Search Statesboro Criminal History

Criminal history records in Statesboro are kept by the Statesboro Police Department and the Bulloch County court system. Statesboro is the county seat of Bulloch County and home to Georgia Southern University, which adds a large student population to the area. The city police handle arrests and incident reports for crimes inside city limits. Criminal court cases from Statesboro go through the Bulloch County Superior Court. State databases from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation also cover Statesboro cases and can be searched for felony convictions. Finding a full criminal history from this area may require checking more than one office.

Statesboro Police Department Criminal Records

The Statesboro Police Department is the primary law enforcement agency for the city. The department is at 25 West Grady Street, Statesboro, GA 30458. Their number is (912) 764-9911. The SPD manages all arrests, incident reports, and police records for crimes that happen in Statesboro. An arrest report lists the date, time, charges, location, and the name of the arresting officer. These are the first records created in any criminal case that starts with a local arrest.

The department sends arrest data to the Georgia Crime Information Center. State law requires this. That means a Statesboro arrest shows up in the GCIC statewide database along with the local records kept by the department. If you need a copy of a police report from a Statesboro case, reach out to the SPD records division. Walk-in requests are handled at the Grady Street office. You can also call to ask about the process.

Statesboro has a sizable college population because of Georgia Southern University. The university has its own police department that covers campus. Crimes on campus are handled by the university police, not the Statesboro PD. If you are looking for a criminal record tied to something that happened on campus, check with the Georgia Southern University Police Department instead. Off-campus incidents in the city fall under Statesboro PD.

The Bulloch County Sheriff's Office also operates in the area. Their jurisdiction covers unincorporated parts of Bulloch County. If an incident happened outside Statesboro city limits but within the county, the sheriff's office would have the local record.

Bulloch County Handles Statesboro Court Records

Statesboro sits in Bulloch County. Criminal cases from the city go through the Bulloch County court system. The Superior Court Clerk handles records for felonies and serious misdemeanors. Since Statesboro is the county seat, the courthouse is right in town. Case files include charges, plea information, trial results, and sentencing data.

The Bulloch County Magistrate Court deals with preliminary hearings and some lower-level criminal cases. Cases can move from magistrate court to superior court when the charges are serious. That means a case could have records in both courts. Check each level for the full picture.

Certified copies of court records come with a fee. You can go to the clerk's office in person or submit a request by mail. The Bulloch County criminal history page has more on the clerk's office, the sheriff, and county-level search options. Phone calls can help you sort out what you need before making a trip to the courthouse.

State Criminal History Tools

The Georgia Felon Search is a state tool that checks the GCIC database for felony convictions. It costs $15 per search. You enter a first name, last name, date of birth, and sex. Results come back quickly. The fee applies even when no record is found. Statesboro cases are included along with all other Georgia jurisdictions.

The Georgia Department of Corrections offender search is free. It shows people currently in a state prison or under state supervision. A person convicted in Statesboro who is serving time at a GDC facility will appear here. People in the Bulloch County Jail or those who have already finished their sentence will not show up in this search.

The GBI FAQ page answers common questions about getting criminal history in Georgia. It covers personal record requests and third-party searches. The GBI also offers fingerprint-based checks, which provide the most thorough and official record of your criminal history.

Record Restriction for Statesboro Cases

Georgia uses the term record restriction. It is not called expungement. When a record is restricted, it is sealed from public view. Law enforcement still has access. But the record will not show up in a normal public search.

Charges that were dismissed can qualify. People who finished a pretrial diversion program may apply. First Offender cases are eligible as well. The First Offender Act, under O.C.G.A. Section 42-8-60, allows first-time offenders to complete their sentence without a formal conviction appearing on their record. Once the sentence is done and the court discharges them, the record gets restricted.

All the details are in O.C.G.A. Section 35-3-37. For arrests after July 1, 2013, contact the prosecuting attorney to start the process. For older arrests, go through the arresting agency. In Statesboro, that is the Statesboro Police Department or (for on-campus cases) the Georgia Southern University Police. The petition goes to the court that handled the case.

There is a retroactive First Offender path too. Someone who should have been sentenced under that act but was not can petition the court later. If the court grants it, the conviction is removed from the public criminal history record.

How to Look Up Criminal History in Statesboro

Several paths lead to criminal history records from Statesboro. The right one depends on what you need and where the case was handled.

• Call the Statesboro Police Department at (912) 764-9911 for arrest and incident reports
• Visit the Bulloch County Superior Court Clerk for criminal court records
• Use the Georgia Felon Search for statewide felony conviction data
• Check the GDC offender search for people in state prisons
• Contact Georgia Southern University Police for on-campus incidents

Police records tell you what happened at the arrest. Court records from Bulloch County show the charges, plea, and outcome. State tools provide felony conviction and corrections data. You may need to check more than one source for the full story. For on-campus cases, the university police hold the local records, not the city department.

Open Records Requests in Statesboro

The Georgia Open Records Act gives people the right to request public documents from government agencies. That includes criminal history records held by the Statesboro Police Department. You can request incident reports, arrest reports, and related documents from criminal cases in the city.

Fees apply. The city can charge for the time it takes to find the records and for copies. Agencies have three business days to respond under the law. That response might just be an acknowledgment. Simple requests tend to be filled faster than complex ones.

Certain records are not available. Active investigations can be held back. Records restricted by court order or by state law are off limits. If a criminal history has been restricted under O.C.G.A. Section 35-3-37, it will not come through an open records request.