Fayette County Police Records

Fayette County police records are managed by the Fayette County Sheriff's Office in Fayetteville, Georgia. Sheriff Barry Babb leads the office, which serves as the main law enforcement agency for the county. The sheriff's office handles incident reports, arrest records, and other police files for areas outside city limits. Fayette County also has police departments in Peachtree City, Fayetteville, and Tyrone that keep their own records. If you need a police record from this county, the agency that took the report is the one you need to contact for a copy.

Fayette County Sheriff's Office Records

The Fayette County Sheriff's Office is the primary source for police records in the unincorporated areas of the county. Sheriff Barry Babb runs the office from 155 Johnson Avenue, Fayetteville, GA 30214. You can call them at (770) 461-6353. The office keeps incident reports, arrest records, warrants, and booking information. Staff can help you figure out what records they have and how to get copies. Walk-in requests are accepted during normal business hours.

To get a police record from the sheriff's office, you should have some basic details about the incident. The date it happened is the most helpful piece of info. Names of people involved and the type of record you want also help. A case number makes things go faster if you have one. You can request records in person, by phone, or in writing. Written requests give both sides a clear paper trail, which can help if there are any questions later about what was asked for or when. The sheriff's office follows the same open records rules as every other agency in the state, so your request will be handled under Georgia law.

The Fayette County Sheriff's Office website at fayettecountysheriff.org has more details on how to reach the office and what services they provide. You can find contact information for specific divisions and learn about the departments that handle records requests.

Georgia Open Records in Fayette County

Georgia's Open Records Act gives you the right to ask for police records from Fayette County agencies. Under O.C.G.A. 50-18-70, public records must be available for inspection and copying. Police records fall under this law. Incident reports, arrest records, and booking logs are all public in most cases. The law covers every government agency in Fayette County, from the sheriff's office to city police departments and county offices.

Agencies in Fayette County must respond to your request within three business days. That is the rule under O.C.G.A. 50-18-71. They can provide the records, let you know the cost, or tell you the records do not exist. If they plan to deny your request, they have to put the reason in writing and cite the specific law that allows the denial. The first 15 minutes of staff time to search for records is free. After that, the charge is based on the hourly rate of the lowest-paid worker who can do the job. Copies are $0.10 per page. If the total will be over $25, the agency has to notify you before doing the work.

Some police records in Fayette County have limits on access. O.C.G.A. 50-18-72 spells out the exceptions. Active investigation files can be withheld to protect the case. But initial police reports and arrest records are always public, even when a case is still open. Records that might put someone at risk or reveal a confidential informant may also be held back. Once a case closes and all court action wraps up, the full file becomes available to the public.

Note: If an agency denies your request, they must cite the specific code section that allows the denial within three business days.

Police Departments in Fayette County

The sheriff's office is not the only agency that holds police records in Fayette County. Several city police departments operate here too. Each one keeps its own records. You need to contact the right agency to get the report you want. The agency that responded to the call is the one that has the file.

Peachtree City Police Department is one of the larger departments in Fayette County. They handle police records for incidents within the Peachtree City limits. Fayetteville Police Department covers the city of Fayetteville and keeps its own reports. Tyrone Police Department serves the town of Tyrone. Each of these agencies follows the same Georgia Open Records Act rules. Fees and response times are similar across all of them, but the specific process for submitting a request may vary a bit from one department to the next. Call ahead to ask about their preferred method for records requests.

If you are not sure which agency handled a particular incident in Fayette County, start with the sheriff's office. They can usually point you in the right direction. The Fayette County 911 center may also have dispatch records showing which agency was sent to a given call, which can help you narrow things down.

Fayette County Accident Reports

Accident reports are one of the most common police records people request in Fayette County. If a sheriff's deputy or a city officer responded to the crash, that agency has the report. You can ask for it directly from the agency. The cost for parties involved in the crash is usually around $5.

You can also check the EPORTS system for crash reports filed by the Georgia State Patrol in Fayette County. The state patrol handles accidents on highways and interstates. Reports from EPORTS cost $5 and are usually ready within a few business days. You get an email when the report is available to download.

The EPORTS portal is run by the Georgia Department of Public Safety and allows you to request state patrol accident reports from across the state, including those filed in Fayette County.

After you submit a request through EPORTS, you will get a confirmation with a tracking number. Most reports are processed within three business days, though it can take longer if the report is still being finalized by the trooper who worked the scene.

For local crash reports in Fayette County, BuyCrash is another option. Some agencies upload their accident reports to this system for faster access. Check there first if you need a report quickly.

Criminal Records in Fayette County

Criminal history checks are different from individual police reports. A police report covers one event. A criminal history gives you a broader look at arrests and convictions. The Fayette County Sheriff's Office can tell you about local records they hold, but for a statewide search, you need the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. The GBI runs the Georgia Crime Information Center, which stores criminal history data from agencies across the state.

The Fayette County Clerk of Superior Court also keeps criminal case records. These show charges, pleas, verdicts, and sentences for cases that went through the Fayette County court system. Court records are separate from what the sheriff's office holds. If you want to know how a case ended up, the clerk's office at the Fayette County Courthouse in Fayetteville can help you out.

The Georgia Sheriffs' Association provides a directory of sheriff's offices statewide if you need to check records in other counties as well.

Note: Criminal history records from the GBI may take longer to process than local police reports and typically require a fingerprint-based submission for official results.

How to Request Records

There are a few ways to get police records from Fayette County. In person is the most direct route. Visit the sheriff's office at 155 Johnson Avenue in Fayetteville during business hours. Bring your ID and be ready to fill out a request form. For straightforward requests like a copy of an incident report, you may get it the same day. Bigger requests that involve a lot of records will take more time.

Mail is another option. Send your request to the Fayette County Sheriff's Office at the Fayetteville address. Include the details of the record you need, your full name, a phone number, and your return address. Mail requests take longer since you have to account for delivery time both ways. Phone requests also work. Call (770) 461-6353 during business hours and the staff can walk you through the process. Georgia law allows oral requests for records, but writing things down helps avoid confusion.

Whichever method you choose, the same rules apply. The agency has three business days to respond. Fees are the same across the board. Keep a copy of your request for your own records so you have proof of when you made it and what you asked for. If you run into trouble getting a response, the Georgia Attorney General's office can help with open records complaints.

Nearby Counties

If you need police records from areas near Fayette County, these neighboring counties may have what you are looking for.