Search Putnam County Booking Releases
Putnam County booking releases are kept by the Sheriff's Office in Eatonton, the county seat in the Lake Oconee area of central Georgia. The county jail handles all local arrests and the sheriff is responsible for logging every booking and release. Putnam County has a relatively small population but sees some seasonal activity due to the lake communities in the area. You can search for booking releases by contacting the sheriff's office or by using statewide databases for inmates who have moved into the Georgia prison system.
Putnam County Quick Facts
Sheriff's Office and Booking Records
The Putnam County Sheriff's Office operates the county jail and maintains all booking release records in Eatonton. The sheriff manages arrests from county deputies and the Eatonton Police Department. Every person brought to the jail goes through a booking process that creates a permanent record tied to their time in custody.
Under O.C.G.A. § 42-4-7, Georgia law requires the sheriff to keep records for all inmates. These records include the person's name, the date of booking, charges, and the date of release. Putnam County follows this statute. The jail management system stores these records and makes them available for searches when someone asks.
Call the Putnam County Sheriff's Office at (706) 485-8557 for booking inquiries. Staff can pull up records by name. For copies of booking release documents, the office may direct you to submit a formal written request.
How to Find Booking Releases
Putnam County does not operate a public online inmate search portal. To look up a booking release, start by calling the Sheriff's Office. Give them the person's name and any other details. The staff can check the jail management system and let you know the results. This is the fastest route for most people.
You can also go to the office in Eatonton during normal business hours. Walk-in requests are fine for simple lookups. If you need copies of older records or records that cover a longer time period, a written request is the better approach. That way you have documentation of your request and a clear path to getting the records.
Georgia's Open Records Act gives the public the right to access government records, including booking releases.
The Open Records Act applies to the Putnam County Sheriff's Office and all other county agencies in Georgia.
The Georgia Department of Corrections offender search helps if the person left county custody and entered a state prison. The VINE notification system provides real-time custody alerts for all Georgia counties. Both are free and available online.
Open Records Requests
Georgia's Open Records Act at O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70 gives you the right to request booking release records from the Putnam County Sheriff. Write a clear request naming the person and the type of record you want. The county must respond in three business days.
The fee for copies is $0.10 per page. Staff search time is free for the first 15 minutes. In a county the size of Putnam, most individual requests are simple and get processed quickly. Requests that span many records or require extensive research may come with labor fees beyond the free period.
Denials must include a written explanation. Most booking release records are public and not covered by the law's exemptions. You can appeal if you believe your request was wrongly denied.
What Booking Releases Contain
Putnam County booking release records show the inmate's full name, date of birth, physical description, and charges. The booking date, arresting agency, and release date are all documented. Bond info and court dates may be included if the case has progressed. The record follows the person from intake to release.
Booking photos may be part of the record. Under O.C.G.A. § 35-1-18, Georgia sets rules for booking photo releases. Putnam County follows these rules. Whether or not a photo is included depends on the circumstances and the sheriff's determination.
Certain info may be exempt under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-72. Medical records, juvenile details, and info about ongoing cases can be held back. But the standard booking and release data is public in Georgia.
Statewide Booking Release Resources
State databases add more search options for Putnam County booking releases. The GDC offender search covers state prison inmates. The VINE system provides custody alerts across Georgia. Both are free and run around the clock.
The GDC Open Records portal accepts requests for state corrections files. The GBI Open Records portal covers criminal history and investigative records from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. These portals work well when the person you are searching for has moved beyond the county level.
For local arrests in Putnam County, the sheriff's office in Eatonton holds the records. State tools pick up from there if the person entered the state corrections system.
Cities in Putnam County
Putnam County has no cities that meet the population threshold for a separate page. Eatonton is the county seat and the largest community. Other areas include the Lake Oconee communities. All arrests in Putnam County are processed at the county jail, and every booking release record stays with the sheriff.
Nearby Counties
Neighboring counties keep their own booking release records. If the arrest was in another county, contact that county's sheriff for the records you need.