Find Brookhaven Background Check

A Brookhaven background check can be run through local police or DeKalb County agencies. Brookhaven is in northern DeKalb County, just northeast of Atlanta, with a population of about 59,000. The Brookhaven Police Department handles law enforcement within city limits and keeps its own records. The DeKalb County Sheriff's Office and DeKalb County Police Department also maintain records that cover the Brookhaven area. Criminal cases from Brookhaven go through the DeKalb County court system, and those records feed into county and state databases.

Brookhaven Police Department Records

The Brookhaven Police Department provides law enforcement services within city limits. Brookhaven incorporated in 2012 and established its own police force shortly after. The department handles arrests, investigations, and incident reports for cases in the city. These records are separate from what the DeKalb County Sheriff or county police hold. If a Brookhaven officer worked a case, the record lives in the Brookhaven police system. Contact the department to ask about records requests, fees, and processing times.

Brookhaven sits along the Peachtree Road corridor and includes a mix of busy commercial areas and residential neighborhoods. The police department covers all of this territory. For a Brookhaven background check that focuses on incidents within city limits, the local police are the first place to look. They can tell you what files they have and how to get copies. Keep in mind that cases from before 2012, when the city did not exist yet, are filed under DeKalb County's general records. The area was unincorporated then, and DeKalb County agencies handled everything.

DeKalb County Sheriff for Brookhaven

The DeKalb County Sheriff's Office at 4415 Memorial Drive in Decatur is the county-level source for a Brookhaven background check. Sheriff Melody Maddox oversees the office. Call 404-298-8111 for information about the process. The sheriff's office runs name-based searches through local files and the Georgia Crime Information Center database. Bring a valid photo ID and provide the full name and date of birth. Walk-in requests are handled during business hours.

The sheriff's office is in Decatur, which is about 10 to 15 miles from Brookhaven depending on where you start. DeKalb is a large metro county, and the sheriff handles a high volume of requests. Processing times vary. Some searches come back in a day or two. More complex ones or busy periods can push that out further. The sheriff's records cover the entire county, including all of Brookhaven. This makes the sheriff a good option when you want county-wide results rather than just city-level data.

Note: Cases in Brookhaven from before 2012 are filed under DeKalb County records since the city had not yet incorporated.

Brookhaven Background Check Image

The Brookhaven Police Department page has information about department services and contacts.

The Brookhaven police page shows how to reach the department for records requests and other services in the city.

State Resources for Brookhaven

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation runs the statewide criminal history system that includes Brookhaven and DeKalb County records. The Georgia Felon Search is $15 and shows felony convictions from all 159 counties. You enter a name and get results by email. It is the fastest option for a Brookhaven background check when you only need felony data. No office visit needed. Just pay online and get the results sent to you.

For a deeper search, the GAPS fingerprint system through IdentoGo pulls from GBI and FBI databases. Fingerprint searches find records that name searches miss. They also catch out-of-state data. IdentoGo has sites in the DeKalb area. Results come back in one to two business days. The cost is more than a name check, but the accuracy and depth are much better. If you need a thorough Brookhaven background check, fingerprints are the way to go.

Note: The felon search only shows felony convictions, not arrests, pending cases, or misdemeanor records from Brookhaven.

Brookhaven Background Check Fees

A Brookhaven background check costs between $15 and $25 depending on the path you take. The state felon search is $15. The DeKalb County Sheriff and DeKalb County Police each have their own fee schedules. Contact the sheriff at 404-298-8111 or the police at 404-294-2911 to get current pricing. The Brookhaven Police Department may charge for copies of incident and arrest reports. Georgia law under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-34 caps the fee at $20 for a criminal history check. GAPS fingerprint searches cost more.

Payment methods differ from one agency to the next. Some take cash. Some take money orders. Others accept cards. Always check before you go. Bringing the wrong form of payment is a common reason people leave without getting their background check done. A quick phone call to the office saves time and hassle.

Georgia Law and Brookhaven Records

Georgia law determines what appears in a Brookhaven background check. Under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37, certain criminal records can be restricted from public view. Once a court grants a restriction, the record disappears from standard background check results. A Brookhaven arrest or case that has been restricted will not show up when you search. The data still exists in the internal system, but the public cannot see it. This is why some Brookhaven background checks may come back with fewer results than expected.

The First Offender Act under O.C.G.A. § 42-8-60 also affects results. Someone who completed a sentence under this act may not have a conviction show on a public check. Juvenile records are sealed. All of these rules apply across Georgia. They are not specific to Brookhaven, but they affect what data comes back from any agency you contact. Knowing the law helps you understand the gaps you might see in the results.

Brookhaven Contact Details

• Brookhaven Police Department: Brookhaven, GA
• Police Phone: 404-637-0600
• DeKalb County Sheriff: 4415 Memorial Drive, Decatur, GA 30032
• Sheriff Phone: 404-298-8111
• Sheriff: Melody Maddox
• DeKalb Police: 1960 West Exchange Place, Tucker, GA 30084
• Georgia Sheriffs Directory: georgiasheriffs.org

Brookhaven residents have multiple paths for a background check. The city police cover local cases. The county sheriff covers county-wide data. The state tools let you search online without leaving home. Start with the source that best fits what you need. For local incidents, try the Brookhaven police first. For broader coverage, go to the DeKalb County Sheriff. For a fast felony check, use the state felon search at felonsearch.ga.gov.

Nearby Cities

These cities are near Brookhaven and have their own background check pages with local information.