Dade County Police Records

Police records in Dade County are kept by the Dade County Sheriff's Office, located in Trenton. Sheriff Ray Cross leads the department, which serves as the primary law enforcement agency for the entire county. The sheriff's office handles incident reports, arrest records, accident reports, and jail booking data. Dade County sits in the northwest corner of Georgia, bordered by Tennessee to the north and Alabama to the west. It is one of the smallest counties in the state by population, and the sheriff's office is the main point of contact for anyone looking to request police records from the area.

Dade County Sheriff's Office

The Dade County Sheriff's Office is at 75 Case Avenue in Trenton. Sheriff Ray Cross oversees all operations. The main phone number is (706) 657-3233. The office is open Monday through Friday during standard business hours. If you need to make a records request, you can walk in during those hours or call ahead to ask about the process. Staff at the front desk handle incoming requests and can tell you what you need to provide in order for them to start searching for your records.

You can send a written request by mail to 75 Case Avenue, Trenton, GA 30752. Written requests are always a good idea because they create a paper trail. If there is ever a question about what you asked for or when, you have proof. Include the type of record you want, any names or dates tied to the incident, and a case number if you have one. Staff will respond with the available records or a timeline for when they will be ready. The more specific your request, the quicker the process goes.

Note: Dade County shares borders with two other states, so incidents near the state line may involve agencies in Tennessee or Alabama rather than the Dade County Sheriff's Office.

Getting Police Records in Dade County

Georgia's Open Records Act gives the public the right to request police records from any government agency in the state. O.C.G.A. 50-18-70 is the statute that sets this up. The Dade County Sheriff's Office falls under these rules. You do not need to be a Dade County resident to make a request. You do not need to state a reason for wanting the records. Just tell the office what you need. Give them a name, a date, or a case number. That is all it takes to get the process started.

After the office receives your request, they have three business days to respond. O.C.G.A. 50-18-71 sets that deadline. The response might be the records if the request is simple. Or it might be a letter letting you know when the records will be ready. Requests for a single report can sometimes be filled on the same day. Larger requests that cover several incidents or a range of dates will take longer. The office is required to keep you informed about the status of your request throughout the process.

Copies cost $0.10 per page. That is the standard rate across Georgia. The first 15 minutes of staff time spent searching for your records are free. After that, the office can charge an hourly rate based on the pay of the employee doing the work. If total fees will go past $25, the office must give you a heads-up before they proceed. This lets you decide whether to continue with the full request or trim it down. You can always narrow what you need to bring the cost down.

Dade County Police Report Types

Several kinds of police records are on file at the Dade County Sheriff's Office. Incident reports cover crimes, calls for service, and disturbances. Arrest records document who was taken into custody, what charges were filed, and the booking details. Accident reports handle vehicle crashes investigated by county deputies. Jail booking logs keep track of everyone processed through the county's detention facility. The type of record you need will depend on the nature of the incident you are asking about.

Not all records can be released in full. O.C.G.A. 50-18-72 lists the exemptions that allow agencies to withhold certain documents. Active investigation files can be kept back until the case is closed. That said, initial arrest reports and initial incident reports are always public. Even during an ongoing investigation, the basic facts of an arrest or a reported incident are available to anyone. Before the office releases records to you, they will redact sensitive personal information. Social Security numbers, medical data, and certain victim details are blacked out in every case.

Accident reports in Dade County follow the same extra rules as the rest of the state. If you were involved in the crash, you can get your report with no additional requirements. Third parties must provide a written Statement of Need that explains why the report is needed. Insurance claims, legal matters, and property damage situations are common valid reasons. The office will review the statement and let you know if the report can be released to you.

State Resources for Dade County

Some police records connected to Dade County may be available through state agencies. The EPORTS system stores crash reports from the Georgia State Patrol. If a trooper responded to an accident in Dade County, the report goes into EPORTS instead of the sheriff's files. Reports through EPORTS cost $5 and can be purchased online at any time.

The Georgia Sheriffs' Association has a directory of all county sheriff's offices in Georgia, including Dade County.

The directory provides addresses, phone numbers, and sheriff names for every county. It is free to browse and useful when you need to reach more than one agency for records that cross county lines.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation holds records from cases where the GBI provided assistance. If the GBI worked with the Dade County Sheriff's Office on an investigation, those records are maintained by the GBI. Their open records process is separate from the county's. The GBI also manages the Georgia Crime Information Center, a statewide criminal history database. For crash reports across multiple agencies, BuyCrash from LexisNexis lets you search and purchase reports online from various Georgia departments.

Note: Dade County's location in the far northwest corner of Georgia means some incidents near the state line may involve Tennessee or Alabama agencies rather than local deputies.

Nearby County Police Records

Dade County borders just three other Georgia counties. Its unique geography in the northwest corner of the state means it also shares lines with Tennessee and Alabama. For incidents near the Georgia county borders, the report may be held by a neighboring sheriff's office.