Macon Booking Release Records
Macon booking releases are kept by the Bibb County Sheriff's Office, which runs the county jail and handles all inmate records for the area. Macon and Bibb County consolidated their governments in 2014, so city and county services now operate under one structure. Every arrest in Macon leads to a booking at the Bibb County Law Enforcement Center, and the sheriff maintains all release records from that facility. You can access these records through the sheriff's online tools or by filing a request.
Macon Quick Facts
Bibb County Manages Macon Booking Releases
Since the 2014 consolidation, the Bibb County Sheriff's Office serves as the primary law enforcement agency for Macon. The sheriff runs the county jail and keeps records of every booking and release. There is no separate city police department. Deputies patrol the city and make arrests, then process inmates through the Bibb County Law Enforcement Center.
Georgia law at O.C.G.A. § 42-4-7 requires the sheriff to keep a record for each person held in the jail. The Bibb County Sheriff's Office follows this law and logs every booking that comes through the system. Records include the inmate's name, charges, booking date, and release information. These records go back years and cover all arrests within the consolidated city-county area.
The sheriff's office is at 668 Oglethorpe Street, Macon, GA 31201. Call (478) 751-7500 for questions about booking releases.
For the full guide to searching Bibb County booking release records, see the county page.
Macon-Bibb Law Enforcement
The consolidated Macon-Bibb County uses the sheriff's office as its main police force. Deputies handle patrol, traffic, investigations, and jail operations. This is different from most Georgia cities where a city police department handles city arrests and the sheriff runs the jail separately. In Macon, one agency does both.
The Bibb County Law Enforcement Center serves as the jail. When deputies arrest someone in Macon, the person goes straight to this facility for booking. Staff log the charges, take a photo, and enter the data into the jail management system. The whole process creates the booking record that becomes a public document once the case moves through the system.
Other agencies also operate in the Macon area. Mercer University Police and Robins Air Force Base security forces make arrests in their jurisdictions. University police arrests typically route through the county jail. Military arrests stay in the federal system and would not show up in Bibb County booking records.
How to Find Macon Booking Releases
Start with the online inmate search. The Bibb County Sheriff's Office lets you search by name for current and recent inmates. Results show the booking date, charges, bond information, and release status. The online tool runs all day and costs nothing to use.
For records not found online, submit an open records request. O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70 gives you the right to request these records. The county has three business days to respond. Send your request to the sheriff's office at 668 Oglethorpe Street with the person's name and any other identifying details. Copies cost $0.10 per page.
You can also call (478) 751-7500 and ask about a specific booking. Jail staff can check the system and give you basic info over the phone. For detailed records or certified copies, a written request is best. Follow the steps outlined in O.C.G.A. § 50-18-71 for the formal process.
What Macon Booking Releases Show
Each booking release record from the Bibb County jail has the inmate's full name, date of birth, physical traits, and a booking photo. It lists every charge, the arresting officer or agency, the booking date, and any court dates set. When the person is released, the record adds the release date, the type of release (bond, sentence served, dismissed), and the releasing authority.
Booking photographs fall under O.C.G.A. § 35-1-18, which sets rules on sharing mugshots. The Bibb County Sheriff follows these guidelines. Not all parts of a booking record may be available to the public. Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-72, certain records tied to ongoing investigations or sealed court orders can be withheld.
Statewide Booking Release Search Resources
If someone booked in Macon was later transferred to a state prison, the Georgia Department of Corrections offender search can help you find them. This tool shows current facility, sentence details, and projected release dates for state inmates.
The VINE victim notification system tracks inmates across all Georgia counties, including Bibb County.
Sign up for free alerts when an inmate is released or transferred from the Bibb County jail.
Use VINE to get alerts when someone is released from the Bibb County jail. It is free and runs day and night. For state-level records requests, check the GDC Open Records portal or the GBI Open Records portal.
Nearby Cities
The closest large city to Macon is Warner Robins, about 20 miles south in Houston County. Arrests in Warner Robins go through the Houston County jail, not Bibb County.