Find DeKalb County Police Records

Police records in DeKalb County come from multiple agencies, making this one of the more complex counties in Georgia for records requests. The DeKalb County Sheriff's Office, led by Sheriff Melody Maddox, handles court services and the county jail. The DeKalb County Police Department provides patrol and investigative services for unincorporated areas and several cities. DeKalb County is part of the Atlanta metro area and includes cities like Stonecrest, Brookhaven, Dunwoody, Tucker, Chamblee, and Redan. Knowing which agency responded to the incident is the first step to finding the right police record.

DeKalb County Law Enforcement Agencies

DeKalb County is different from most Georgia counties because it has both a sheriff's office and a county police department. The DeKalb County Sheriff's Office is at 4415 Memorial Drive in Decatur. Sheriff Melody Maddox runs the office. The main number is (404) 298-8111. The sheriff's office handles the county jail, court security, and warrant services. If you need jail booking records or warrant info, this is the office to contact.

The DeKalb County Police Department handles patrol, investigations, and most of the day-to-day law enforcement in the unincorporated parts of the county. The police department also serves cities like Stonecrest and Redan that contract with the county for police services rather than running their own departments. If you need an incident report, an arrest record from a traffic stop, or an accident report from an area outside city police jurisdiction, the DeKalb County Police Department is the agency to contact. Some cities in the county, like Brookhaven and Dunwoody, have their own police departments, so records for incidents there go through those city agencies instead.

Note: Stonecrest and Redan are served by the DeKalb County Police Department, not their own city police forces.

How to Get DeKalb County Police Records

Getting police records in DeKalb County starts with figuring out which agency has the file. If a county deputy or DeKalb County police officer responded, the record is with the county police department. If the incident happened in Brookhaven, Dunwoody, Chamblee, or another city with its own police force, the record is with that city's department. Jail and booking records are held by the sheriff's office. Once you know which agency to contact, the process follows the same rules set by Georgia law.

O.C.G.A. 50-18-70 gives the public the right to inspect and copy records from any government agency in the state. Both the sheriff's office and the police department must follow this law. You do not need to be a county resident. You do not need to give a reason. Submit your request in writing with the details of the record you need. A name, a date, a case number, or an incident location will help staff find the right file. The agency must respond within three business days under O.C.G.A. 50-18-71.

Fees are standard across the county. Copies cost $0.10 per page. The first 15 minutes of search time are free. After that, the agency charges based on the hourly rate of the employee doing the work. If the total will exceed $25, you will get an estimate before the work starts. Written requests work best because they document exactly what you asked for and when.

DeKalb County Police Report Types

DeKalb County agencies keep a wide range of police records. Incident reports are the most common. They document crimes, calls for service, disturbances, and other events that officers respond to. Arrest records show who was taken into custody, the charges, and the date. Accident reports cover vehicle crashes investigated by county officers or deputies. Jail booking records at the DeKalb County Jail track everyone processed through the facility. With DeKalb being one of the most populated counties in Georgia, the volume of records is significant.

Under O.C.G.A. 50-18-72, some records are exempt from public release. Active investigation files can be withheld while a case is open. But initial arrest reports and initial incident reports are always public. The law is clear on that point. Even during an ongoing investigation, those basic reports must be released on request. All copies go through a redaction process before release. Social Security numbers, medical info, and certain victim details are blacked out. The agency handles this before you get your copies.

Because DeKalb County has multiple agencies, a single event could generate records at more than one office. A traffic accident in unincorporated DeKalb might produce a county police report and a separate fire department record. An arrest might involve the county police department and the sheriff's office for booking. If your situation involves multiple agencies, you may need to file separate requests with each one.

State Resources for DeKalb County

State agencies also hold records tied to DeKalb County. The EPORTS system from the Georgia Department of Public Safety stores crash reports filed by the Georgia State Patrol. Even in a densely populated county like DeKalb, the State Patrol sometimes handles accidents on state highways. Reports from EPORTS cost $5 each and are available online at any time.

The Georgia Sheriffs' Association lists the DeKalb County Sheriff's Office in their statewide directory.

The directory provides contact info for all 159 Georgia sheriff's offices. It is free to access and is useful when you need to verify addresses or phone numbers for any county agency.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation may have records from DeKalb County cases where the GBI was called in to assist. The GBI processes its own open records requests separately. They also run the Georgia Crime Information Center, a statewide criminal history database. For accident reports from various agencies, BuyCrash from LexisNexis provides an online tool for searching and purchasing crash reports from departments across Georgia.

Cities in DeKalb County

DeKalb County includes several incorporated cities, each with different law enforcement arrangements. Some cities have their own police departments and keep their own records. Others rely on the DeKalb County Police Department. Knowing which agency serves the area where the incident occurred is key to finding the right records.

Note: Stonecrest and Redan use the DeKalb County Police Department for law enforcement, so records for incidents in those areas are held by the county police.

Nearby County Police Records

DeKalb County is in the heart of the Atlanta metro area and borders several other large counties. Incidents near county lines could be handled by a neighboring agency. Check the exact location of the incident before submitting your request.