Catoosa County Arrest Records

Catoosa County arrest records document instances where citizens are remanded in custody and the offense that resulted in the arrest. In Catoosa County, arrests typically occur when peace officers have good reason to believe someone has committed a crime. After an arrest, law enforcement agents usually take the arrestee to the Catoosa County Jail, where they are detained during the booking process until they are either released on bail or have the charges against them dropped.

The Catoosa County Sheriff’s Office is the primary agency responsible for generating arrest records in the county. These records are part of the more extensive categorization of Catoosa County Court Records, encompassing various public records, including criminal and civil court cases and other legal documents. Arrest records detail a person’s detainment and any charges that may have been filed due to the arrest.

These arrest records are a subdivision of public records under the Georgia Open Records Act and are generally available to the public unless subject to public disclosure exemptions.

Are Arrest Records Public in Catoosa County?

Yes. According to the Georgia Open Records Act, all physical and electronically generated arrest records stored and maintained by law enforcement agencies during arrests and bookings are open records that the general public may view, inspect, or copy.

Therefore, anyone may inspect and copy all Catoosa County arrest records except those expressly exempted by state and federal laws or court orders. These exemptions typically seek to protect pending investigations/prosecutions or information that may endanger the lives of individuals collaborating with law enforcement agencies.

Some Catoosa County arrest records exempted from public disclosure under § 50-18-72 include:

• Birth records
• Confidential source, surveillance, or investigation law enforcement records
• Child abuse reports (where confidential)
• Credit reports
• Federal records exempted by law
• Juvenile records
• Name/ID of rape victims
• Social security number
• Bank account details
• Confidential tax information
• Wiretapping records

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

Under the Georgia Open Records Act, requesters have the right to view or inspect the following components of a Catoosa County arrest record:

• A suspect’s name, age, race, and sex.
• Booking and Detention Details
• Arrest Details (arrest date, arresting agency, and the monetary value of the bond)
• Description of the charges against the arrestee.

However, to protect suspects' privacy, the Act does not permit the display of booking photographs on law enforcement agency websites. Requesters looking for such records must sign an undertaking that they will not publish the images on websites that charge for the removal or expunging of the photographs.

Catoosa County Arrest Statistics

A 5-year crime statistics by the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) revealed that the Catoosa County Sheriff’s Office reported 7,965 arrests between 2019 and 2023. The gender distribution of the arrest data indicated that males constituted 72.96% (5,811) while females accounted for 27.04% (2,154) of all arrests within the period.

The racial composition of all arrests in the period under review showed that Whites were the predominant racial group arrested for various offenses, with 85.17%. Others include Blacks or African Americans, Unknown, and Asians, who accounted for 11.96% (953), 2.03% (162), and 0.41% (33) of all arrests, respectively. American Indians or Alaska Natives and Native Hawaiians or Other Pacific Islanders constituted 0.20% (16) each.

A breakdown of the type of offenses law enforcement officers arrested suspects for between 2019 and 2023 showed that all other offenses aside from traffic were the most prevalent, with 67.00% (5,337), followed by simple assault at 7.22% (575) and possession of drugs and other dangerous nonnarcotic drugs at 5.00% (398).

Find Catoosa County Arrest Records

In Catoosa County, requesters seeking the whereabouts of inmates may use the following state and federal resources:

• Georgia Department of Corrections Offender Search: This tool allows users to look up current and previous inmates under the Georgia Department of Corrections jurisdiction. Users may search by first and last name, gender, age range, and most recent incarceration facility. Additional search criteria include middle name, height, and weight ranges, eye and hair colors, sentence status, and conviction county.
• Federal Bureau of Prisons Inmate Locator: This search tool allows interested parties to find federal inmates who have been incarcerated from 1982 to the present. Visitors may search by name, BOP register number, FBI number, or INS number.
• Department of Justice Inmate Locator: This site may help inmate record seekers identify federal prisons where individuals being held by federal law enforcement authorities are being kept. They may search by facility name, state, area, kind, and security level.

Free Arrest Record Search in Catoosa County

Individuals seeking free Catoosa County arrest records may visit the Catoosa County Sheriff's Office website to view the list of current inmates. While on the site, they may search by name, race, sex, arrest date, and release date.

Alternatively, requesters may submit a record request using the Sheriff's Office online contact form or contact the Records Division of the Sheriff's Office via email or in person.

The contact address of the Catoosa County Sheriff's Office is as follows:

5842 Highway 41
Ringgold, GA 30736
Phone: (706) 935-2424
Office Hours: Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Mailing Address

Catoosa County Sheriff's Office

P.O. Box 909
Ringgold, GA 30736

Although non-classified arrest records are available to browse online or inspect in person, making copies of such records attracts fees.

Interested parties may also search third-party public records repositories for Catoosa County arrest records. Visitors may search these third-party databases free of charge using a subject’s first and last name. However, these firms usually charge requesters a fee to receive an extensive report on a person’s arrest history.

Catoosa County Arrest Records Vs. Criminal Records

Arrest records and criminal records are not synonymous; they are different reports. An arrest record is an official report containing information about an arrest. Typically, Catoosa County arrest records include the arrestee’s personal information, the incident (location, nature of charges, arresting agency, and officer), and the outcome of the arrest. Possessing an arrest record does not imply someone is guilty of criminal behavior.

On the other hand, criminal records, also known as rap sheets or criminal history checks, are comprehensive reports that detail a person’s criminal history. Unlike arrest records, criminal history records include information on convictions, sentences, and other legal actions against a person regarding criminal activity.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

Arrest records may stay on record indefinitely. However, Georgia's law permits the sealing and expunging of certain arrest records. Prospective applicants for misdemeanors must wait four years from the date of their conviction. For those seeking to expunge felonies, the waiting period is four years, except for violent felonies and sex crimes, which have a mandatory seven-year waiting period. Arrests that do not result in prosecution may be automatically restricted.

Expunge Catoosa County Arrest Records

In Georgia, restricting a petitioner's arrest records depends on the date of their arrest and which agency or prosecuting attorney processed their case.

Individuals arrested before July 2013 must complete a Request to Restrict Arrest Record Form (page 1) at the sheriff’s office. They will have to bring their disposition from the court and a processing fee of $25. The Catoosa County Sheriff’s Office will complete its portion (page 2) and send the expungement package to the district attorney’s office for approval or denial. Applicants will be notified by phone if the expungement has been approved and provided instructions for the next step. This process may take 3–5 working days.

Individuals arrested after July 1, 2013, may contact the district attorney's office to apply for a restriction. Alternatively, the prosecutor may grant the restriction at the sentencing. The approval may be incorporated in the sentencing records and sent to the court for filing.

Catoosa County Arrest Warrants

An arrest warrant is an official order issued by a judge or magistrate authorizing law enforcement to detain a person suspected of a crime. In Catoosa County, a court grants a warrant based on probable cause, supported by an affidavit outlining the alleged crime, the suspect's identification, and other relevant facts. After a suspect's arrest, law enforcement agents would book the suspect at a police department or the Sheriff’s Office and remand them at the County Jail if the courts do not grant bail immediately.

A Catoosa County arrest warrant typically comprises the offense, any law codes, and the victim's identity. It is often issued when law enforcement has gathered sufficient evidence to arrest someone but needs judicial authority to proceed. The warrant guarantees arrests are made according to the Fourth Amendment, preserving individuals' rights against unlawful arrest and deprivation of personal freedom.

Do Catoosa County Arrest Warrants Expire?

No. Like in most parts of the United States, Catoosa County arrest warrants do not expire. They will remain active unless expunged or sealed by a court.