Access Mitchell County Police Records

Police records in Mitchell County are kept by the Mitchell County Sheriff's Office in Camilla. Sheriff W.E. Bozeman runs the department and oversees all county law enforcement operations. Mitchell County is in southwest Georgia, and the sheriff's office is the main agency responsible for police reports, arrest logs, and incident files at the county level. Camilla also has its own police department, so you need to figure out which agency responded to the incident before making your request. For anything outside city limits, the sheriff's office is almost certainly the one with the record you need.

Mitchell County Sheriff's Office

Sheriff W.E. Bozeman leads the Mitchell County Sheriff's Office. The office handles patrol, investigations, and the county jail, along with records management and public requests. Camilla is the county seat, and the sheriff's office processes records requests during regular business hours.

Call (229) 336-2030 for records questions. Staff can tell you what files exist and walk you through the process. If you know the incident date, names of people involved, or a case number, share those details up front. It saves time for everyone. You can also visit the office in person during business hours.

Accident reports from Mitchell County may be available through the BuyCrash system operated by LexisNexis. This online portal lets you search and purchase crash reports from Georgia law enforcement agencies.

The portal allows searches by date, location, and the names of people involved in a crash.

Requesting Police Records

Start with a phone call. Tell the staff what you need. Simple requests can sometimes be handled the same day. If you want a formal paper trail, write a letter to PO Box 28, Camilla, GA 31730. Include your name, a way to contact you, and a clear description of the records you are looking for.

The Georgia Open Records Act at O.C.G.A. 50-18-70 establishes your right to access public records. You do not need to be from Mitchell County. You do not need to be from Georgia. Anyone can make a request, and you are not required to state your reason. The law says the agency must provide access. That is not a suggestion. It is an obligation.

In-person requests work too. Go to the sheriff's office in Camilla, bring ID, and ask for what you need. Staff will pull the file and let you look at it. If you want copies, they will make them while you wait for small requests. Bigger files take more time.

Note: The Camilla Police Department holds records for incidents that occurred within city limits. Contact them separately if the incident happened in town.

Mitchell County Response Time Rules

Georgia law sets a firm deadline. O.C.G.A. 50-18-71 gives the sheriff's office three business days to respond to your request. A response can mean giving you the records, or it can mean sending a notice that the records are being gathered. Either way, you should hear something within three days of submitting your request.

Quick requests get quick results. A single incident report or arrest record often comes back within a day. Broader requests take longer. If the office has to search through many files or review records for exempt information, the work adds up. They still need to respond within three days, but the full set of records might come later, especially if redactions are needed.

What if the office does not respond at all? First, call and check. A simple follow-up usually fixes the issue. If it does not, the law at O.C.G.A. 50-18-73 lets you file suit in superior court. The court can order the records released and award attorney fees if the judge finds the agency broke the Open Records Act. In practice, this rarely happens. Most requests in Mitchell County go smoothly.

Types of Mitchell County Records

The sheriff's office keeps incident reports, arrest records, accident reports, and citation records. Incident reports document crimes and calls for service. Arrest records show booking details, charges, and bond info. Accident reports cover vehicle crashes handled by deputies. Citations document traffic violations and other infractions.

O.C.G.A. 50-18-72 makes initial incident reports and initial arrest reports public. This applies even during active investigations. You can always get the first report filed. The full investigative file beyond that initial report can be withheld until the case closes. But the basic who, what, when, and where are always available. This is a strong public protection in Georgia law.

State Patrol reports are handled separately. If a Georgia State Patrol trooper responded to an incident in Mitchell County, that report goes through the EPORTS system. Reports cost $5 each. The email address for the DPS Open Records Unit is openrecords@gsp.net if you need reports that are not in the online system.

Fees for Mitchell County Records

Copies are $0.10 per page. That is the standard Georgia rate. Viewing records in person at the office is free. You do not pay anything just to look.

The first 15 minutes of search and retrieval time are free. After that, the office can charge based on the salary of the lowest-paid employee who can handle the work. If the total cost will pass $25, the office must let you know before going forward. You can narrow your request, accept the cost, or cancel. This rule protects people from unexpected charges on big requests.

Payment methods at the sheriff's office may be limited. Cash is always safe. Checks and money orders are usually accepted. Call ahead to confirm whether they take cards. Small county offices in Georgia do not always have card processing equipment.

Note: State Patrol reports through EPORTS are $5 each and paid online with a credit card, separate from the sheriff's office fees.

State and Regional Resources

Several state agencies can help you find records tied to Mitchell County. The EPORTS system covers crash reports, incident reports, and citations from the Georgia State Patrol. If a trooper was involved in an incident here, start with EPORTS.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation keeps records for cases where GBI agents participated. Major crimes in Mitchell County that involved state resources may have GBI files in addition to sheriff's office records. The Georgia Sheriffs' Association maintains a directory of all 159 county sheriffs and is a good resource for verifying contact details. For legal help with a records request, the State Bar of Georgia offers referrals to attorneys who handle Open Records Act issues.

Nearby County Police Records

Mitchell County shares borders with several counties in southwest Georgia. If an incident happened near a boundary, a different county's sheriff may have the record. Check the neighboring counties below if you cannot locate what you need in Mitchell County.