Cherokee County Arrest Records and Booking Reports
Cherokee County booking reports are maintained by the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office in Canton and are available to the public under Georgia's Open Records Act. The sheriff's office publishes an online inmate search tool so you can look up current detainees from home. This page walks you through the inmate search portal, explains what booking records contain, and points you to additional state-level resources for finding arrest data in Cherokee County.
Cherokee County Quick Facts
Cherokee County Sheriff Inmate Search Portal
The Cherokee County Sheriff's Office runs an online inmate search at their official website. You can look up people currently held at the Cherokee County Detention Center by name or other search criteria. The portal is part of the JailList system, which many Georgia sheriffs use to publish booking data. Access is available around the clock, and no account is needed to search.
Visit the Cherokee County Sheriff's inmate search portal to look up current bookings and detention records.
The inmate search shows people currently in custody, along with their charges and booking date.
Note that the Cherokee County Sheriff website uses Cloudflare security protection, which may occasionally slow access or display a verification step. If the page doesn't load right away, wait a moment and try again. The site is stable under normal use.
Beyond the inmate search, the sheriff's site at sheriff.cherokeecountyga.gov offers other public safety information, visitation details through the JailList system, and contact information for jail staff.
What Cherokee County Booking Records Include
Every person booked into the Cherokee County Detention Center gets a record created at the time of intake. That record includes their full name, date of birth, the charges filed against them, the arresting agency, and the date and time of booking. Booking photos (mugshots) are also taken and may be part of the public record. Under O.C.G.A. § 42-4-7, the sheriff is required by state law to keep this jail docket and make it open to public inspection.
Being in a booking record means someone was arrested. It does not mean they were convicted. Many people in the jail log are awaiting trial, haven't posted bail, or are on holds for other agencies. Charges can be dropped, reduced, or result in acquittals. Always check the court record for the final outcome of a case.
Cherokee County is one of Georgia's faster-growing counties north of Atlanta. Its detention facility handles a significant volume of bookings. That also means the online inmate search tends to have more activity than smaller, more rural counties.
Visiting and Contacting the Cherokee County Jail
If you prefer to check on someone in person, you can visit the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office in Canton. Staff can pull up the jail docket and show you current bookings. In-person access to the physical docket book is a right under Georgia law. Bring the full name and date of birth of the person you're looking for to make the search faster.
JailList also supports visitation scheduling for the Cherokee County jail. If you want to visit an inmate, check the Cherokee County Sheriff's site for approved visit times and any current restrictions. Visitation rules can change, and it's best to confirm before making the trip. For inmate communication services, Chirp Info is one platform used for messaging and connecting with inmates at the Cherokee facility.
The VINE victim notification service is also connected to the Cherokee County jail. If you are a victim or want to monitor someone's custody status, you can register with VINE to receive automatic alerts when the person's status changes, including release or transfer. The service is free.
Open Records Requests for Cherokee County
Beyond the online inmate search, you can request additional booking records through the Georgia Open Records Act. Send your written request to the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office. The office has three business days to respond, and the first 15 minutes of staff time is free. Fees may apply for longer searches or large document pulls.
If you need court case records linked to an arrest, try the Cherokee County Court Clerk's case search. That system covers civil and criminal filings in the county's court system and can show the status of charges tied to a booking. The clerk's office handles Superior Court, State Court, and other court-level documents separate from what the sheriff maintains.
Exemptions to the Open Records Act are outlined in O.C.G.A. § 50-18-72. These include active investigation materials and certain information about minors. If a request is denied, ask for a written explanation with the specific statute cited.
Note: Booking photos are public records in Georgia under most circumstances. Ask the sheriff's office if you need a photo from a specific booking record.
State-Level Resources for Cherokee County Records
Two state agencies hold records that may supplement a Cherokee County jail search. The GBI's Georgia Crime Information Center (GCIC) maintains statewide criminal history data covering arrests and dispositions across all counties. You can reach GCIC at 404-244-2639 or by visiting 3121 Panthersville Road, Decatur, GA 30034. The GBI's GCIC FAQ explains how to get your own criminal history record or one for someone else.
Visit the Cherokee County government website for county services, court information, and public records resources.
The county's main site links to department-level resources, including sheriff, courts, and public records access.
If someone was convicted and sent to state prison after time in the Cherokee County jail, you can search for them through the Georgia Department of Corrections offender search. That tool only covers people in state custody, not those still held locally. For written verification of a state offender's record, write to: Inmate Records and Information, PO Box 1529, Forsyth, GA 31029.
Record Restriction and Criminal History Corrections
Georgia law allows some people to restrict access to their criminal records under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37. This is different from expungement in other states, but it can limit who can see certain records. The First Offender Act (O.C.G.A. § 42-8-60) is another option for those who completed a first-offender program successfully. Both processes require working through the court and GBI, and legal advice is strongly recommended. The Georgia Courts website has general information on court processes that may be a starting point.
Cities in Cherokee County
Cherokee County includes several cities. The following cities have dedicated pages with local booking and records information:
Nearby Counties
Cherokee County sits north of the Atlanta metro area. These surrounding counties also have booking report pages: