Washington County Records Lookup

Washington County police records are managed by the Washington County Sheriff's Office in Sandersville, Georgia. Sheriff Joel Cochran heads the department, which maintains incident reports, arrest records, accident reports, and other law enforcement documents for the entire county. The records division processes open records requests for the public under Georgia law. Washington County is in central Georgia, and the sheriff's office is the primary keeper of police files for the county's unincorporated areas and several small communities.

Washington County Sheriff's Office

The Washington County Sheriff's Office is the main agency for police records in the county. The mailing address is PO Drawer 30, Sandersville, GA 31082. The phone number is (478) 552-4795. Sheriff Joel Cochran runs the department. The office is open Monday through Friday during regular business hours.

Records held by the sheriff's office include incident reports from deputy responses, arrest bookings, crash reports, and follow-up investigation files. The city of Sandersville has its own police department. If the incident happened in town, the city police may hold the report. Check which agency responded before filing your request.

Washington County covers a good amount of ground in central Georgia. The sheriff's office handles all calls outside the city limits of Sandersville and the smaller towns in the county. Deputies patrol a large rural area, so the office keeps records from a wide range of calls across the county.

The Georgia Sheriffs' Association directory is a helpful resource for verifying the contact details of the Washington County Sheriff's Office and other county agencies across the state.

The directory lists every county sheriff in Georgia along with mailing addresses and phone numbers. It is a good starting point for confirming where to send your records request.

Washington County Records Fees

Fees for police records in Washington County follow state law. Copies are $0.10 per page under O.C.G.A. 50-18-71. Accident reports cost $5 for people who were involved in the crash. The first 15 minutes of staff research time are free. After that, the charge is tied to the hourly rate of the employee doing the search.

If your request is expected to cost more than $25, the office will let you know the total before they finish. You can agree to the cost or narrow your request to bring it down. This protection keeps you from getting a bill you did not expect.

Cash and checks are accepted. Make checks out to the Washington County Sheriff's Office. Call ahead if you want to pay by card. In person payments are straightforward when you visit the office in Sandersville.

Note: Viewing records at the office is free. You only pay for the pages you copy and take with you.

How to Request Records

There are several ways to request police records from Washington County. Written requests work best. Include your name, phone number, and a description of the records you need. Be specific about dates, people involved, and the type of report. Mail it to PO Drawer 30, Sandersville, GA 31082.

Phone requests are another option. Call (478) 552-4795 and ask the records staff about the report you need. Have the date and location ready, and a case number if you have one. The staff can look up your record and tell you the cost and timeline.

In person visits work well for simple requests. Go to the sheriff's office during business hours and speak with someone at the front desk. For straightforward requests, you may get copies the same day. The Georgia Open Records Act requires the office to respond within three business days of getting your request, whether it comes by mail, phone, or in person.

Open Records Law in Washington County

O.C.G.A. 50-18-70 is the foundation of Georgia's Open Records Act. It gives the public the right to inspect and copy records held by government agencies, including the Washington County Sheriff's Office. You can ask for police records without giving a reason. You do not have to live in Washington County.

Initial incident reports and arrest reports are always public in Georgia. Even active cases require release of these basic records. The full investigation file becomes public when all court cases tied to it are finished. Some records are exempt, like those that would endanger a person or reveal a confidential source. But Georgia defaults to access.

If the Washington County Sheriff's Office denies your request, they must provide a written explanation and cite the specific code section. You can challenge the denial in Washington County Superior Court. The court has the power to order the records released and can award attorney fees if the denial was not justified under the law.

Accident Reports from Washington County

Crash reports from Washington County are available from the agency that responded. The sheriff's office handles crashes in unincorporated areas. The Sandersville Police Department covers crashes within city limits. Georgia State Patrol handles crashes on some highways.

For state patrol reports, use the EPORTS system online. Reports cost $5 and are available for download after processing. For sheriff's office reports, call (478) 552-4795 or send a written request to the office. The $5 fee applies to parties involved in the crash.

Under O.C.G.A. 50-18-72, people not involved in a crash may need to submit a written statement explaining why they need the report. Parties to the accident do not face this requirement. The records staff at the Washington County Sheriff's Office can walk you through the steps for your specific situation.

Criminal History in Washington County

Court records for Washington County are maintained by the Clerk of Superior Court at the courthouse in Sandersville. These records cover case filings, charges, pleas, and sentencing. They are separate from the police reports held by the sheriff's office.

A police report tells you what happened at the scene. A court record tells you what happened in the legal system. If you need both, you will make two separate requests to two different offices. For a statewide criminal history, contact the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. The GBI maintains the state criminal database.

Note: Washington County court records may not be available online. Call the clerk's office to ask about access options and fees for court files.

Nearby Counties

If you need police records from areas around Washington County, check these neighboring counties.