White County Arrest Records

White County arrest records are digital or electronic logbooks maintained in the Sheriff's Office or the state police database. They list individuals who have been arrested or taken into custody by law enforcement officers in the County. Arrests typically become necessary when an individual commits a crime in the presence of an officer or when there is probable cause to believe that an individual was involved in a criminal offense.

Following an arrest, a case may be filed with the Clerk of the Superior Court and docketed for trial if the District Attorney believes sufficient evidence exists to pursue prosecution. Such cases are often processed into the criminal record section of White County Court Records.

An official record of an individual's contact with the justice system after an arrest typically consists of the arresting agency's record, the White County Court Records, and the inmate's jail record, if the arrestee was convicted and sentenced to jail.

Are Arrest Records Public in White County?

Arrest records in White County are generally public under the Georgia Open Records Act (50-18-72). Specifically, initial police arrest and incident reports must be made available to the public within three business days after request.

However, investigative records related to an arrest, such as intelligence reports, informant identities, interviews, and strategies, are typically withheld until all litigation, investigation, and prosecution have been concluded.

Other information specifically required by federal statute or regulation to be kept confidential may include:

• Juvenile arrest records
• Sealed or expunged records
• Sensitive personal information, and
• Mugshots

For more inquiries, individuals can visit the White County Sheriff's Office at:

White County Sheriff's Office
1210 Hulsey Road, Cleveland,
Georgia 30528

White County Arrest Statistics

Arrest statistics provide insight into the progression or regression of criminal activities in a specific jurisdiction. The statistics provided in this section are gathered from the White County Sheriff's Office Monthly Activity Report. According to the February 2021 report, 5 DUI arrests were made, six felony arrests, 11 misdemeanor arrests, 28 issued arrest warrants, 11 traffic arrests, and seven pending criminal cases were cleared by arrest.

In February 2022, the number of DUI and traffic offenses was slightly reduced, with 1 and 9 arrests recorded, respectively. Felony arrests also slightly decreased from 6 to 5. However, there was a slight uptick in misdemeanor arrests (13 compared to 11 in 2021), 17 arrest warrants issued, and eight pending criminal cases cleared by arrests.

Find White County Arrest Records

To obtain White County arrest and booking reports, individuals must submit an open records request to the Sheriff's Office. They must complete a request form from the White County Sheriff's Office. The online version of the form is available on the White County Sheriff's Office website.

Individuals may complete the form and submit the request directly through the website. They should be prepared to provide details that sufficiently identify the record. This includes the approximate time of the incident, the location, the person on whom the information is requested, the case number, the requestor's personal information, and the record type.

If unable to access these records online, individuals may check with the Sheriff's Office at:

White County Sheriff's Office
1210 Hulsey Road
Cleveland, GA 30528
Phone Number
Administration: (706) 865-5177 | Jail: (706) 865-5177
Fax Number
Administration: (706) 865-6977 | Jail: (706) 865-3037

A statewide search for arrest records can be conducted online through the Georgia Department of Corrections Inmate Search. Individuals must refer to the Georgia Department of Corrections website to use this feature. Scroll down to "Offender Search" and navigate to "Find an Offender". Using this tool, individuals can search for inmates by ID information or full name to get information on their status.

White County Arrest Records Vs. Criminal Records

Arrest records refer to entries entered on an individual's criminal history record, which reflects specific instances when they were detained by law enforcement officers and taken into custody based on probable cause that they might have committed a crime. Arrest records are typically restricted and merely reflect the events during the arrest period.

It includes the location, time, date of arrest, the reason for the arrest, the charge, booking into a holding facility, and bail or arraignment details. Unlike an arrest record, a criminal record provides details of a court trial, the case outcomes, the final verdict—which may be a verdict of guilt or acquittal—and sentencing or incarceration details.

Employers, landlords, and business associates typically seek criminal records to determine an individual's integrity by checking whether they have ever been convicted.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

The record retention period for an arrest typically depends on the nature of the crime for which the individual was arrested. According to section 35-3-37 of the code of Georgia, access to an arrest record, including fingerprints and mugshots, must be restricted by the Georgia Crime Information Center if after an arrest, the case was not referred to a prosecuting attorney or any other law enforcement agency for prosecution and if the applicable period has elapsed:

• For misdemeanors, if two 2 years have passed.
• For felonies, if 4 years have passed, unless it is a serious felony or a felony sexual offense involving a victim under 16 years old.

White County Arrest Warrants

When a law enforcement officer executes an arrest under a warrant, it simply means that the arrest is court-authorized. An arrest warrant is a document granting law enforcement permission to arrest a suspect.

For an arrest warrant to be issued, a magistrate must submit a written request together with an affidavit containing evidence sufficient to establish that a specific individual is responsible for a crime that occurred. If the magistrate is convinced, the warrant is issued.

A warrant typically contains the following details:

• The name of the suspect to be arrested
• The charge
• The arresting agency
• The issuing judge's name and signature

Once issued, the suspect may be arrested anywhere within state borders. While the warrant is often issued to a specific law enforcement agency, any peace officer with knowledge of the warrant can execute the arrest.

Do White County Arrest Warrants Expire?

An arrest warrant does not expire. It stays on record until the individual named by the warrant has been apprehended. However, some records may qualify for expungement. If the individual seeking expungement of an arrest record was arrested before July 1, 2013, they must apply for restriction at the arresting agency. An expungement processing fee applies, typically less than $50.00.

If the arrest occurred on July 1, 2013 or later, there is no application process. The prosecutor may approve the restriction at the time of sentencing. Access to that specific arrest cycle is restricted for non-criminal justice purposes (Employment/Licensing) if approved.