Search Johnson County Police Records

Johnson County police records are maintained by the Johnson County Sheriff's Office in Wrightsville, Georgia. Sheriff Greg Rowland heads the department, which handles incident reports, arrest records, crash reports, and booking data for the county. Johnson County is a small rural county in central Georgia. The sheriff's office serves as the primary law enforcement agency and the main point of contact for anyone who needs police records. Wrightsville is the county seat and where the sheriff's main office is located on East Elm Street.

Johnson County Sheriff's Office Information

Sheriff Greg Rowland runs the Johnson County Sheriff's Office from 2557 East Elm Street, Wrightsville, GA 31096. The phone number is (478) 864-3934. The office is open Monday through Friday. The department handles patrol, investigations, the county jail, and all records management for Johnson County. Staff process open records requests and can search their system to locate the report you need.

When you contact the Johnson County Sheriff's Office for a police record, bring as much detail as you can. A case number speeds things up. Without one, provide the date of the incident, the names of those involved, and what type of report you are after. Written requests create a paper trail that protects both sides. You can submit requests in person at the East Elm Street office, by phone, or by mail. The staff will tell you what they find and the cost for copies.

The sheriff's office also operates the Johnson County jail. Booking records and inmate information are handled through the jail division. These records are public under Georgia law. If you need to find out who was booked on a particular date or want to check on a specific person's booking details, the jail staff can help you with that.

Georgia Open Records Act and Johnson County

The Georgia Open Records Act is the law that gives you access to police records in Johnson County. Under O.C.G.A. 50-18-70, public records must be open for inspection and copying. This applies to the Johnson County Sheriff's Office, the Wrightsville Police Department, and all other government agencies in the county. Police records, jail data, dispatch logs, and arrest information are all covered by this law.

Under O.C.G.A. 50-18-71, agencies in Johnson County must respond to your request within three business days. The response could be the records or a notice about when they will be ready and the cost. Simple requests are often handled quickly. More involved requests take additional time, but the agency must keep you informed about the status. Fees for copies are $0.10 per page, and the first quarter hour of search time is free.

The Georgia Sheriffs' Association website provides a directory of all county sheriff offices in the state.

This directory can help you confirm current phone numbers and addresses for the Johnson County Sheriff's Office and other counties in the area.

Note: If your records request costs more than $25, the Johnson County Sheriff's Office must notify you before completing the work.

Johnson County Police Records Types

The Johnson County Sheriff's Office keeps several kinds of police records. Incident reports cover crimes and calls for service. These include thefts, assaults, break-ins, disturbances, and other matters that deputies respond to. Each report has the date, time, location, names of those involved, and a narrative from the responding officer. Arrest records document who was booked into the county jail, the charges, and bond details.

Crash reports are another common type. If a Johnson County deputy responded to a wreck, the sheriff's office has the report. If the Georgia State Patrol was on scene, the report goes through the state EPORTS system instead. The agency that responded is the one with the file. This is important to know so you send your request to the right place.

Under O.C.G.A. 50-18-72, initial incident reports and initial arrest reports are always available to the public in Johnson County. Even when a case is still open, these basic records must be released. The agency can hold back parts of an active investigation file that could compromise the case or put someone at risk. But the initial reports remain open. When all court proceedings and litigation end, the complete file becomes public.

How to Get Johnson County Police Records

Getting police records from Johnson County starts with knowing which agency has the file. If the incident happened outside Wrightsville city limits, the sheriff's office is your source. If it was inside the city, the Wrightsville Police Department likely has the report. For crashes on state highways, the Georgia State Patrol may have been the responding agency. Match your request to the right office to save time.

Once you know where to go, put your request together. Include the date, location, names, and report type. A case number is the fastest way to pull a specific file. Submit your request in person at 2557 East Elm Street in Wrightsville. You can also call (478) 864-3934 or send a letter. Written requests are always preferred because they create documentation of what you asked for and when you asked for it.

The agency will respond within three business days. For a single incident report, you might get it the same day or the next. If the request is larger, the staff will tell you the timeline and cost. You then decide how to proceed. If the cost or scope is too high, you can narrow your request. The goal is to get you the records you need without unnecessary delay or expense.

Crash Reports in Johnson County

Crash reports from Johnson County depend on which agency responded. If a sheriff's deputy took the call, the sheriff's office has the file. If the Georgia State Patrol handled it, the report is in the state system. Use the Georgia DPS EPORTS system to request State Patrol crash reports. These cost $5 and are usually ready within a few days. You get an email when they are available for download.

The BuyCrash portal is another option for finding crash reports from Georgia agencies. Not every department uploads to this system, but some do. It is worth checking if you have trouble locating your report through the sheriff's office or EPORTS. Having the exact date and location of the accident makes the search go faster.

People who were involved in the crash can get their report without extra steps. Non-parties may need to provide a written statement of need under Georgia law. The responding officer's card or the case number from the scene will help you track down the report more quickly.

Note: For Johnson County highway crashes, check EPORTS first since the Georgia State Patrol handles most calls on state routes.

Other Law Enforcement in Johnson County

The Wrightsville Police Department covers calls within the city of Wrightsville. They keep their own records, separate from the sheriff's office. If a city officer took the report, you need to contact the Wrightsville PD for that file. The same Georgia open records rules apply to the city police. They have to respond within three business days and charge the same rates for copies.

The Georgia State Patrol operates on highways that run through Johnson County. State Patrol records are kept in the state system, not locally. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation may also hold records if the GBI was called in to help with a Johnson County case. GBI records are requested through their own process, which is separate from local agencies. If you are not sure which agency responded, call the Johnson County Sheriff's Office and they can usually point you the right way.

Johnson County Criminal History

Criminal history checks and police reports serve different purposes. A police report covers a single event. A criminal history check shows a person's full record of arrests and case outcomes across multiple cases. The Johnson County Clerk of Superior Court maintains court records with charges, pleas, verdicts, and sentences. These records are public and can be viewed at the courthouse in Wrightsville.

For a statewide check, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation operates the Georgia Crime Information Center. The GBI stores criminal records from all agencies in the state. You submit a request through their open records process for information about a specific person. It takes more time than a local check but covers the entire state. Between the Johnson County courthouse and the GBI, you can get a solid picture of someone's criminal record in Georgia.

Nearby Counties

If you need police records from areas near Johnson County, check with these neighboring counties.