Polk County Arrest Records

Polk County arrest records are kept by the sheriff's office in Cedartown, Georgia. This northwest Georgia county has a population of roughly 43,000. Sheriff Johnny Moats handles all bookings and criminal records for the area. Arrest data from Polk County is stored locally and also sent to the Georgia Crime Information Center at the state level. If you need to search for an arrest record, you can call the sheriff's office, go in person, or use Georgia's statewide databases. Most initial arrest reports are open to the public under state law.

Polk County Sheriff's Office Records

Sheriff Johnny Moats runs the Polk County Sheriff's Office at 1676 Rockmart Hwy, Cedartown, GA 30125. This office is the main source for arrest records in the county. Staff process bookings, manage the jail, and handle records requests. Polk County covers a mix of small towns and rural areas in the northwest corner of Georgia, and the sheriff's office serves all of them.

Call 770-749-2901 to ask about a Polk County arrest record. You can also walk in during normal business hours. Have your ID ready and bring the full name of the person you are looking for. A date of arrest or booking number helps speed up the search. Staff can print copies of arrest reports for most requests. For older Polk County records that may be in storage, you might need to submit a written request and wait a few days for the file to be pulled.

Note: Polk County also has city police departments in Cedartown and Rockmart that make arrests, but those booking records still flow through the county sheriff's system.

State Databases for Polk County Arrests

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation runs a statewide criminal history system. Polk County arrest records are part of this database. The Georgia Crime Information Center collects data from local agencies across the state. Under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37, anyone can request their own criminal history for a fee up to $15. That record would include any arrests in Polk County that are on file with the GCIC. If you spot an error, you have 60 days to challenge it.

For felony conviction searches, the Georgia Felon Search costs $15 per query. It only returns felony convictions and does not cover misdemeanor arrests from Polk County. You need the person's name, date of birth, and sex. This search is name-based. Under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-38, using false pretenses to get criminal history information carries penalties of up to $5,000 and possible imprisonment.

Polk County Offender and Inmate Search

When a Polk County arrest leads to a state prison sentence, the Georgia Department of Corrections tracks the inmate. The GDC Find Offender page lets you search by name or GDC ID number. Results include the inmate's current facility, a photo if on file, and basic case details. You have to agree to a disclaimer before searching.

The GDC Offender Query form provides a direct path to the database. GDC warns that records may not be fully up to date. For confirmed information about someone arrested in Polk County who ended up in state prison, write to Inmate Records at PO Box 1529, Forsyth, GA 31029. Written requests are the only way to get a verified response from the department.

Polk County Open Records Requests

Georgia's Open Records Act gives the public access to government documents. Arrest records from the Polk County Sheriff's Office are covered by this law. Initial arrest reports are always available. You do not need to provide a reason for your request.

Put your request in writing and send it to the sheriff's office. Be clear about what records you need. Include names, dates, or case numbers when possible. The Polk County office has three business days to respond. They can charge a fee for copies and processing time. Records from an active investigation may be partially held back, but the initial arrest report must still be provided. If the office denies your request without proper basis, you can challenge it under state law. Fines for violations run up to $1,000 for a first offense.

Arrest Record Restriction in Polk County

Certain Polk County arrest records can be sealed from public view. Charges that ended in a dismissal, nolle prosequi, or dead docket may qualify for restriction. Once applied, the record is only available to courts and criminal justice agencies.

For pre-2013 arrests, write to the Polk County Sheriff's Office with a fee of up to $50. Post-2013 arrests go through the local prosecutor. Guilty pleas and convictions are never eligible for restriction anywhere in Georgia, including Polk County. The GCIC handles the sealing once the request is approved. Call 770-749-2901 if you want to ask about the restriction process for a specific Polk County arrest.

Note: Even after restriction, the arrest record remains in the criminal justice system and can be accessed by law enforcement for future cases.

Criminal Registries for Polk County

State registries may include people originally arrested in Polk County. The Georgia Sex Offender Registry is free and shows photos, addresses, and offense details for convicted sex offenders. Search by name or by location to check the Cedartown and Rockmart areas of Polk County.

The Georgia Sheriffs by County directory has contact info for Sheriff Johnny Moats and all other Georgia sheriffs. Use this resource to reach the Polk County office or a neighboring sheriff when you need arrest records from across county lines.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Polk County in northwest Georgia. If you need arrest records from a neighboring county, check where the person was booked. Each office stores its own data.