Dalton Recent Arrest Records
Recent arrests in Dalton are handled by the Dalton Police Department and processed through the Whitfield County jail system. Dalton is the county seat of Whitfield County and sits in northwest Georgia with a population of about 34,970. When someone is arrested in Dalton, they get booked at the Whitfield County Jail. The sheriff's office keeps the booking and jail records for the whole county. You can search for recent arrest records from Dalton through the county sheriff, state databases, and open records requests filed with the police department or the sheriff's office.
Dalton Quick Facts
Dalton Police Department Recent Arrests
The Dalton Police Department is the main law enforcement agency for the city. It sits at 301 Jones St in Dalton. Officers make arrests for all types of charges. DUI, theft, drug crimes, assault, and active warrants are all common. Call 706-278-9085 to reach the department. After an arrest in Dalton, the person goes to the Whitfield County Jail for booking. The Dalton PD keeps its own arrest reports, but the booking record enters the county system.
Dalton is the largest city in Whitfield County and the main hub for northwest Georgia. It sits along I-75 and draws a lot of traffic, both local and through the area. The city's police force handles patrol, criminal investigations, and a drug task force that works cases across the region. Officers also partner with the Whitfield County Sheriff and state agencies on joint operations from time to time. If you want to find a recent arrest in Dalton, the Whitfield County inmate search or a phone call to the jail is where to start.
Under O.C.G.A. 17-4-27, police in Dalton can arrest someone with a warrant or without one when they have probable cause. Most arrests start with traffic stops, calls for help, or outstanding warrants. Once the officer takes the person in, they head to the county jail. That is where the booking happens and the arrest record gets created in the Whitfield County system.
| Department | Dalton Police Department |
|---|---|
| Address | 301 Jones St Dalton, GA 30720 |
| Phone | 706-278-9085 |
Whitfield County Sheriff and Dalton Booking Records Recent Arrests
Sheriff Darren Pierce runs the Whitfield County Sheriff's Office. The sheriff manages the county jail, serves warrants, and keeps booking records for Dalton and all other areas in Whitfield County. When someone gets arrested in Dalton, their booking record goes into the Whitfield County system. The jail logs the person's name, charges, bond amount, booking photo, and date of arrest. This is the central source for recent arrest data tied to Dalton.
The Whitfield County jail operates around the clock. It handles bookings for people arrested by Dalton police, the sheriff's department, and any other law enforcement working in the county. The jail is not large compared to metro Atlanta facilities, but it processes a steady flow of bookings each week. You can contact the sheriff's office at 706-278-1233 to ask about a person in custody or to get information about a recent arrest and booking in Dalton.
Georgia law under O.C.G.A. 35-1-19 requires law enforcement agencies to report booking data to the Georgia Crime Information Center. That means arrests in Dalton go into the state system as well. But the same area of law puts limits on how booking photos can be used. Under O.C.G.A. 10-1-393.5, websites that post mugshots for profit must remove them within 30 days at no charge if a person asks. Arrest records from Dalton are public, but there are rules that limit how booking photos end up on the internet.
| Sheriff | Darren Pierce |
|---|---|
| Address | PO Box 652 Dalton, GA 30722 |
| Phone | 706-278-1233 |
How to Search for Dalton Recent Arrest Records
There are a few ways to find recent arrests in Dalton. The first step is to contact the Whitfield County Sheriff's Office and ask about their inmate search options. This is the quickest way to find out if someone is in jail right now. If the person has been released, the live search may not show their record anymore. In that case, you file an open records request to get the information you need.
The Open Records Act under O.C.G.A. 50-18-72 gives the public the right to ask for arrest records. Initial arrest reports are open records under the law. Anyone can request them. No reason is needed. Write the request and send it to the Dalton Police Department or the Whitfield County Sheriff's Office. The agency has three business days to respond. They can charge for copies but not for the time staff spends pulling records.
Court records give you more detail on what happens after an arrest. A Dalton arrest can lead to a case in Whitfield County Superior Court or State Court. The E-Access Court Records portal lets you search case data from courts across Georgia. The re:SearchGA tool covers many courts in the state too. These tools show filings, hearings, and case results. They go beyond the arrest itself and show you where the case stands in the court system.
State Databases for Dalton Arrests Recent Arrests
Georgia runs state-level tools that include arrest data from Dalton. The Georgia Crime Information Center is the main hub. It sits under the GBI and stores criminal history records from every agency in the state. A criminal history check costs $15. Under O.C.G.A. 35-3-35, the GCIC can release felony conviction records electronically, so some records can be accessed without filing a paper request.
The GCIC main page shows how the Georgia Crime Information Center organizes criminal history records, including data from arrests that start in Dalton.
This resource from the GBI covers how the state collects, stores, and shares criminal history records from agencies like the Dalton Police Department and the Whitfield County Sheriff.
The E-Access court records portal shows how you can search for court case data that may stem from an arrest in Dalton or Whitfield County.
This tool from the Georgia courts lets you search case records from courts around the state, including courts in Whitfield County that handle Dalton cases.
The Georgia Felon Search is free. It shows people who served time in state prison. If someone arrested in Dalton was later convicted of a felony and sentenced, they may appear in that database. The GDC Offender Search covers current inmates, parolees, and people under state supervision. The Sex Offender Registry is a separate tool for that specific record type.
Getting Dalton Arrest Records Restricted
If you were arrested in Dalton and the case ended without a conviction, you may be able to get the record restricted. Georgia uses the term record restriction, not expungement. The process is set out in O.C.G.A. 35-3-37. You can apply if charges were dropped, dismissed, or if you were found not guilty. Cases that ended in a nolle prosequi or dead docket may qualify as well. The process takes time and requires filing paperwork with the court.
Record restriction does not erase the record. It limits who can see it. Law enforcement and certain agencies can still access restricted records. A restricted arrest from Dalton will not show up in most background checks. That matters for anyone who wants to move past an old case. Speak with a lawyer in Whitfield County if you need help filing. The Whitfield County Superior Court Clerk handles the court side of the paperwork.
Whitfield County Arrest Records
Dalton is the county seat of Whitfield County. All arrests in the city go through the Whitfield County Jail for booking. The sheriff's office manages jail records, warrant service, and bond processing for the whole county. For more on the Whitfield County system, jail info, and other arrest record tools, check the county page.
Nearby Cities
These are the closest qualifying cities to Dalton. Because Dalton sits in northwest Georgia, the nearest cities with their own pages are a bit further out than in the metro Atlanta area. If you need to find a recent arrest that did not take place in Dalton, try one of these cities.