Search Catoosa County Jail Roster

The Catoosa County jail roster lists all inmates held at the county detention center in Ringgold, Georgia. Catoosa County sits in the far northwest corner of the state, right at the Tennessee line. You can look up who is in the Catoosa County jail through the sheriff's office or through online inmate search tools. The roster shows names, charges, and booking dates for people in custody. Most of the data is free to access. If you need jail roster info fast, the sheriff's office in Ringgold can help by phone or in person during business hours.

Catoosa County Sheriff and Jail Roster

The Catoosa County Sheriff's Office runs the jail and handles all booking records for the county. The office is based in Ringgold, the county seat. Staff can pull up jail roster data by phone or walk-in during normal hours. The sheriff's office is the main point of contact for anyone who wants to check on an inmate in Catoosa County. They keep track of all bookings, bond info, and release dates for people held at the detention center.

Catoosa County is part of the Lookout Mountain Judicial Circuit. Arrests in the county go through the sheriff's office for booking. City police from Ringgold and Fort Oglethorpe also bring people to the Catoosa County jail. Once booked, each inmate shows up on the jail roster. The listing usually shows the person's name, date of birth, arrest date, charges, and bond amount if one has been set.

You can reach the Catoosa County Sheriff's Office by phone to ask about jail roster records. Call during business hours for the quickest response.

How to Search Catoosa County Inmates

There are a few ways to find someone on the Catoosa County jail roster. The fastest option is an online search. Many Georgia counties post their inmate lists on the web, and Catoosa County is no different. You can check the sheriff's office site for a current list of people in custody. Third-party sites also pull jail roster data from Catoosa County and show it in a searchable format. To use these tools, you need the person's name or booking details.

If online tools don't give you what you need, call the sheriff's office in Ringgold. Staff can look up jail roster records and tell you if someone is still in custody. This is the most reliable way to get current info, since the online roster may lag behind real-time changes.

State Search Tools for Catoosa County

The Catoosa County jail roster only covers people held at the local detention center. If the person you are looking for has been moved to a state prison, you need to use the GDC offender search tool. The Georgia Department of Corrections runs this free database for all state facility inmates. It shows charges, location, and parole dates. Keep in mind that it does not include county jail inmates. The two systems are separate.

The GDC facility directory is another useful tool. It lets you search for prisons and transitional centers across Georgia. You can find a facility by name, address, or type. For county jail data in Catoosa County, the local sheriff is still the go-to source. State tools only cover state-run facilities.

VINE is a free service for tracking inmate status changes. Many Georgia counties, including those in the northwest region, use this system. You can register at VINELink to get alerts when an inmate in the Catoosa County jail is released or moved. Call 1-800-398-2892 to set up alerts by phone. The service runs around the clock and is confidential.

Catoosa County Jail Records and Georgia Law

Georgia's Open Records Act, O.C.G.A. Section 50-18-70, makes most jail roster data public. You can ask the Catoosa County Sheriff's Office for booking records. They must respond within three business days. The first 15 minutes of search time are free. After that, the county can charge a fee based on staff time. Copies cost $0.10 per page. This law covers most jail records, but some info is exempt. Security procedures, employee details, and medical records are off limits.

Under O.C.G.A. Section 35-3-37, some criminal records get restricted over time. If a misdemeanor arrest in Catoosa County has no case outcome after two years, the record gets restricted. Non-violent felonies get restricted after four years with no result. Serious violent crimes wait seven years. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation runs the state crime info center that handles these restrictions. Once the state restricts a record, the Catoosa County jail must do the same within 30 days of a written request from the person involved.

Cases that end in dismissal or acquittal also qualify for restriction. Someone who was on the Catoosa County jail roster but had their case dropped can ask to have those records pulled from public view. This is an important right under Georgia law.

Note: Record restriction does not erase the arrest, it just limits who can see it in public databases.

Catoosa County Jail Booking Process

When someone gets arrested in Catoosa County, they go to the county detention center for booking. The jail staff takes a photo, collects personal info, and records the charges. This data goes on the Catoosa County jail roster. Bond is set based on a schedule or by a judge. Some charges allow a standard bond. Others need a hearing. The inmate stays in custody until they post bond, get released on their own recognizance, or go to court.

Catoosa County is a mid-size county with about 67,580 residents. It borders Walker County, Whitfield County, and the state of Tennessee. Ringgold and Fort Oglethorpe are the main towns. Arrests made by any law enforcement agency in the county end up at the same detention center. That means the jail roster reflects all local arrests, not just those made by the sheriff's deputies. City police, state patrol, and other agencies all book through the county jail.

Open Records and Catoosa County Inmates

Filing an open records request is a formal way to get Catoosa County jail roster data. You write to the sheriff's office and cite O.C.G.A. Section 50-18-71. The law says public records must be available for inspection and copying. The agency has three business days to respond. If they charge a fee, it should match the hourly pay of their lowest-paid person who can do the work. This keeps costs down for people who just need a few jail records.

The Georgia Sheriffs' Association can point you to the right office if you are unsure where to send your request. They list all 159 county sheriffs and their contact info. For Catoosa County, the request goes to the sheriff's office in Ringgold. Be specific about what you want. Include the inmate's name and approximate dates if you can. That helps the staff find the records faster.

Under O.C.G.A. Section 50-18-74, any agency that wrongly denies an open records request can face a fine. The first offense is up to $1,000. Repeat violations within 12 months can cost up to $2,500 each.

Nearby County Jail Rosters

Catoosa County is in the northwest corner of Georgia. Several nearby counties also post jail roster info online. If you are not sure which county handled an arrest, check these neighbors.