Search Whitfield County Arrest Records

Whitfield County arrest records are managed by the sheriff's office in Dalton, Georgia. With a population of about 103,000, Whitfield County has one main law enforcement agency handling local arrests. The sheriff's office stores all booking logs, arrest reports, and inmate records from the county. If you need to search for a specific arrest, find out who is in jail, or request a copy of an arrest report, the Whitfield County Sheriff's Office is the local source. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation also stores Whitfield County arrest data in its statewide criminal history system, giving you another way to search.

Whitfield County Sheriff's Office Records

Sheriff Darren Pierce heads the Whitfield County Sheriff's Office. The office is located at PO Box 652, Dalton, GA 30722. Call (706) 278-1233 for arrest record requests. Staff handles current inmate lookups, booking details, and copies of past arrest reports.

Have the full name and date of birth of the person you want to find. This helps the staff locate the right file. Phone calls work best for quick checks. Walk-in visits are taken during business hours. For formal written copies, mail your request to the Dalton address. Most requests from Whitfield County are handled within a few days. Records that involve state court cases or older files may take a bit longer to pull.

How to Search Whitfield County Records

Call the sheriff's office at (706) 278-1233 for the quickest answer. You can also visit in person or send a written request.

At the state level, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation maintains criminal history records from all 159 counties. The Georgia Crime Information Center holds Whitfield County arrest data in its central database. Under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37, you can request your own criminal history for up to $15. Mail your request to CCH/Identification Services, P.O. Box 370808, Decatur, Georgia 30037. Processing takes 5 to 10 business days. The GBI FAQ page walks through what you need to include.

Note: GBI lobby appointments in Decatur must be scheduled in advance.

Georgia State Records for Whitfield County

The GCIC network includes over 600 law enforcement agencies across Georgia. Whitfield County arrests flow into this system alongside records from every other county. The Criminal Justice Information System connects sheriff offices, police, courts, and jails statewide. When someone gets arrested in Whitfield County, their data goes into the central system.

The GBI website links to criminal history tools, the sex offender registry, and crime stats. The Rapid ID fingerprint program lets Whitfield County officers run prints in the field using handheld devices. This connects to state and federal fingerprint databases. For inmates in state prisons, the GDC offender search covers all state facilities. It does not include people held at the Whitfield County jail.

Whitfield County Jail and Booking Info

The Whitfield County jail is managed by the sheriff's office. All local arrests lead to booking at this facility. Booking records include name, charges, arrest date, and photo. These are public records. Call (706) 278-1233 to check on current inmates.

If someone from Whitfield County has been moved to a state prison, the Georgia Department of Corrections offender search can help find them. Search by name or GDC ID. The GDC database does not include county jail inmates.

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

Arrest Record Laws in Whitfield County

Georgia's Open Records Act at O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70 makes initial arrest reports public. The Whitfield County Sheriff's Office must release these records when asked. Pending investigation files may be exempt, but the basic arrest data stays available.

Under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-38, requesting records under false pretenses carries a fine of up to $5,000 and up to two years in prison. Record restriction under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37 allows certain arrest charges to be sealed if the case ended in a dismissal or was not presented to a grand jury. Guilty verdicts can never be restricted in Whitfield County or anywhere in Georgia.

More Whitfield County Resources

The Georgia Felon Search checks felony convictions for $15 per search. Another $15 gets full details. Only felonies show up. You need a name, date of birth, and sex. The Georgia Sheriffs' Association directory lists contacts for all 159 sheriffs. State fees go through the GBI Payment Portal.

Cities in Whitfield County

Dalton is the main city in Whitfield County. If the arrest happened within city limits, you may need to contact the Dalton Police Department.

Nearby Counties

These counties are near Whitfield County. Make sure you know where the arrest took place before contacting an office.