Find Criminal History in Chamblee

Criminal history records in Chamblee are held by the Chamblee Police Department and the DeKalb County court system. Chamblee is a small city in DeKalb County, just northeast of Atlanta along the I-85 corridor. The city has its own police department that handles arrests and incident reports for crimes inside city limits. Felony and serious misdemeanor cases from Chamblee go to the DeKalb County Superior Court. The GBI maintains state-level criminal history data that includes Chamblee cases. Between the local police, the county courts, and the state databases, there are several ways to look up criminal history connected to this city.

Chamblee Police Department Records

The Chamblee Police Department is at 3518 Broad St, Chamblee, GA 30341. Call (770) 986-5005 to reach them. The department handles law enforcement within the Chamblee city limits. When an arrest takes place in Chamblee, the officers create a report that has the charges, date, and suspect's information. This is the first layer of criminal history data.

Under Georgia law, the Chamblee PD sends arrest data to the Georgia Crime Information Center at the GBI. A Chamblee arrest ends up in the statewide GCIC database. If you need a copy of a police report, you file an open records request. The city has three business days to respond under the Georgia Open Records Act. Fees may apply for copies and search time.

Walk-in requests are taken at the Broad Street location. You can also submit a request in writing. Be as specific as you can about what records you need. Include names, dates, and case numbers if you have them. Records related to open investigations might be held back until the case is done.

Chamblee PD records cover only what happens inside city limits. The city sits next to Brookhaven, Doraville, and Dunwoody. Each of those cities has its own police force. Unincorporated areas of DeKalb County nearby are handled by the DeKalb County Police Department. If you cannot find a record with one agency, try the neighboring ones.

DeKalb County Court Records for Chamblee

Chamblee is in DeKalb County. All felony cases and many misdemeanor cases from the city go through the DeKalb County court system. The Superior Court Clerk's office is at the DeKalb County Courthouse in Decatur. This office keeps records for felony cases, including charges, pleas, trial outcomes, and sentences.

The DeKalb County criminal history page goes into more detail on the clerk's office and the county's court structure. You can visit the courthouse in Decatur to look up case records. The clerk charges for copies. Certified copies cost more. Bring the person's name and any case numbers you have to help speed up the search.

DeKalb County is in the Stone Mountain Judicial Circuit. The county handles a very large volume of criminal cases. Besides Superior Court, the county has a State Court for misdemeanor matters and a Magistrate Court for preliminary hearings and warrants. A misdemeanor from Chamblee might land in DeKalb State Court rather than Superior Court. Records are kept separately for each court, so check the right one based on the type of charge.

State Criminal History Tools

The Georgia Felon Search costs $15 per search. It checks the GCIC database for felony convictions statewide. That includes cases from Chamblee and the rest of DeKalb County. You enter a first name, last name, date of birth, and sex. Results come back right away. The fee applies whether or not a record is found.

The Georgia Department of Corrections offender search is free. It shows people currently in a GDC state prison. Someone convicted in DeKalb County from a Chamblee arrest who is serving state time will show up here. People in the DeKalb County Jail or those who already finished their sentence will not.

For more on the process, the GBI FAQ page explains how criminal history requests work. It covers personal record requests, third-party searches, and how to fix errors on your record. The GBI also runs fingerprint-based checks for a more complete result.

Record Restriction for Chamblee Cases

Georgia uses record restriction instead of expungement. A restricted record is sealed from public view. Law enforcement keeps access. But the record will not show in a public search.

Dropped or dismissed charges from Chamblee may qualify for restriction. Completing a pretrial diversion program is another way to become eligible. The First Offender Act under O.C.G.A. Section 42-8-60 gives first-time offenders a path to finish their sentence without a formal conviction. When the court discharges them, the criminal history record gets restricted.

The full process is in O.C.G.A. Section 35-3-37. For arrests on or after July 1, 2013, contact the prosecuting attorney who handled the case. For arrests before that date, apply through the arresting agency. Charges that were never sent to a prosecutor get restricted on their own after a set time. Two years for misdemeanors. Four years for most felonies. Seven years for serious violent felonies.

Georgia also has a retroactive First Offender option. If someone was eligible at sentencing but did not get that treatment, they can petition the court after completing their sentence. The court can grant First Offender status after the fact and restrict the conviction from public records.

What Chamblee Criminal Records Show

A criminal history record linked to Chamblee pulls data from local and state sources. The record shows the person's name, date of birth, and physical description. Arrest entries list the agency, date, and charges. Court records show case outcomes: convictions, pleas, dismissals, or acquittals. State prison time shows up in the GDC database.

Some records are not public. Restricted records are hidden from standard searches. Juvenile records are sealed in most cases under Georgia law. Federal crimes processed through federal court do not appear in the state's GCIC system. Those sit with agencies like the FBI. For a complete look at someone's criminal history, you may need to check state and federal sources both.

Getting Your Own Record in Chamblee

Any person in Georgia can review their own criminal history under O.C.G.A. Section 35-3-37. Visit the Chamblee Police Department or the DeKalb County Sheriff's Office to get fingerprinted. Pay a fee capped at $15. The prints go to the GCIC, and they send back a copy of your record.

Found an error? File a written challenge with the GCIC. They have 60 days to investigate. Send your request to P.O. Box 370808, Decatur, Georgia 30037-0808. Call (404) 244-2639 for questions. You need an appointment to visit the GCIC office in person.

Chamblee Municipal Court

The Chamblee Municipal Court handles city ordinance violations, traffic offenses, and some misdemeanor charges within city limits. Felonies are not heard here. Those go to DeKalb County Superior Court. For a record tied to a minor offense in Chamblee, the municipal court is where to look.

Contact the municipal court clerk for records requests. You may need to go in person since not all records are available online. Call ahead to ask about fees and what you need to bring. The court is at the Chamblee city government complex on Broad Street. Processing times for record copies vary, so ask the clerk what to expect when you make the request.