Access Savannah Arrest Records

Savannah arrest records are created by two main agencies: the Savannah Police Department and the Chatham County Sheriff's Office. Savannah is a port city on Georgia's coast with close to 149,000 residents. The police department handles arrests within city limits and generates the initial arrest reports. The Chatham County Sheriff runs the county jail and manages bookings for all arrests in the area. To find Savannah arrest records, you may need to check with either or both agencies, plus the state databases that collect data from Chatham County.

Savannah Police Department Records

The Savannah Police Department is located at 201 Habersham St, Savannah, GA 31401. The non-emergency line is 912-651-6675. SPD officers make arrests within the city and file the initial reports. These reports become part of the public record under Georgia's Open Records Act. You can request a copy of an arrest report directly from SPD by filing a written request.

Once someone is arrested in Savannah, the booking usually goes through the Chatham County jail. The sheriff's office takes over custody at that point. So the arrest report stays with SPD, but the booking data and inmate records are at the county level. This is a common setup in Georgia cities that have their own police department. You may need to contact both agencies to get the full picture of a Savannah arrest record.

The City of Savannah website has information about city departments and public services, including links to the police department.

Chatham County Jail and Savannah Bookings

The Chatham County Sheriff operates the jail where Savannah arrests are processed. When SPD or any other agency in Chatham County makes an arrest, the person is brought to the county jail for booking. The jail logs each intake with the arrest charges, the booking date and time, and the person's name and identifying details.

You can reach the Chatham County Sheriff's Office to ask about booking records and current inmates. If you are looking for someone who was recently arrested in Savannah, the county jail is the place to check first. For older records, you may need to file a formal request. Have the person's full name and a rough date of the arrest ready. That makes the search faster. Written requests to the sheriff's office are best for getting copies of Savannah arrest records that are more than a few weeks old.

Note: Arrests by the Chatham County Sheriff outside Savannah city limits also go through the same jail.

Georgia State Records for Savannah

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation operates the statewide criminal history database. Savannah arrest records flow into this system through Chatham County law enforcement. Under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37, you can request your own criminal history for up to $15. That would include arrests that took place in Savannah. The GCIC manages this data and can correct errors if you file a challenge within 60 days.

From the GBI website you can access criminal history services and find contact numbers for record requests. The Georgia Felon Search is a paid tool that costs $15 per query. It only returns felony convictions. Misdemeanor arrests from Savannah will not appear. You need the person's full name, date of birth, and sex to search. Under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-38, making a false request for criminal records is a crime punishable by up to $5,000 in fines.

The GDC offender search covers people serving time in Georgia state prisons. If a Savannah arrest led to incarceration, the person may show up in this database.

The GDC database includes photos, facility assignments, and basic case data for Georgia inmates.

Savannah Arrest Record Restriction

Some Savannah arrest records can be restricted from public view. This applies when charges were dismissed, not presented to a grand jury, or dead docketed. Once a record is restricted, only law enforcement and courts can see it.

For arrests before July 1, 2013, you write to the arresting agency to apply. That would be SPD for city arrests or the Chatham County Sheriff for county arrests. The fee is up to $50. After that date, the process goes through the prosecutor. Convictions and guilty pleas can never be restricted. The GCIC handles the actual sealing once a restriction request gets approved.

Savannah Criminal Registries

The Georgia Sex Offender Registry tracks offenders living in Savannah and Chatham County. It is free to search and shows names, photos, addresses, and offense details. The Georgia Sheriffs by County directory lists every sheriff in the state, including the Chatham County sheriff. Use this resource to find contact info for the office handling Savannah arrest records.

Savannah County Resources

Savannah sits in Chatham County. The county sheriff manages jail bookings and inmate records for the area.

Nearby Cities

Pooler is the nearest qualifying city to Savannah. It sits in the western part of Chatham County.