Arrest Records in Banks County

Banks County arrest records are kept by the sheriff's office in Homer, Georgia. This northeast Georgia county has about 18,000 people and sits in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The sheriff's office processes all arrests and manages the county jail. If you need to search for an arrest record or check on an inmate in Banks County, the sheriff's office is your first stop. Arrest data from this county also goes into the statewide criminal history database at the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. Several search options are available to the public.

Banks County Sheriff Arrest Records

Sheriff Carlton Speed runs the Banks County Sheriff's Office at 160 Windmill Farm Road, Homer, GA 30547. Call 706-677-2248 for questions about arrest records or to check on inmates. The sheriff's office is the primary source for all local arrest records in Banks County. Deputies patrol the county and bring anyone they arrest to the jail for booking.

When you call or visit, have the person's full name ready. A date of birth helps narrow the search. The staff can look up booking records, tell you about current inmates, and give basic arrest details. Written requests are accepted by mail at the address above. For copies of arrest records, there may be a small fee. The Banks County Sheriff's Office handles these requests on a case-by-case basis during regular hours.

How to Search Banks County Records

Calling the sheriff's office is the most direct approach. You can get basic arrest information over the phone in most cases. For detailed records or copies, you may need to go to the office in Homer or submit a written request.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation runs the statewide criminal history system through the GCIC. Banks County arrest data is part of this system. Under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37, you can request your own criminal history record for up to $15. This includes data from all Georgia counties. The GBI FAQ page has the steps. You need to contact a local law enforcement agency or the GCIC office in Decatur.

The GBI website gives you access to criminal history services, the sex offender registry, and crime data that may include Banks County information.

Banks County Jail and Booking Data

All arrests in Banks County result in a booking at the county jail. The booking process records charges, personal details, and takes a photo. Bond amounts are set based on the charges. To find out if someone is in the Banks County jail right now, call 706-677-2248.

If someone from Banks County ends up in state custody, the GDC offender search tool can help. Search by name or GDC ID. The Georgia Department of Corrections runs this tool for people in state prisons. For people still at the county level, call the Banks County jail directly. The GDC data is not guaranteed to be accurate, so you should write to Inmate Records at PO Box 1529, Forsyth, GA 31029 to verify anything important.

Note: The GDC offender search only covers state prison inmates, not people held at the Banks County jail.

Georgia Arrest Laws in Banks County

The Georgia Open Records Act at O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70 gives the public a right to access arrest records in Banks County. Initial arrest reports are not exempt from this law. You can request them from the Banks County Sheriff's Office without explaining why you need the information. The office can charge a reasonable fee for copies.

Several other statutes apply to arrest records in Banks County. Under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-38, it is illegal to get criminal history records through false pretenses. Penalties include fines up to $5,000 and imprisonment up to two years. Record restriction is possible under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37 for arrests that ended in dismissal or were never prosecuted. The Georgia Felon Search lets you check for felony convictions at a cost of $15 per query. The GBI Payment Portal handles payments for state criminal history services related to Banks County records.

Banks County Arrest Record Resources

The Georgia Sheriffs' Association directory has contact details for the Banks County Sheriff's Office and every other sheriff in the state. Use it to confirm phone numbers and addresses before making a request.

The directory is sorted by county name and includes mailing addresses for all 159 Georgia sheriff offices. The GBI also manages the sex offender registry and the Georgia Applicant Processing Service for fingerprint-based record checks. These resources can supplement what you find from Banks County directly. Attorneys who need client records can fax the GCIC at (404) 270-8386 under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-34.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Banks County in northeast Georgia.