Dalton Arrest Records Lookup

Dalton arrest records are handled by the Dalton Police Department and the Whitfield County Sheriff's Office. Dalton serves as the county seat of Whitfield County in northwest Georgia. The city is the largest in this part of the state and generates a steady volume of arrest reports each year. Both city police and the county sheriff play a role in how arrest data is stored and accessed. This page outlines where to find Dalton arrest records, how to request them, and what state-level tools are available for broader searches.

Dalton Police and Arrest Reports

The Dalton Police Department is at 301 W Waugh St, Dalton, GA 30720. The non-emergency phone number is 706-278-9085. The department is the main law enforcement body inside Dalton city limits. When officers arrest someone in Dalton, an arrest report is created and filed with the department. The person is then taken to the Whitfield County jail for booking. The Dalton city website has contact info for the police department and other city services.

Dalton arrest records include the standard fields required by Georgia law. That means the person's name, date of birth, charges, arresting officer, and the date of the arrest. These records get reported to the Georgia Crime Information Center as part of the statewide criminal history system. Under the Open Records Act, initial arrest reports from Dalton PD are public records. Anyone can request a copy by filing a written request with the department.

Dalton sits in a region with a significant manufacturing workforce. The city's population can shift depending on work patterns, which can affect the volume and type of arrests the department processes. Weekends and holidays tend to see higher activity.

Whitfield County Sheriff's Office

Sheriff Darren Pierce runs the Whitfield County Sheriff's Office from PO Box 652, Dalton, GA 30722. The phone number is 706-278-1233. The sheriff's office handles jail operations, bookings, and inmate custody for all of Whitfield County, including Dalton. After a Dalton police arrest, the booking happens at the county level. The county jail holds the person until bond is posted or a court hearing takes place.

Booking records from the county include the charges, booking date and time, mugshot, and bond amount. These are separate from the arrest report held by Dalton PD. If you need both the arrest report and the booking record, you may have to contact each agency. The sheriff's office can provide copies of booking logs and inmate records. Contact them by phone or by mail to make your request.

Note: The Whitfield County jail also processes arrests from other agencies in the county, not just Dalton PD.

Getting Dalton Arrest Records

The fastest way to find a recent Dalton arrest record is through the Whitfield County Sheriff's Office. Call 706-278-1233 and ask about current inmates or recent bookings. For the initial arrest report, go to the Dalton Police Department. File a written open records request. Include the person's full name, the date of the arrest, and any case numbers you may have. The department has three business days to respond under Georgia law.

You can also go to the state level. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation runs Georgia's central criminal history system. Under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37, you can inspect your own criminal history for a fee of up to $15. That record would include Dalton arrests reported into the system. Call the GBI at (404) 244-2639 to schedule an appointment at their Decatur office. They do not accept walk-in requests.

The Whitfield County Clerk of Court is another option for court records. If a Dalton arrest led to charges being filed, the court clerk has the case file. Court records include charges, hearings, verdicts, and sentencing details. These records are separate from arrest reports but give you the full story of how a case ended.

State Records Search for Dalton

The Dalton city website provides contact details and general info about law enforcement services in Dalton.

Several state databases include arrest data from Dalton and the rest of Georgia. The GBI criminal history FAQ page covers how to request records at the state level. The Georgia Felon Search costs $15 and shows felony convictions only. It won't show misdemeanor Dalton arrests. The GDC Find Offender tool searches the state prison system. If a Dalton arrest resulted in a state prison sentence, the person should appear in that database.

The Georgia Sex Offender Registry tracks registered offenders statewide. You can search by address to see if any registered offenders live in the Dalton area. The Georgia Sheriffs directory links to every county sheriff in the state, including Whitfield County.

Dalton Record Restriction

Georgia law allows some arrest records to be restricted. This covers cases that were dismissed, never prosecuted, or placed on a dead docket. Convictions and guilty pleas do not qualify. If a person was arrested in Dalton but the case was later dropped, they may be eligible to have the record restricted from public view.

The process depends on when the arrest took place. Arrests before July 1, 2013 require an application to the arresting agency, which for Dalton would be either the police department or the Whitfield County Sheriff. The fee is up to $50. Arrests after July 1, 2013 go through the prosecutor's office. Once restricted, a Dalton arrest record is only available to law enforcement and courts. The public cannot access it through normal search channels. Under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-38, improper disclosure of restricted records can lead to a $5,000 fine.

Whitfield County Resources

Dalton is the county seat of Whitfield County. The county courthouse is in Dalton, so both city police and county records are accessible in the same city.

Nearby Cities

These cities are within driving distance of Dalton in north Georgia. Each has separate police and arrest record systems.