Find Clay County Police Records

Police records in Clay County are maintained by the sheriff's office in Fort Gaines. Clay County is one of the smallest counties in Georgia by population, sitting in the southwest part of the state along the Chattahoochee River. The sheriff's office is the only county-level law enforcement agency here, and it handles all incident reports, arrest records, and accident documentation for the area. The public can request copies of these records through the Georgia Open Records Act. Because the county is small, the process tends to be direct and personal, with staff at the Fort Gaines office able to help you find what you need.

Clay County Sheriff's Office

Sheriff Locke Shivers runs the Clay County Sheriff's Office. The office is located at 124 Thomas Street, Suite 1, Fort Gaines, GA 39851. You can call them at (229) 768-2505 during business hours. The sheriff's office handles patrol, investigations, the county jail, and records management for the entire county. With a small population, the office is compact, and the staff knows the area well.

Fort Gaines is the county seat and the main town in Clay County. There is no large municipal police department here. The sheriff's office covers everything. That makes records requests simple since you only have one agency to deal with. Whether the incident happened on a county road, in town, or out in a rural area, the sheriff's office is the place to go. Walk-in visits work well for this office since it is small and staff can often pull reports right away.

The small size of the county means fewer records overall. That can be a plus when you are trying to find a specific report. Staff are often familiar with recent incidents and can locate files quickly. A phone call before you visit can save a trip if the record you want needs extra time to prepare.

How to Get Police Records in Clay County

The Georgia Open Records Act at O.C.G.A. 50-18-70 gives the public the right to inspect and copy records from government agencies. That law covers the Clay County Sheriff's Office. You do not need to state a reason for your request. Just describe the records you want with enough detail for staff to find them. A date, a name, or a case number will speed up the search.

You can submit your request in person at the Thomas Street office in Fort Gaines. You can also call or send a written request by mail. Written requests create a record of when you asked and what you asked for. That is useful if there is ever a question about the response time. The sheriff's office must respond within three business days under O.C.G.A. 50-18-71. That response could be the records, a cost estimate, or a timeline for when they will be ready. In a small office like this, turnaround is often faster than the three-day requirement.

Fees follow state rules. Copies are $0.10 per page. The first 15 minutes of search time are free. If costs will go past $25, the office must let you know first. You can narrow your request to keep the bill low. Ask for just the pages you need rather than an entire file if you want to save money.

Note: Calling ahead is a good idea in Clay County since office hours can sometimes shift in small rural agencies.

Types of Clay County Police Reports

The sheriff's office keeps several kinds of records on file. Incident reports cover crimes, disturbances, and other calls for service within the county. These reports include the date, time, location, and a summary of what took place. Arrest records show who was booked into custody, the charges, and the date of arrest. Accident reports document vehicle crashes on county roads and state routes that pass through Clay County.

Georgia law under O.C.G.A. 50-18-72 sets out which records are public and which have restrictions. Initial incident reports and initial arrest reports are always open to the public. That holds true even when a case is still active. Detailed investigation files tied to an open case can be held back until the case closes. Personal details like Social Security numbers and medical records are redacted from all copies. Juvenile records are sealed and not available through a standard open records request.

Crash reports have their own rules. If you were in the accident, getting your report is easy. If you were not involved, you may need to explain why you want the report. Georgia law treats accident reports with extra privacy because of the personal and insurance details they contain. The sheriff's office staff can walk you through the steps if you need a crash report as a third party.

State Resources for Clay County Records

Some police records from Clay County can be found through state systems. The Georgia State Patrol files crash reports through the EPORTS online portal. If a state trooper handled a wreck on a highway in Clay County, the report goes into EPORTS rather than the sheriff's files. You can search and purchase reports through the system. It costs a small fee per report.

The EPORTS system is the main state tool for locating crash reports filed by Georgia State Patrol troopers.

Even in a rural county like Clay, state troopers respond to crashes on major routes, so always check EPORTS if a trooper was on the scene.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation may hold records for major cases in Clay County where the GBI was asked to help. Their open records process is on the GBI website. The BuyCrash system lets you search for accident reports from many Georgia agencies in one place. You can also use the Georgia Sheriffs' Association website to confirm contact details for the Clay County Sheriff's Office.

If Your Request Gets Denied

Most records requests in Clay County are processed without problems. But if the sheriff's office denies your request, you have the right to push back. Ask for the denial in writing with the specific statute cited as the reason for the refusal. Georgia law requires agencies to explain why records are being withheld.

If you believe the denial is not valid, you can take the matter to superior court. A judge can review the records and order their release if the agency does not have a proper legal basis for the denial. If the court sides with you, the agency may be required to pay your attorney fees. Most issues, though, are cleared up with a follow-up phone call or a more specific request. In a small county like Clay, a conversation with the sheriff's office staff usually resolves things quickly.

Nearby County Police Records

Clay County borders several other counties in southwest Georgia. If an incident happened near a county line, the report may be on file with a neighboring agency. Check with the correct office to find what you need.