Dade County Jail Roster

The Dade County jail roster lists all inmates currently held at the county detention facility in Trenton, Georgia. Dade County sits at the far northwest corner of the state, right along the Alabama and Tennessee borders. The sheriff's office manages the jail and keeps the roster updated as people are booked in and released. You can check who is in the Dade County jail through online tools, by phone, or by visiting the sheriff's office in person. This page covers every way to search the Dade County jail roster and what to expect from the process.

Dade County Sheriff's Office

The Dade County Sheriff's Office runs the jail and keeps the roster for all inmates in the county. Trenton is the county seat, and the sheriff's office handles patrol, court duties, and detention operations from there. Staff can look up jail roster records by phone during business hours. If you call and ask about a specific person, they can tell you if that person is in the Dade County jail, what charges they face, and whether a bond has been set.

Dade County is one of the smaller counties in Georgia by population. With around 16,300 residents, the jail is not large. But it still processes bookings from arrests made across the county. Every arrest in Dade County goes through this one facility. The jail roster reflects all current inmates regardless of which law enforcement agency made the arrest, whether it was the sheriff's office, a local police department, or state patrol.

Because Dade County borders both Alabama and Tennessee, some arrests involve cross-state coordination. Fugitives from neighboring states who are caught in Dade County show up on the local jail roster until they are extradited. This can add names to the roster that are tied to out-of-state warrants.

Search the Dade County Jail Roster

You have a few options for searching the Dade County jail roster. The most direct method is to contact the sheriff's office. They can tell you over the phone if someone is in the jail. For online searches, third-party sites that pull data from Georgia county jails are your best bet. These sites collect jail roster data from across the state and make it searchable by name or county.

If you want to track an inmate's status, VINELink is a free service that works with many Georgia jails. You sign up and get alerts when an inmate is moved or released. Call 1-800-398-2892 to set up VINE alerts for someone held in Dade County. The system is confidential and runs around the clock.

Dade County Jail Records and Georgia Law

Georgia's Open Records Act, O.C.G.A. Section 50-18-70, makes most Dade County jail roster data open to the public. You can request booking records, arrest info, and other jail data from the sheriff's office. They have three business days to respond. The first 15 minutes of staff search time are free. After that, the county can charge based on the time it takes to pull the records. Copies run $0.10 per page.

Under O.C.G.A. Section 35-3-37, some records on the Dade County jail roster may get restricted over time. Misdemeanor arrests that never led to a conviction are restricted after two years. Non-violent felony arrests with no case outcome get restricted after four years. Serious violent crimes need seven years before restriction applies. If someone's record is restricted at the state level through the GCIC, the Dade County jail has 30 days to restrict its local copy after a written request.

The GDC offender search tool covers state prison inmates only. It does not show people held in the Dade County jail. If someone was transferred from the county jail to a state facility, you need to use the GDC tool to find them. The Georgia Department of Corrections website has more info on state-level inmate records and how to file formal requests.

Requesting Dade County Jail Data

You can file an open records request with the Dade County Sheriff's Office if you need formal copies of jail records. Put your request in writing and cite O.C.G.A. Section 50-18-71. Be specific about what you want. Include the inmate's name, approximate booking date, and any other details that help the staff find the right records. The more detail you give, the faster the search goes.

Under O.C.G.A. Section 50-18-74, agencies that deny valid open records requests can face fines. The first offense carries up to $1,000. Each repeat offense within 12 months can cost up to $2,500. This gives teeth to the law and keeps agencies from blocking public access to jail roster data without good reason. Security procedures, medical records, and employee personal info are exempt from public access, but basic booking data is not.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation keeps criminal history records at the state level through the GCIC. If you need a full background check, not just what is on the Dade County jail roster, the GBI handles that. The fee is up to $15 for your own record. The Georgia Sheriffs' Association can help you find contact info for the Dade County sheriff and all other sheriffs in the state.

Note: VINE alerts for Dade County inmates are free and run 24 hours a day at 1-800-398-2892.

Dade County Inmate Booking Process

When someone is arrested in Dade County, they go through a standard booking process at the jail. This includes fingerprinting, a photo, and a health check. The staff enters the person's info into the system. Once that is done, the inmate's name and charges show up on the Dade County jail roster. The whole process can take a few hours depending on how busy the jail is.

After booking, a magistrate sets a bond amount based on the charges. Some charges have a bond schedule that sets the amount automatically. Others need a hearing. If a bond is set, the inmate or their family can pay it to get released. Bond info usually appears on the Dade County jail roster along with the charge details. If no bond is set, the inmate stays in custody until a judge rules on it.

Nearby County Jail Rosters

Dade County is in the far northwest corner of Georgia. If you are not sure where an arrest took place, check the jail rosters in these neighboring counties.