In South Carolina, more than 180,000 arrests are made each year, with approximately 2,500 of these occurring in Cherokee County. According to the South Carolina Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), the county's arrest records are classified as public records and are accessible to the public. Obtaining arrest records in the county usually costs between $1 and $25.
However, certain records are restricted from public access for security and privacy reasons. These records include medical and mental health records, records involving juveniles, sealed or expunged records, and records of ongoing investigations. Access to these records is limited to authorized parties, including the record owners, their legal representatives, law enforcement agencies, judicial officers, and the Seventh Judicial Circuit Solicitor's Office.
In Cherokee County, arrest records are maintained by multiple agencies, including Police Departments, the County Sheriff's Office, the Courts, and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division.
The Cherokee County Sheriff's Office maintains arrest records in the county. Interested individuals can use the Inmate Search portal provided by the Sheriff's Office to find arrest information about persons incarcerated in the county. They can also request copies of arrest records from the County Sheriff's Office by visiting in person at:
The County Sheriff's Office
312 East Frederick Street
Gaffney, SC 29340
Phone: (864) 489-4722
Arrest records in the County may be obtained from the Police Department responsible for those arrests. The two PDs in the county are the Blacksburg Police Department and the Gaffney Police Department. Records can be requested by mail or by visiting the PDs in person. Requesters need to provide details such as the arrestee's name, the arrest location, and the date of the incident. Fees may apply for obtaining copies of records, and processing time varies.
The Citizens Access to Criminal Histories (CATCH) system provided by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) is available to those who wish to view the County's criminal records. Users can search by the date of birth, first initial, and last name of the subject. Providing a Social Security number (SSN) can increase the precision of the search. A $25.00 non-refundable fee is charged for each criminal record search. Requesters can also pick up copies of criminal records in person at the SLED office at
SLED Headquarters
4400 Broad River Road
Columbia, SC 29210
Those who wish to mail in their requests must download and complete the Criminal Records Check form from the SLED platform. The completed form, applicable fee, and a self-addressed, stamped envelope must be sent to:
SLED Records Department
P.O. Box 21398
Columbia, SC 29221-1398
The Cherokee County Clerk of Court maintains criminal court records, which contain records of arrests that led to trial. These records can be accessed online through the South Carolina Judicial Branch Case Records Search portal. To obtain copies of criminal court records by mail or in person, individuals may contact the Clerk of Court's Office at:
The County Clerk of Court's Office
125 East Floyd Baker Boulevard
P.O. Box 2289
Gaffney, SC 29342
Phone: (864) 487-2571
Fax: (864) 487-2754
The county's arrest records are also available through reputable third-party platforms such as InfoTracer.
Cherokee County has an arrest rate of 4,452 per 100,000 residents. Below is a breakdown of key arrest statistics:
4-
| Arrest Type | Number of Arrests |
|---|---|
| Murder and Non-negligent Manslaughter | 1 |
| Robbery | 1 |
| Rape | 1 |
| Aggravated Assault | 42 |
| Burglary | 42 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 15 |
| Larceny | 99 |
| Simple Assault | 128 |
| DUI | 169 |
| Arson | 1 |
| Fraud | 6 |
| Total number of Arrests | 2,525 |
Source: South Carolina Law Enforcement Division Crime Statistics
It is situated in Cherokee county, South Carolina with a total number of 101 employees - 4 female, 47 male officers and 50 civilians. Cherokee County SO ORI (Originated Agency Identifier) number is SC0110000, it belongs to the South Atlantic division in the South region with a region code of Region III.