Bartow County Arrest Records

Bartow County arrest records are created when law enforcement agencies apprehend and detain individuals suspected of committing crimes. These records are created during booking, a process where an officer obtains and records the name (and other basic information, including the address and date of birth) of the arrestee, the date and location of the arrest, the committed offense, and other relevant information about the arrest.

To make an arrest, an officer typically needs an arrest warrant issued by a court with justification in the area where the crime was committed. An officer can only arrest an individual without a warrant if they witnessed the suspect committing the crime or they have probable cause to establish that an individual may be guilty of a crime. For instance, an officer is legally authorized to arrest traffic violators on the spot without a warrant.

Arrest records are vital to the criminal justice system and, in many cases, complement other record types, such as Bartow County Court Records and criminal records.

Are Arrest Records Public in Bartow County?

Yes, arrest records are public in Bartow County. Under the Georgia Open Records Act, Bartow County arrest records are classified as public records and can be inspected or copied by interested individuals. However, sensitive contents or portions of public arrest records are generally redacted before disclosure to requestors. Types of non-public arrest records include sealed, restricted, or expunged records. Public copies or databases of arrest records do not carry any of the following:

• Identifying juvenile information
• Identifying crime witness information
• Information that may jeopardize the credibility of an ongoing investigation or criminal litigation

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

The following contents of Bartow County arrest records are public:

• The arrestee’s basic details, such as their name, gender, and date of birth
• The date and location where the person got arrested
• The arresting officer’s name
• The jail or police station where an arrestee was booked
• The charges associated with the arrest.

Bartow County Crime Rate

Per Crime Statistics reported by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, the total crime index recorded in Bartow County was 1,297 in 2022. Larceny cases were prevalent, with a total of 934 cases. Other reported crimes were 43 rapes, 1 murder, 6 robbery cases, 88 aggravated assaults, 137 burglaries, 75 motor vehicle thefts, and 12 arson cases.

Compared to 2021, when the total crime index was 2,162, there was a significant drop of 40.0% in crime. Larceny, the most prevalent crime for both years, had 1,488 cases in 2021. The crime rate per 1,000 population was 11.50 in 2022, while that for 2021 was 29.62.

Bartow County Arrest Statistics

There are no public arrest statistics for Bartow County. However, the GBI’s Crime Statistics website provides statewide arrest statistics. According to this report, 27,887 arrests were made in the state, 10,006 arrests for violent crimes and 17,845 for property crimes. Arrests made for Larceny were the highest, with 14,504 cases. Aggravated assaults came next with 8,204 cases. Arrests were also made for murder (443), rape (423), robbery (936), burglary (1,880), motor vehicle theft (1,287), and arson (174).

Find Bartow County Arrest Records

Residents of Bartow County can search for inmates held in the Bartow County Jail using the Find an Offender online tool provided by the Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC). This online database is searchable by an inmate’s name, GDC ID, or case number. The GDC is a unique identification number assigned to an inmate at the jail, whereas the case number is assigned to the offense. An inmate may have more than one case number. Information obtainable from this website includes an arrestee’s name and any known aliases, physical descriptors, release information, sentence length, committed offense, and incarceration details.

For arrests made in Bartow County by federal agents, the associated arrest records typically fall within the custody of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Individuals arrested by the FBI are held at various locations across the country. Interested parties may use the Federal Inmate Locator to identify the specific facility where an inmate is being held. They may subsequently contact the appropriate institution for information on how to find an inmate. The county sheriff’s office may be able to provide valuable assistance.

Free Arrest Record Search in Bartow County

Bartow County police records, which include arrest records, are subject to the open records act. Arrest records may be viewed at the local police station where an arrest was made or at the County Sheriff’s Office. Requestors are required to complete the Open Record Request Form and submitted in person or by mail to:

Bartow County Sheriff’s Office
Attn: Records
104 Zena Drive
Cartersville, Georgia 30121.

It typically takes three business days for the Sheriff’s Office to respond to record requests. In-person record inspections are also allowed at the Sheriff’s Office. For arrestees held at the county jail, inquirers should use the Bartow County jail inmate online search tool. An inquirer typically needs the inmate’s full name or I.D. for the search. One can also use other third-party websites created for this purpose. They are searchable by name and should provide basic arrest information for free. Fees may apply for a full report.

Get Bartow County Criminal Records

Bartow County criminal records document details about known crimes committed by county residents. They provide a broad overview of people’s involvement with law enforcement agencies in relation to crimes they have committed. A person’s criminal record contains their identification information (name, social security number, date of birth, height, sex, weight), information about arrests, paroles and probation, court hearings and final dispositions, jail sentences, the correctional facility where they served, and fines.

Criminal records are sought for various reasons, including during employment and housing screenings. Per state law, criminal records are selectively public. They are generally available to record subjects, their attorneys, law enforcement officers, and individuals or agencies authorized by record subjects or a court.

The Bartow County Sheriff’s Office is the official custodial agency for the county’s criminal records. Eligible parties may submit an open record request to this office, specifying the record subject’s identification details. Interested Bartow County residents can also find sex offenders through the Georgia Sex Offender Registry.

Bartow County Arrest Records Vs. Criminal Records

The distinction between arrest records and criminal records lies in their content. Although similar, both records are different and serve distinct functions. Arrest records can also be considered a subset of criminal records. Criminal records provide in-depth information about a person’s criminal history. Further distinctions are as follows:

Arrest records:

• May exist for dismissed cases
• Can not be used conclusively as an indication of guilt
• Are limited to information about a specific arrest
• Do not contain court dispositions
• Are generated by a single agency (the arresting agency)

On the other hand, criminal records:

• Only exist for convictions
• Always indicate guilt
• Contain information about multiple arrests
• Contain court dispositions
• Typically include information generated in several agencies (including courts and the arresting agency).

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

Records of arrests that led to the conviction of a suspect typically remain on a person’s criminal record indefinitely. However, the Georgia Second Chance Law allows individuals to expunge certain conviction records provided the record’s subject satisfies the terms of the sentence and has no new convictions for at least four years since the arrest. Under this law, individuals with arrest records related to crimes, such as non-domestic assault, shoplifting, possession of marijuana and drug-related objects, criminal trespass, and minor possession of alcohol, may qualify for record expungement.

Expunge Bartow County Arrest Records

In Bartow County, record subjects or their attorneys may petition for the expungement of an arrest and other types of criminal records since the existence of these records may negatively impact their ability to secure jobs, housing, or licenses. Most arrest records can be expunged, such as those related to misdemeanors and cases closed without a conviction. Expungement petitions usually start from a court of competent jurisdiction, typically the superior court, where they are reviewed and heard. At the hearing, the court may either deny or grant the petition.

If a petition is granted, a record’s subject may apply to the specific agency that made the arrest or the district attorney’s office. A petitioner must complete and submit the Request to Restrict Arrest Record form or any other applicable form provided to the concerned office, with a copy of the court’s final disposition of the expungement hearing. Most agencies charge processing fees of up to $50.

Upon approval, an agency erases the concerned records from its public database. The record erasure process typically takes two to three weeks, after which the petitioner gets notified by mail. The arresting agency also notifies other agencies with access to the affected records of the expungement order, including state repositories, such as the Georgia Crime Information Center.

If they do not have access to the GCIC, the petitioner must send a copy of the approved application themselves, via mail. The CGIC also requires a processing fee, payable by certified check or money order. Mail requests to the CGIC should go to:

Georgia Crime Information Center Record Restrictions
P.O. Box 370808
Decatur, Georgia 30037-0808

Bartow County Arrest Warrants

In Bartow County, law enforcement agencies need an arrest warrant to authorize anyone suspected of committing an offense. Arrest warrants are issued by courts. To obtain a warrant for an arrest, law enforcement officers must present reasonable evidence before a judge to establish probable cause in which the warrant can be issued. Without a warrant, an officer can only arrest a suspect if they witnessed the crime or have probable cause to believe an individual committed it. Arrest warrants contain the following information:

• Full name and address of the suspect
• Gender, race, and other known physical descriptors of the suspect
• The name, signature, title of office, and seal of the issuing authority
• The county where the warrant is issued
• The date the warrant was issued
• The arrest clause
• The pressed charges.

Bartow County Arrest Warrant Search

Residents of Bartow County can search for active arrest warrants at the sheriff’s office and the clerk’s office at the court where a warrant is believed to have been issued. An inquirer must possess the first name, last name, and date of birth of the person named on the warrant they wish to search. A searcher may contact the Bartow County Sheriff’s Office via any of the options on their website. There are no fees for in-person searches at the sheriff’s office.

Individuals who visit the sheriff’s office for a warrant search must carry a valid means of identification, such as a government-issued I.D. Record seekers with an existing warrant may be arrested immediately at the sheriff’s office. As such, individuals who have cause to believe that there is a warrant in their name should have their lawyer search on their behalf.

Do Bartow County Arrest Warrants Expire?

No. Bartow County arrest warrants do not expire, as there are no statutes of limitation on them. When an arrest warrant is issued, it remains active until the individual named on the warrant is arrested, regardless of the amount of time that elapses since issuance. Note that a judge or magistrate may dismiss a warrant if they have reasonable cause for it.