The procedure for active arrest warrants in Washington County is not different from that of Georgia’s other areas. Arrest warrants are issued when the police can prove probable cause to a local tribunal’s sitting magistrate that holds the authority to rule in criminal matters.
To show that there is indeed enough evidence to implicate a person in a specific case, the sheriff’s office or the district attorney’s department has to prepare an affidavit outlining the case and the proof in the matter, including witness and victim testimony. If this is not enough, people whose testimony is integral to the case may be called to offer their version of the story under oath.
Through this endeavor, the judiciary’s sincere effort ensures that the suspect’s rights are not compromised. After the issue, arrest warrants are sent to the sheriff’s office for execution. From here, they are stored in a central database as active or outstanding warrants. The latter refers to detention orders that remain un-served for some time.
When a warrant search is conducted through the police or the justice department, all records for the state of Georgia and Washington County are scoured through to find a name match. So, the applicant gets information on arrest records and warrants and convictions, incarceration, etc.
Suppose you take the trouble of visiting the sheriff’s office or the magistrate of Washington County in person. In that case, you are likely to find more in-depth information on the subject of your inquiry, including data on any bench warrants in his/her name and also if this person was ever a part of the most wanted list of the area. To get this information, drive down to the following state agency offices.
- The law enforcement head office: 1735 Kaolin Rd, Sandersville, Georgia 31082
- The magistrate’s office: Courthouse Square, Sandersville, GA 31082
- The county clerk’s office: Courthouse, Sandersville, Georgia 31082
Will state agencies provide an arrest report or information about Washington County warrants over the phone? (Updated-2021)
- Information about arrests and detainees may be obtained by contacting the Washington County Jail at 478-552-3088.
- Information about requesting arrest records and police reports may be obtained by contacting the Sheriff’s Office at 478-552-4795.
- Information about a criminal investigation may be obtained by contacting the Sheriff’s Office at 478-552-3858.
- Information about arrest warrants can be obtained by contacting the Washington Magistrate Court at 478-552-3591.
- Information on assistance available to victims may be obtained by contacting the District Attorney’s Office at 478-237-7846.
- Information on requesting judicial records and a criminal background check may be obtained by contacting the Office of the Clerk of Court at 478-552-3186.
Crime statistics of Washington County
Over 130 crimes were reported in Washington County in 2017. This annual average comprised 12 cases of violent crimes and 119 matters pertaining to property crimes.
More than 70 complaints in the property crimes category were attributed to larceny-thefts, while burglary led to the filing of around 40 complaints. Save for 2 complaints against rape and 4 reports of robbery, all other cases filed in the violent crimes category were against aggravated assault.
Older crime statistics
The annual crime rate of Washington County, Georgia held at just about 500 till 2006. However, in the two years that followed, there was a rapid doubling of incident rates. Fortunately, what started as a worrisome uptrend showed signs of a reversal in 2008 as the figures of both violent and property crimes were lower than those of the preceding year.