Public Records Policy

Last updated: June 2026

Our Commitment to Public Records

At Body Cam On and Crime Files Network, home of Atlanta Crime Files and Georgia Crime Files, we believe public access to government records is an important part of transparency, accountability, and public awareness.

Law enforcement activity, court proceedings, government conduct, and public safety matters are issues of public concern. We are committed to obtaining, reviewing, organizing, redacting, publishing, and discussing public records in a responsible and transparent manner.

What Are Public Records?

Public records are documents, recordings, data, and other materials created, received, or maintained by government agencies in connection with official business.

In Georgia, public access to government records is generally governed by the Georgia Open Records Act, O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70 et seq. Georgia law states that public records should be available for inspection, with exceptions interpreted narrowly, and agencies generally must produce responsive records within a reasonable time not to exceed three business days or provide a timeline when records cannot be produced within that period.

Public records we may work with include:

• Police incident reports
• Supplemental reports
• Bodycam footage
• Dashcam footage
• Arrest records
• Booking information
• Court records
• Case filings
• Warrants
• Interrogation footage
• Interview recordings
• Use-of-force reports
• 911 calls and recordings
• Dispatch records
• Crime scene photos
• Surveillance video
• Publicly released evidence
• Internal affairs records, when publicly available
• Georgia Bureau of Investigation records, when publicly available
• Medical examiner or autopsy records, when lawfully available

How We Obtain Records

Records published on this website or referenced in our videos may be obtained through lawful sources, including:

Georgia Open Records Act Requests

We may submit written requests to Georgia law enforcement agencies, city and county governments, courts, and other public bodies under the Georgia Open Records Act.

Federal FOIA Requests

When records involve federal agencies or federal programs, records may be requested under the Freedom of Information Act.

Court Records

Court filings, case documents, dockets, motions, hearings, and related materials may be obtained through Georgia court systems, clerk's offices, public terminals, online court portals, or other publicly available sources.

Publicly Available Sources

Some materials are made available by government agencies, courts, law enforcement offices, official portals, press releases, public databases, or other public sources.

Georgia Open Records Act — Public Access

Under the Georgia Open Records Act, members of the public may request access to many records held by Georgia state and local government agencies.

This may include the ability to inspect or obtain copies of records, receive a response within the time required by law, receive cost information when fees apply, and receive an explanation if an agency claims records are exempt from disclosure.

Not every record is subject to release. Certain records or portions of records may be withheld, delayed, restricted, or redacted under applicable law.

What We Publish and Why

We publish redacted public records on this website to support the stories covered on Atlanta Crime Files, Georgia Crime Files, and Body Cam On.

Documents in The Vault are intended to help viewers read the records behind the stories, follow the timeline of a case, understand the information referenced in our coverage, and review source materials for themselves.

We publish public records because:

• Public access supports transparency and accountability
• Law enforcement and court activity are matters of public concern
• Viewers deserve access to the documents behind the coverage
• Source documents help build trust, context, and clarity

The Vault

The Vault is the public records archive for Body Cam On and Crime Files Network.

The Vault may include redacted incident reports, public records, case files, PDFs, court documents, police reports, and other case-related materials connected to stories covered by Atlanta Crime Files, Georgia Crime Files, and Body Cam On.

Not every case covered will have documents posted in The Vault. Availability may depend on whether records were obtained, whether they are legally releasable, whether they require further review, and whether additional redactions are needed.

Our Redaction Standards

Although public records may be legally available, we take the privacy and safety of private individuals seriously.

Before documents are published, we may review and redact sensitive information, including:

• Private home addresses
• Phone numbers
• Email addresses
• Social Security numbers
• Driver's license numbers
• Financial information
• Juvenile information
• Medical information
• Victim-sensitive information
• Personal identifying information
• Information that could create a safety concern

Even when an agency releases a record, Body Cam On may choose to apply additional redactions before posting it publicly.

We generally do not redact information related to the official conduct of law enforcement officers, public officials, government agencies, or court proceedings when that information is relevant to public-interest reporting.

Beyond necessary redactions, documents are intended to be presented as public records for viewer reference and transparency.

What We Do Not Publish

We do not knowingly publish records that were unlawfully obtained.

We may choose not to publish, or may delay publishing, records that involve:

• Juvenile-sensitive information
• Active investigations where publication could create a safety concern
• Private information unrelated to the public interest
• Materials that require further legal, ethical, or redaction review
• Information that could unnecessarily endanger a private individual

We reserve the right to remove, update, replace, or further redact documents at any time.

Accuracy and Completeness

We make reasonable efforts to present records accurately and responsibly. However, public records may not always reflect the complete case file, final court outcome, full investigative record, or most current case status.

Charges, arrests, accusations, and police reports are not convictions.

Case details may change over time as court proceedings, appeals, investigations, agency reviews, or public record releases continue.

For certified, official, complete, or updated records, viewers should contact the appropriate court, law enforcement agency, prosecutor's office, clerk's office, or government records department.

Presumption of Innocence

Any person shown, mentioned, arrested, charged, accused, interviewed, or discussed in public records, videos, documents, or case materials is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

The publication of a report, document, video, image, or case file does not imply guilt, liability, or wrongdoing.

First Amendment and Public-Interest Reporting

The collection, publication, discussion, and commentary surrounding public records, government conduct, law enforcement activity, court proceedings, and matters of public concern are part of public-interest reporting and commentary.

Body Cam On, Atlanta Crime Files, and Georgia Crime Files are independent media brands that use public records for documentary storytelling, commentary, education, transparency, reporting, and public discussion.

Corrections and Review Requests

If you believe a document, description, or record posted on this website contains an error, needs additional redaction, or should be reviewed, please contact us through the Contact page.

Please include:

• The name of the case or document
• The page or link where it appears
• A clear explanation of the concern
• Any supporting information that may help us review the request

We may review requests on a case-by-case basis.

No Affiliation

Body Cam On, Atlanta Crime Files, and Georgia Crime Files are independent media brands.

We are not affiliated with any police department, sheriff's office, court, prosecutor's office, clerk's office, government agency, law enforcement organization, or public records department.

Reference to any agency, case, court, officer, official, or government office does not mean that entity endorses or is affiliated with Body Cam On, Atlanta Crime Files, or Georgia Crime Files.

Contact

For questions about public records, open records materials, document redactions, corrections, or records posted in The Vault, please contact us through the Contact page.

Body Cam On
Atlanta Crime Files | Georgia Crime Files
www.bodycamon.com