Towns County Arrest Records

Towns County arrest records are maintained by the sheriff's office in Hiawassee, Georgia. Located in the northeast Georgia mountains, Towns County has about 12,000 residents. The sheriff's office handles all arrests in the county and stores the booking records, arrest reports, and inmate data that come from those cases. If you need to search for a specific arrest or check on an inmate, the sheriff's office in Hiawassee is the local source. You can also search through state databases run by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, which holds Towns County arrest information in its central system.

Towns County Sheriff's Office Records

Sheriff Anthony Coleman leads the Towns County Sheriff's Office at 48 River Street, Suite F, Hiawassee, GA 30546. The phone number is (706) 896-4444. This is the place to go for all arrest record requests in Towns County. Staff can look up current inmates, pull past booking records, and provide copies of arrest reports.

When you contact the office, have the full name and date of birth of the person you want to search for. Phone calls are good for quick status checks. Walk-in requests are taken during business hours. Written requests by mail also work. Towns County is a mountain community with a smaller population, so the volume of arrests tends to be lower than in urban counties. This usually means faster response times for record requests. All arrests here get reported to the statewide system as well.

How to Search Towns County Arrest Records

Call the sheriff's office for the fastest answer. You can also mail your request or visit in person.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation runs the state's criminal history system. The Georgia Crime Information Center holds arrest data from every county, Towns County included. Under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37, you can request your own criminal history for a fee of up to $15. Mail your request to CCH/Identification Services, P.O. Box 370808, Decatur, Georgia 30037. Allow 5 to 10 business days for a response. The GBI FAQ page has the details on what to include.

Note: GBI walk-in appointments in Decatur are not available on the same day.

Georgia Criminal History for Towns County

Every arrest in Towns County gets entered into the statewide Criminal Justice Information System. More than 600 agencies participate in this network. The GCIC ties sheriff offices, police departments, courts, and jails together across the state. If someone is arrested in Towns County, that data ends up in the central system. This means you can find Towns County records through state-level searches even without calling the local office.

The GBI website links to criminal history services, crime stats, and the sex offender registry. The Rapid ID fingerprint program lets law enforcement in Towns County check prints in the field using handheld devices tied to state and federal databases.

Towns County Jail and Booking Info

The Towns County jail is run by the sheriff's office. Booking records include the person's name, charges, arrest date, and a photo. These are public records in Georgia. Call (706) 896-4444 to check on current inmates.

If someone from Towns County has been sent to a state prison, the Georgia Department of Corrections offender search can help you track them down. The GDC tool covers state prisons and facilities. It does not include people in the county jail. You can search by name or GDC ID number.

Note: Verify any GDC data by writing to Inmate Records at PO Box 1529, Forsyth, GA 31029.

Arrest Record Laws in Towns County

Georgia's Open Records Act at O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70 gives the public access to arrest reports. The Towns County Sheriff's Office must release initial arrest reports when requested. Pending investigation records may be withheld, but the arrest report stays public.

Under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-38, requesting records under false pretenses is punishable by a fine of up to $5,000 and up to two years in prison. Record restriction is available in Georgia for certain arrest charges under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37. If a case was dismissed or not sent to a grand jury, the arrest may be sealed. Guilty outcomes are never eligible for restriction.

More Towns County Resources

The Georgia Felon Search checks for felony convictions at $15 per search. Another $15 gets you the details. It only includes felonies. The Georgia Sheriffs' Association directory lists Towns County contacts. Use the GBI Payment Portal for state fees.

Nearby Counties

Towns County borders these counties. Check the arrest location before contacting an office.