Cherokee County Arrest Records

Cherokee arrest records are essential as they serve multiple functions. Law enforcement officers use them to help with ongoing investigations. A judge may also seek an individual’s arrest record to determine appropriate bail and bond amounts. Due to their importance, some government bodies keep arrest records safe.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation maintains arrest records at the state level. Meanwhile, the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office keeps arrest records at the county level. Interested parties may also be able to find arrest records at various courts within the county that also hold Cherokee County Court Records.

According to the Georgia Code, law enforcement agents have the authority to detain a person they reasonably suspect of committing a crime. An arrest becomes necessary when a Judge at a Court of Law determines probable cause to arrest an individual and issues a warrant in pursuance of that.

Once the police arrest a person, they are brought to the Cherokee County jail, and their details and other information relevant to the arrest are taken down. These details form an arrest record. The paperwork shows law enforcement agents have detained a person for an alleged crime.

Are Arrest Records Public in Cherokee County?

According to the Georgia Open Records Act, arrest records are publicly available in Cherokee County. Despite being accessible to everyone, some information on an arrest record may be excluded to protect victims of certain crimes, such as sexual assault of minors. Additionally, not everyone can request a copy of an arrest record which contains finer details. This option is only available to the subject of the record.

What Do Public Arrest Records Contain?

There are different pieces of information contained in an arrest record. They help provide context to arrests carried out by the police. The public can find the following information in an arrest record:

• The arrestee's name, birth date, sex, race, etc.
• Date of the arrest
• Location of the arrest
• The arresting officer's name
• The address of the county jail
• The name of the officer who issued an arrest warrant

Cherokee County Crime Rate

According to crime statistics released by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Cherokee County had a crime rate of 6.91 per 1,000 persons. The county also saw 1,953 crimes committed in 2022, with Larceny being the most recurring crime, at 1,408. Aggravated assault and burglary were in second and third place.

Cherokee County Arrest Statistics

In 2023, there were 5,483 arrests in Cherokee County, according to a County Sheriff’s Office’s Annual report. Of these arrests, 629 were made by the Traffic Enforcement Unit. The Cherokee Multi-Agency Narcotics Squad (CMANS) also made 50 arrests that year.

Find Cherokee County Arrest Records

The Jail Operations Division of the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office maintains information on all persons incarcerated in the Cherokee County Adult Detention Center. Interested parties can get information about current inmates using the Jail List portal. The portal only requires record seekers to input the first and last name of the subject.

Once the search is complete, the portal provides the inmate’s age, demographic, booking number, and jail status. Interested parties should note that information kept on the portal is subject to change and is periodically updated.

If searching online is not feasible for some residents, written requests can also be sent to the Jail Division through the Sheriff's Office at:

Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office Jail Division
498 Chattin Drive,
Canton GA 30115
(678) 493-4200

Alternatively, the Georgia Department of Corrections Inmate Search Tool allows residents to locate inmates in state prisons and county jails. Record seekers can search for inmates by county or facility name. However, they may need to verify this information by writing and sending a correspondence to:

Inmate Records and Information
P.O. Box 1529,
Forsyth, GA 31029

Note: Only arrested persons and their legal representatives can receive physical copies of arrest records. Others can only view them.

Free Arrest Record Search in Cherokee County

Aside from the search portals provided by government agencies, third-party websites are available to interested parties. Many third-party websites collate different public records, such as arrest records. However, since they are free to use, they tend to provide limited information on the record subject. Record seekers may need to pay a fee to access more comprehensive information.

Get Cherokee County Criminal Records

Cherokee County residents can get criminal records in multiple government agencies across Georgia. For example, record seekers can find criminal history information at the Sheriff’s Office. The office makes the Jail List portal available for people to complete criminal record searches. Interested parties can also submit a written request, accompanied by a Criminal History Consent Form, to the Sheriff’s Office located at:

Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office Jail Division
498 Chattin Drive,
Canton GA 30115
(678) 493-4200

Cherokee County residents can also go through the Clerk of Courts office to look for criminal records. The office provides an online search tool that allows the general public to look at criminal case records. Parties interested in viewing complete records can do so as follows:

Cherokee County Clerk of Court
Frank C. Mills III Justice Center
90 North Street
Canton, GA 30114.

The Georgia Crime Information Center (GCIC) of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation is the state's central repository of criminal history records. The center processes requests for employee background checks and criminal history information. However, the GCIC only conducts fingerprint-based searches. These checks are typically done by agencies for non-criminal justice purposes such as employment and licensing. Agencies conducting criminal background checks must use the online Georgia Applicant Processing Service (GAPS), which requires registering and obtaining an account number.

After 24 to 48 hours of fingerprinting, agencies can retrieve criminal records from the GAPS website. Record seekers must pay the applicable service fee to complete a request and present a valid photo ID at the fingerprint location.

The Georgia Technology Authority (GTA) maintains a Georgia Felon Search tool that allows requesters to obtain in-state felony conviction records. Individuals can submit a request through the GCIC to verify whether a person has committed or was convicted of felony offenses in Cherokee County using the Georgia Felon Search tool. A fee of $15 is attached to each search on the Georgia Felon Search.

Cherokee County Arrest Records Vs. Criminal Records

Like every other county in the United States, arrest and criminal records are very different. We can see the differences in what they are and their functions. An arrest record is a document that shows someone has been apprehended by law enforcement on suspicion of committing a crime. Meanwhile, criminal records contain information about individuals fully convicted of a crime. While the two documents contain some of the same information, the criminal and arrest records for Fresno County are different. Their distinctions can be seen in their definition and purposes.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

Criminal records in Cherokee County may be automatically restricted or removed after a request from the offender. Under the Official Code of Georgia OCGA §35–3–37, individuals who were arrested but whose case never led to a conviction will have arrest records restricted automatically after a period of time. How long the waiting period hinges on the crime's severity. Generally, statutes of limitations are:

1. Two years for misdemeanors
2. Four years for felonies
3. Seven years for severe violent and sex-related felonies

Expunge Cherokee County Arrest Records

In Georgia, expungement is officially regarded as a record restriction. Individuals can restrict their arrest record if such an arrest did not lead to a conviction or jail time. The process of getting an arrest record restricted will be different depending on the time a person was arrested. For instance, someone arrested before July 1, 2013, must process their request for a restriction at the arresting agency. For people whose arrest happened after that date, they would need to contact the prosecuting attorney’s office.

Cherokee County also allows for situations where an arrest leading to a conviction can be restricted. If the person was below the age of 21 at the time of arrest, they can limit arrest records for:

• Theft that is not shoplifting,
• Battery
• Sexual battery
• Drug Offenses

Restrictions are beneficial since employers and landlords cannot access your arrest records during background checks. Lastly, arrest records are never entirely wiped and can always be accessed by law enforcement agencies.

Cherokee County Arrest Warrants

An arrest warrant is a document that a judge issues in court allowing law enforcement to conduct an arrest in Cherokee County. It demonstrates that there is reason to believe someone is guilty of a crime and warrants arrest.

However, certain conditions must be fulfilled before a judge can grant an arrest warrant. Firstly, law enforcement must provide a judge with an affidavit detailing the specifics of the alleged offense. They must also submit evidence pointing to the defendant to obtain an arrest warrant. After reviewing the affidavit, the judge decides if there is enough evidence to make an arrest. If so, they issue a warrant.

Note: Warrants are primarily issued for cases involving felonies, although a court can issue them for misdemeanors in some cases.

Cherokee County Arrest Warrant Search

Interested parties can search for arrest warrants in Cherokee County by contacting the Sheriff’s Office’s Warrant/Civil Unit. Requests for active warrants can be made by phone or in person. If done by phone, identifying information must be given to the Sheriff’s Office. However, if the requester requests in-person, they must bring their government-issued identification.

Residents can contact the Unit by phone at (678) 493-4251 or its physical address:

Sheriff's Office (Warrant/Civil Unit)
498 Chattin Dr. Canton,
GA 30115.

Do Cherokee County Arrest Warrants Expire?

Arrest warrants typically do not expire. Instead, they remain in effect until the person subjected to the arrest warrant is taken into custody or the warrant is "recalled and quashed". However, if an arrest warrant is issued but not carried out for years, it could lead to the dismissal of your case for violating the criminal statute of limitations or your right to a prompt trial.