Frequently Asked Questions

The current Sheriff of Muscogee County is Sheriff Gregory D. Countryman, and the current Chief Deputy is Larry Parker, Jr.

The sheriff has the responsibility of protecting life and property and preserving the public peace. This includes all law enforcement functions associated with those endeavors. The Sheriff is the chief law enforcement officer in Muscogee County. In addition to providing physical security in the courtrooms and building, the sheriff must serve as Bailiff to the Superior Court, or designate deputies to serve in that capacity.

The Muscogee County Sheriff's Office is located on the 4th Floor of the Government Center in downtown Columbus, Georgia.

The annual budget of the Sheriff's Office is approximately $25 million annually.

Call the Sheriff's Office Administrative Bureau at (706) 653-4225 for employment information.

To contact someone in the Sheriff's Office, call (706) 653-4225.

Call the Muscogee County Sheriff's Office County Jail, (706) 653-4258, for any information about someone in the County Jail or any questions pertaining directly to the County Jail's operations.

The Sheriff's Office will respond 24 hours a day, seven days a week to any requests for assistance.

Some reports can be taken over the telephone by the Sheriff's Office. The receiving officer that answers your call can determine if your report can be handled over the telephone.

Most likely, a Deputy Sheriff left the card. This means the Sheriff's Office has a civil paper, warrant, or subpoena for someone at this address. Call the Sheriff's Office at (706) 653-4225 to inquire.

The Sheriff's Office will send an officer to keep the peace and prevent violence while you retrieve your belongings. Call the police from a public telephone near to where your belongings are, and an officer will go to the house with you. You must have a court order to retrieve belongings. If you do not have a court order, you must contact an attorney to have one drawn up. The Sheriff's Office will escort you once the court papers have been served.

The Sheriff's Office serves and enforces orders from the Courts concerning child support but does not collect child support payments. Any assistance or questions you may have about child support can be obtained from Child Support Recovery at (706) 649-1000 or Maximus at (706) 653-9682.

Fingerprinting is available from the MCSO between the hours of 8:00am to 11:30am and 1:00pm to 4:30pm Monday through Friday. This service is provided for $5.00 per each fingerprint card. The person must have a fingerprint card at the time of the fingerprinting. The agency or company requesting the fingerprints should supply the card. The MCSO does have fingerprint cards if needed (FD-258). A person must present a picture ID at the time he/she is fingerprinted.

Passport photo services are available from the MCSO between the hours of 8:00am to 11:30am and 1:00pm to 4:30pm Monday through Friday. This service is provided for $15.00 which includes two passport photos.

The Sheriff's Office does not issue ID cards. ID cards can be obtained through the Driver's License Bureau. You may call (706) 569-3033 or (706) 569-3034.

A personal background check can be done at the MCSO through the Administrative Warrants Section. The full name, date of birth, race, sex, and social security number of the person who needs the clearance must be provided, as well as a signed waiver giving permission to research this information. A letter will be provided stating either "no local record" or "record" If the subject has a local record, a printout of the arrest history will be attached.

The Sheriff's Office depends on citizens calling to report crimes or suspicious activity. The receiving officer who takes your call will ask questions about the activity to determine its nature and ask for descriptions of the people involved. You will be asked for your name and address, but you may refuse this information and we will still respond to the report. If it is an emergency, call 911.

The MCSO offers a variety of crime prevention programs. Individuals, businesses, schools, organizations, and churches can contact the Sheriff's Office to schedule a crime prevention presentation customized especially for their needs.

Services are available for victims and witnesses of a crime through the District Attorney's Office, (706) 653-4336, Victim/Witness Assistance Program, (706) 653-4426, and the Office of the Solicitor General, (706) 653-4580.

To obtain a gun permit, you will need to apply at the Probate Court Office in the Tower of the Government Center. Their number is (706) 653-4331.

Requirements to obtain a pistol permit:

  1. Must be a U.S. Citizen or eligible lawful alien. (Additional documentation required to establish alien status).
  2. Must be 21 years of age.
  3. Must be a resident of Muscogee County or Active-Duty U.S. Armed Forces and reside in Columbus/Fort Benning.
  4. Required documentation:
    1. A copy of Birth Certificate or U.S. Passport AND Driver's License/State ID showing current Muscogee County address.
    2. Active-Duty U.S. Armed Forces who have an out of state Driver's License must also provide a current lease or a current utility bill (power, water or gas only) showing Muscogee County/Fort Benning address.
  5. Required fee - $80.00 cash or money order or $79.25 and a self-addressed, stamped envelope payable to Probate Court.

Pistol Permit applications are processed through the Probate Court Monday through Friday from 8:30AM to 5:00PM.

No, you may make a missing person report whenever you realize someone is missing.

Georgia law requires that a bicycle rider or passenger under 16 years of age must wear a helmet that meets the nationally recognized standards for bicycle helmets. It is also unlawful to rent a bicycle to a person under 16 years of age unless the person has an approved helmet, or one is provided with the bicycle. Violations of the law relating to bicycle helmets subject the violator to issuance of a traffic citation.

You must contact an attorney. The Sheriff's Office does not give legal advice.

You must call the Muscogee County Jail,  (706) 653-4258.

The Operations Bureau will serve civil papers after the Courts issue them.

Eviction is a legal process that often times requires a court order. Call the Municipal Court office at  (706) 653-4378 for more information.

The Sheriff's Office DOES NOT issue restraining orders. Restraining Orders can only be obtained through an attorney and the courts. The Sheriff's Office is responsible for serving, maintaining, and enforcing all restraining orders on file after they have been ordered and issued by the Courts.

Protective orders are issued to prevent acts of domestic violence against a person or to prevent a person from stalking, intimidating, or harassing another person. Both civil and criminal courts issue protective orders. The types of protection orders issued and the information contained in them varies from state to state.

The Sheriff's Office DOES NOT issue protective orders. As with restraining orders, protective orders are issued only by the Courts. The Sheriff's Office is responsible for serving, maintaining, and enforcing all protective orders on file after they have been ordered and issued by the Courts.

All warrants are taken out on the 8th Floor of the Government Center through the Municipal Court.

Still have a question? If so, please contact us by calling (706) 653-4225 or e-mail us at muscosheriff@columbusga.org


Locations

Muscogee County Sheriff's Office

100 E 10th Street
Columbus, Georgia 31901
706 - 653 - 4225

Sheriff's Office Mailing Address

P.O. Box 1338
Columbus, Georgia 31902-1338

Muscogee County Jail

700 E 10th Street
Columbus, Georgia 31901
706 - 653 - 4258

Inmate Mailing Address

www.JailATM.com -OR-
JailATM.com - Muscogee County Jail
925B Peachtree Street NE, Box 2062
Atlanta, Georgia 30309