Towns County Police Records

Towns County police records are held by the sheriff's office in Hiawassee, which serves as both the county seat and the center of law enforcement for this mountain county in northeast Georgia. Sheriff Anthony Coleman leads the Towns County Sheriff's Office. The department handles incident reports, arrest records, crash reports, and all other police record requests for the area. Towns County is one of the smallest counties in the state by population, so the sheriff's office is the main law enforcement agency here. Most police records requests go through that one office.

Towns County Sheriff's Office

The Towns County Sheriff's Office is at 48 River Street Suite F, Hiawassee, GA 30546. Sheriff Anthony Coleman runs the department. The phone number is (706) 896-4444. This office is the go-to place for police records in Towns County. They handle everything from incident reports to arrest records to accident reports.

Walk-in requests get the fastest results. Bring your ID and as much detail as you can about the record you are looking for. A case number helps. Without one, provide the date, the location, and who was involved. Staff can search the system with that information. Written requests by mail are also accepted. Address your letter to 48 River Street Suite F, Hiawassee, GA 30546. Include your name, return address, phone number, and the details of what you are requesting.

Phone calls to (706) 896-4444 are good for checking if a record exists. The staff can confirm whether they have the report and walk you through the next steps. For certain simple requests, you may be able to arrange everything by phone and pick up the record later.

Some Georgia agencies upload crash reports to BuyCrash for online purchase. Check there for Towns County accident reports that may be available.

Open Records in Towns County

Georgia's Open Records Act gives the public the right to access police records from Towns County agencies. O.C.G.A. 50-18-70 says that public records are open for inspection and copying. This covers incident reports, arrest records, booking information, and other documents generated by law enforcement. You do not need to live in Towns County. You do not need to state your reason for wanting the records.

Under O.C.G.A. 50-18-71, agencies have three business days to respond to a records request. The response must say whether the records exist and what the fees will be. In a small county like Towns, the turnaround is often faster than the legal maximum. Staff at smaller offices tend to have more time for individual requests. But three days is the hard limit for the initial response.

Fees are set by state law. Copies cost $0.10 per page. The first 15 minutes of staff search time are free. After that, hourly charges are based on the pay rate of the lowest-paid employee capable of handling the request. If the total cost estimate passes $25, the agency has to get your approval before moving forward.

Note: Towns County's small size often means faster processing times for routine police records requests.

Towns County Crash Reports

Accident reports are a common request in Towns County. The mountain roads in the area can be tricky, especially in bad weather. If a sheriff's deputy handled the crash, the report is at the sheriff's office. Call (706) 896-4444 with the date, location, and names of the drivers involved.

Georgia State Patrol crash reports from Towns County are available through eports.gamccd.net. The EPORTS system charges $5 per report and usually has them ready within a few business days. Some reports may also appear on BuyCrash.com. Check both if you are not sure which agency worked the scene.

US Highway 76 and various state routes run through Towns County. State Patrol troopers frequently handle crashes on these roads. The sheriff's office can usually tell you whether their deputies or the State Patrol responded to a particular accident. That saves you from searching the wrong system.

Exemptions Under Georgia Law

Not all police records are fully public. O.C.G.A. 50-18-72 lists the exemptions that apply in Towns County and across Georgia. Active investigation files can be withheld while a case is being worked. This protects ongoing investigations from being compromised. Witness statements, evidence descriptions, and investigative notes all fall under this exemption.

Initial incident reports are always public. Initial arrest reports are too. The basic facts of an incident come out right away regardless of whether the investigation is still open. The exemption covers the detailed investigative material, not the surface-level report. Once the case closes and court proceedings finish, the full file becomes available to the public.

Agencies redact certain information from released records. Social Security numbers come out. Law enforcement officers' home addresses and personal phone numbers are protected. Medical information in police files gets removed. Birth dates may be partially redacted. These protections exist across all Georgia counties.

Criminal Records in Towns County

The Towns County Sheriff's Office keeps arrest records for people booked at the county jail. These records show the charges, booking details, and basic case information. For a statewide criminal history, contact the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. The GBI operates the Georgia Crime Information Center, which stores criminal history data from every county in the state.

Court records are different from police records. The Towns County Clerk of Superior Court in Hiawassee keeps files on criminal cases that went through the court system. Charges, pleas, trial outcomes, and sentences are all part of the court record. To get the full picture of a criminal matter in Towns County, you need both the police side (from the sheriff) and the court side (from the clerk).

The Georgia Sheriffs' Association maintains a directory of all county sheriff offices in Georgia. Use it to check contact information for Towns County or any nearby county.

Requesting Towns County Records

The process is simple. Decide what record you need. Figure out which agency has it. Contact that agency with the details. For most police records in Towns County, the sheriff's office at 48 River Street Suite F in Hiawassee is the right place. Hiawassee has a small police department as well, so if the incident was inside city limits, check with them.

Written requests create the best paper trail. Put your request in writing even if you are making it in person. That way both you and the agency have a record of exactly what was asked for and when. Keep a copy for yourself. If there is ever a dispute about the request, the written record settles it.

Georgia law gives you legal recourse if an agency refuses to release records improperly. You can take the matter to court and the judge can order the records released. If you win, the court may award you attorney fees. This applies in Towns County just like everywhere else in Georgia.

Note: Written requests are recommended even for in-person visits to create a clear paper trail for your records request.

Nearby Counties

For police records from counties that border Towns County, check these links.