Atlanta Recent Arrests
Recent arrests in Atlanta are processed by the Atlanta Police Department and booked at the Fulton County Jail. Atlanta is the state capital and the largest city in Georgia, with over 520,000 residents. Parts of the city extend into DeKalb County, but most arrest bookings go through Fulton County. Searching for recent arrests in Atlanta starts with the Fulton County Sheriff's inmate search tool, which lists all people held at the jail. You can also check court records through Georgia's statewide systems for cases filed after an Atlanta arrest.
Atlanta Quick Facts
Atlanta Police Department and Recent Arrests
The Atlanta Police Department handles law enforcement for the city. APD is one of the largest police forces in the Southeast. Officers make arrests for crimes that happen within city limits. After an arrest, the person is taken to a holding area and then transferred to the Fulton County Jail for booking. APD does not run its own jail for long-term holds. All booking records for Atlanta arrests end up in the Fulton County system.
| Department | Atlanta Police Department |
|---|---|
| Address | 226 Peachtree St SW, Atlanta, GA 30303 |
| Phone | 404-614-6544 |
| Non-Emergency | 404-546-4500 |
The department is split into six zones across the city. Each zone has its own precinct and patrol units. When someone is arrested in any zone, the arrest report goes into the same central system. You can request copies of Atlanta arrest reports by contacting the Records Unit. Incident reports and arrest records are public in Georgia under the state's open records law. The department processes a high volume of arrests each year given Atlanta's size and role as a metro hub.
Fulton County Jail and Bookings
The Fulton County Sheriff runs the jail where Atlanta arrests are booked. Sheriff Pat Labat oversees the facility on Rice Street in Atlanta. When someone is arrested in the city, they are brought to this jail for processing. The booking process creates a record that includes the person's name, charges, booking date, and mugshot. These records become part of the public jail roster.
You can search for current inmates and recent bookings at the Fulton County Inmate Search page. The tool lets you look up anyone held at the jail by first name, last name, or booking number. Results show the charges, bond amount, and housing status. This is the fastest way to check on a recent arrest in Atlanta. The system updates throughout the day as new bookings come in and people are released.
The Fulton County jail has a capacity of about 1,900 beds. Overcrowding has been an issue in past years. People booked on minor charges may be released on bond within hours. Those held on serious charges or without bond stay until their court date. If the arrest took place in the part of Atlanta that sits in DeKalb County, the booking might go through the DeKalb County jail instead. Check both systems if you are not sure which side of the county line the arrest occurred on.
Note: Arrests in the DeKalb County portion of Atlanta are booked at the DeKalb County Jail, not Fulton.
How to Search Atlanta Recent Arrest Records
There are several ways to find arrest records for Atlanta. The method you choose depends on what information you need and how far back you want to go. Current jail bookings are the easiest to find. Older arrest records may take more effort.
The Georgia Crime Information Center at the GBI maintains the state's criminal history database. This is the most complete source for arrest records in Georgia. You can request a criminal history check that shows all arrests on file for a person across the state, including Atlanta. The GCIC processes background checks for a fee and requires proper identification from the person making the request or the subject of the record.
The E-Access Court Records portal shows you can look up court case information for arrests that went through the Fulton County court system. This tool shows case filings, hearing dates, and dispositions tied to Atlanta arrests. For a broader search across multiple counties, the re:SearchGA portal covers courts that use the Tyler Technologies system. Not every county is on it, but many are.
You can find people who were convicted of felonies in Georgia through the Felon Search tool. This covers Atlanta cases that ended in a felony conviction. The Georgia Department of Corrections offender search is useful if the person was sentenced to state prison after an Atlanta arrest. The Georgia Sheriffs' Association also keeps a directory of every county sheriff in the state if you need to reach another jurisdiction.
Atlanta Recent Arrest Records Online Tools
The GCIC page at the GBI website is the main state portal for criminal record checks tied to Atlanta and all Georgia arrests. You can visit the Georgia Crime Information Center page to learn about the request process.
The GCIC page outlines the steps for getting a background check and explains what shows up in the results. It covers both fingerprint-based and name-based searches. For Atlanta arrests, any booking that was reported to the state system will appear in a GCIC check. The page also has links to FAQ sections and instructions for attorneys who need records.
Georgia's E-Access system lets you search court records from Fulton County and other jurisdictions that handle Atlanta cases. The portal covers Superior Court, State Court, and Magistrate Court records.
This is where you can find case details for Atlanta arrests that moved to prosecution. Search by name or case number. Some records include document images while others show basic case data only. Court records from Fulton County show up here since the county participates in the statewide system.
Georgia Arrest Record Laws
Georgia law gives the public a right to access arrest records. Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-72, the Open Records Act sets out what government documents are public and what is exempt. Arrest records and booking information are generally open to anyone who asks. The law applies to Atlanta police records and Fulton County jail records alike. There are exceptions for ongoing investigations, sealed cases, and juvenile records, but the baseline rule is that arrest records are public.
When Atlanta police make an arrest, the legal basis comes from O.C.G.A. § 17-4-27, which covers the process for making arrests and creating arrest records in Georgia. This statute defines what information must be recorded at the time of arrest. It applies to all officers in the state, including those working for APD. The arrest record becomes a public document once it is filed with the appropriate agency.
Booking photos from Atlanta arrests are handled under O.C.G.A. § 35-1-19. This law addresses booking photographs and limits how they can be used by third-party websites. Law enforcement agencies can release mugshots as part of public records, but the law restricts commercial exploitation of these images. Some Atlanta booking photos appear on the Fulton County jail's inmate search page as part of the booking record.
Record Restriction in Atlanta
Georgia has a record restriction process that can limit access to certain arrest records. Under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37, people arrested in Atlanta may be able to get their records restricted if the case was dismissed, they were found not guilty, or the charges were never prosecuted. Record restriction does not destroy the record. It limits who can see it. Law enforcement and certain agencies can still access restricted records, but they will not show up in a standard background check.
The process starts with filing a petition in the court where the case was handled. For Atlanta arrests in Fulton County, you file with the Fulton County court. The petition must include details about the arrest, the case outcome, and the reason you qualify for restriction. There is a filing fee. The prosecutor gets a chance to object. If the court grants the restriction, the GBI updates the state criminal history database to reflect the change. It can take several weeks for all systems to update after a court grants record restriction for an Atlanta arrest.
Not all arrests qualify. Convictions generally cannot be restricted in Georgia. Serious offenses like sex crimes and crimes against children are excluded even if the case was dismissed. If you had an Atlanta arrest and the charges were dropped, you may have a strong case for restriction. Talk to a lawyer if you need help with the process.
Atlanta Arrest Record Resources
Several resources can help you find or understand arrest records in Atlanta. The Atlanta Municipal Court handles city ordinance violations and some misdemeanor cases. Their records are separate from the Fulton County Superior Court system. You can contact the municipal court for records tied to minor offenses that stayed at the city level.
The Fulton County Clerk of Superior Court keeps records for felony and serious misdemeanor cases that came from Atlanta arrests. The clerk's office is at the Fulton County Courthouse in downtown Atlanta. You can visit in person to search records or request copies. Certified copies cost more than plain ones. Call the clerk's office ahead of time to ask about current fees and what identification you need to bring.
For state-level searches, the GBI offers criminal history checks through the GCIC. This is the best option when you need a full picture of someone's arrest history across Georgia, not just in Atlanta. The fee varies based on the type of search. Fingerprint-based checks are more thorough than name-based ones. Anyone can submit a request through the proper channels as long as they meet the GBI's requirements.
Note: Municipal Court records in Atlanta are separate from Superior Court and may not appear in county-level searches.
Fulton County Recent Arrests
Atlanta sits in Fulton County, and all jail bookings from Atlanta arrests go through the Fulton County Sheriff's Office. The county handles cases for dozens of cities, with Atlanta being the largest by far. For more on the county jail roster, booking procedures, and full contact details, visit the Fulton County recent arrests page.
Nearby Cities
These cities are near Atlanta and also have pages with arrest record information. Each city falls under its own county sheriff for jail bookings, though some share the same county as Atlanta.