash reports each require slightly different details when you make the request. A case number speeds things up. If you don't have one, a date and a name will usually work. Georgia law under O.C.G.A. 50-18-70 gives the public the right to inspect and copy records held by any state or local agency. That includes the Bulloch County Sheriff's Office.

You can submit a request in person, by phone, or by mail. Written requests are best. They create a paper trail that protects both sides. When you send a written request, include your name, contact info, and a clear description of what you want. Be as specific as you can. Broad requests take longer and may cost more because staff has to search through more files. If you narrow it down to a date range or a single incident, you get results faster.

The office must respond within three business days under O.C.G.A. 50-18-71. That response might be the records themselves, or it might be a timeline for when they will be ready. Complex requests can take longer. If the total cost will exceed $25, the sheriff's office has to tell you before they start the work. You then decide whether to go ahead or trim the request to lower the bill.

Note: Written requests give you proof of when you asked and what you asked for, which matters if there is a dispute later.

Police Report Types in Bulloch County

The Bulloch County Sheriff's Office generates and stores several types of police records. Incident reports cover calls for service like thefts, assaults, vandalism, and domestic disputes. Each report has a case number, the date and time, the location, the names of people involved, and a narrative from the responding deputy. These reports form the backbone of the county's police records.

Arrest records show who was taken into custody. They include the charges, the arresting officer, the booking date, and bond information. Arrest records in Bulloch County are public from the start. Under O.C.G.A. 50-18-72, initial arrest reports and initial incident reports are open to the public even when a case is still under investigation. The sheriff's office may hold back portions of an investigation file, but the initial report is always available.

Crash reports are a separate category. If a deputy from the Bulloch County Sheriff's Office responded to a vehicle accident, that report is on file at the sheriff's office. If a Georgia State Patrol trooper responded instead, the report goes into the state EPORTS system. You can check both sources to make sure you find the right one.

State and Online Resources for Bulloch County

The Georgia DPS EPORTS system at eports.gamccd.net handles crash reports filed by the State Patrol in Bulloch County.

If the State Patrol investigated a crash in Bulloch County, you can pull the report through this portal for a $5 fee. The system lets you search by date, location, or name.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation may hold records for major cases in Bulloch County if the GBI was asked to assist. Their open records process is separate from the sheriff's office. The Georgia Sheriffs' Association website has a directory of all county sheriff offices, including Bulloch County, with up-to-date contact info.

For vehicle accident reports specifically, the BuyCrash portal run by LexisNexis also provides access to some Georgia crash reports. Not all agencies participate, but it is worth checking if you cannot find your report through other channels.

Note: Crash reports from state troopers go through EPORTS, not the Bulloch County Sheriff's Office.

Bulloch County Records Fees and Costs

Georgia law sets the fee structure for police records. Copies cost $0.10 per page. That applies to all paper records. The first 15 minutes of staff search time are free. After that, the agency can charge based on the hourly pay of the lowest-paid worker who is able to do the search. This keeps costs fair across the state.

If you ask for a large batch of records, the cost adds up. The Bulloch County Sheriff's Office will give you an estimate when the total is expected to pass $25. You have the right to agree or revise your request. Some people narrow their request to just a few pages from a file to keep costs down. You can also ask to inspect records in person at no charge, rather than getting copies made. Inspection is free under Georgia law. You just have to visit the office during business hours and look at the file there.

Nearby County Police Records

Bulloch County shares borders with several counties in the Statesboro area. If an incident happened near a county line, check with the neighboring sheriff's office. The responding agency depends on which side of the line the call came from.