Cherokee County Police Records Search

Police records in Cherokee County are maintained by the sheriff's office in Canton and by several municipal police departments across this fast-growing north Georgia county. Cherokee County has seen steady population growth over the past two decades, and that growth means more law enforcement activity and more records on file. The sheriff's office handles records for unincorporated areas and coordinates with city departments in Canton, Woodstock, and other towns. Whether you need an incident report, arrest record, or crash report, this page covers how to find and request the records you need from Cherokee County agencies.

Cherokee County Sheriff's Office Records

Sheriff Frank Reynolds leads the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office. The main office is at 498 Chattin Drive in Canton, GA 30115. You can reach the office by phone at (678) 493-4200. The sheriff's office is the main law enforcement agency for all unincorporated parts of Cherokee County. That covers a large area given how spread out the county is. Deputies patrol rural roads, neighborhoods outside city limits, and the commercial areas that have grown along the I-575 corridor.

Cherokee County is one of the larger suburban counties in the Atlanta metro area. The population has grown well past 250,000. That means the sheriff's office handles a high volume of calls and generates a lot of records each year. Incident reports, arrest records, crash reports, and booking data are all on file. The office has a records division that processes public requests. You can visit in person, call, or submit a written request by mail or email. The records division staff can help you figure out which report you need and how to get it.

Because of the size of the county, response times on records requests can vary. Simple requests for a single report are usually fast. Requests that cover a broad date range or involve multiple files may take a bit longer. Call ahead to check on turnaround times if you are in a rush.

How to Request Cherokee County Records

Georgia's Open Records Act gives you the right to inspect and copy records held by government agencies. That law is found at O.C.G.A. 50-18-70. It applies to the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office and every other law enforcement agency in the county. You do not have to give a reason for your request. Just describe the records you want with enough detail for staff to locate them. A date, a name, a location, or a case number all help.

The sheriff's office must respond within three business days under O.C.G.A. 50-18-71. The response might be the records, a cost estimate, or a timeline for when the records will be ready. For straightforward requests like a single incident report, you might get it within a day or two. For more involved requests, the office will let you know how long it will take and what the cost will be before they start the work.

You can request records in person at the Chattin Drive office in Canton. Written requests by mail or email are also accepted. Written requests are a good idea because they document what you asked for and when. If there is a dispute later, that paper trail matters. Walk-ins are fine for simple pickups. Bring a form of ID and be ready to pay any fees at the time you collect your copies.

Cherokee County Records Fees

Fees are set by state law. Copies cost $0.10 per page. The first 15 minutes of search time are free. After that, the office can charge based on the hourly rate of the lowest-paid employee who can do the work. If total fees will go over $25, the office must notify you before proceeding. You can agree to the cost, narrow your request, or cancel.

You can inspect records in person without paying for copies. This is useful if you are not sure exactly what you need. Go to the office, look at the records, and then request copies of just the pages that matter. That keeps your bill down and saves everyone time. There is no charge for the inspection itself under Georgia law.

Note: Cherokee County processes a high volume of requests, so plan for slightly longer wait times during busy periods.

Police Report Types in Cherokee County

Several types of police records are available from Cherokee County agencies. Incident reports cover crimes and disturbances. They include details like the date, time, location, and a summary of what happened. Arrest records show who was taken into custody, what they were charged with, and when the booking happened. Accident reports document vehicle crashes that occur within the county. Each has its own level of detail and its own rules about what the public can see.

Initial incident reports and initial arrest reports are public under O.C.G.A. 50-18-72. That is true even when a case is still being investigated. However, detailed investigation notes and files tied to an open case can be withheld until the investigation wraps up. The sheriff's office or city police department will let you know if any portion of your requested record is exempt. Social Security numbers, medical details, and certain personal information are always redacted from copies before they are released.

For juvenile cases, records are sealed under Georgia law. They are not available through a standard open records request. If you need information about a case involving a minor, you would need to go through the juvenile court system, which has its own rules and procedures.

State Records Resources

State-level tools can help you find certain police records from Cherokee County. The EPORTS system run by the Georgia Department of Public Safety stores crash reports filed by Georgia State Patrol troopers. If a trooper handled an accident on I-575, Highway 5, or any state route in the county, the report is in EPORTS. You can search and purchase reports online for a small fee.

The EPORTS portal lets you search for state trooper crash reports from anywhere in Georgia, including Cherokee County.

This is the fastest way to get a crash report if the Georgia State Patrol was the responding agency for your accident in Cherokee County.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation may hold records for major cases in Cherokee County where the GBI was called in to assist. Their records are available through a separate request process. The BuyCrash system is another tool for purchasing crash reports from multiple agencies. The Georgia Sheriffs' Association directory lists current contact info for the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office and all other sheriff's offices across the state.

Cities in Cherokee County

Cherokee County includes several cities with their own police departments. If an incident happened within city limits, the city police department likely holds the report. Check with the right agency before making your request.

• Canton is the county seat and has its own police department for calls within city limits.
• Woodstock has a police department that handles reports for incidents inside the city.

For incidents outside these city limits but still within Cherokee County, the sheriff's office is the agency to contact. Areas like Holly Springs, Ball Ground, and Waleska are smaller towns that may or may not have their own police force. When in doubt, call the sheriff's office at (678) 493-4200 and ask which agency responded to the call in question.

Nearby County Police Records

Cherokee County borders several other counties in north Georgia. Incidents near county lines can sometimes end up in a neighboring agency's files. Check with the correct county to find the report you need.