The Georgia Gazette publishes facts, not opinions. Our role is to document what happened, when it happened, and who was involved according to official public records. These guidelines govern how we handle sensitive information and protect individuals who are not the subject of law enforcement action.
What We Publish
We publish the names and booking photographs of individuals who have been booked into the county jails of roughly 120 counties across Georgia. We publish the names of law enforcement officers involved in incidents. We reproduce police narratives verbatim to avoid introducing bias through paraphrasing or interpretation.
Beyond booking reports, we publish comprehensive news articles that provide context and background on cases of public interest. We follow cases as they move through the legal system – from arrest through arraignment, trial, sentencing, and appeal – to create a complete public record. We also produce in-depth investigative reporting on issues that affect Georgia communities.
Every story includes a standard disclaimer noting that the narrative is a direct transcription from official records, that we do not correct spelling or grammatical errors in the original, and that all subjects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
What We Redact
We protect the privacy of individuals who are not the subject of arrest. This includes:
- Names of victims
- Names of witnesses
- Names of nurses, paramedics, social workers, and similar professionals mentioned in reports
- Personal identifying information including Social Security numbers, driver’s license numbers, and license plate numbers
- Home addresses of victims and witnesses
When street addresses are relevant to the public interest – such as helping residents know about law enforcement activity in their area – we use a block format (e.g., [500 BLOCK] Main St) rather than publishing exact addresses.
We distinguish between redactions made by our staff and redactions made by the originating agency. Agency redactions are noted as [REDACTED BY AGENCY].
Exception: Drug Searches
When illegal drugs are discovered during a search – whether of a vehicle, residence, business, or other location – we may publish the names of individuals present at the time, whether or not they were arrested. This serves the public interest in understanding the full circumstances of drug-related law enforcement actions.
Minors
Minors who are victims or witnesses are protected under our standard redaction policy.
In Georgia, individuals are considered adults in the criminal justice system at the age of 17, regardless of the severity of the crime. We report on these individuals the same as any other adult. In cases where a minor under 17 is charged as an adult, we report on them accordingly.
Booking Photographs
We publish booking photographs for several reasons:
- Accuracy: Photographs help prevent misidentification, especially in cases involving common names.
- Public safety: When someone is arrested and released on bond, the community has a right to know who has been accused and what the allegation is. This information can be vital in cases of domestic violence or stalking.
- Consistency: Publishing all bookings eliminates selective reporting. You decide what matters to you – we don’t make that decision for you.
- Accountability: Public records exist for a reason. Transparency ensures that law enforcement, prosecutors, and courts operate in public view.
We comply fully with O.C.G.A. § 10-1-393.5, which governs the lawful removal of booking photographs. Instructions for requesting removal are available at thegeorgiagazette.com/removal-request.
Second Chance Policy
Beyond what the law requires, we offer a Second Chance Policy that allows individuals to request removal of their arrest information even if their case ended in conviction. A Second Chance Committee reviews each request based on the severity of the charge, time since arrest, case outcome, and overall history.
We will never accept payment for removal. This policy exists because we believe people should not be permanently defined by their lowest moments. Learn more at thegeorgiagazette.com/second-chance-policy.
Graphic Content
We do not censor graphic details contained in police narratives. Our readers are adults capable of processing difficult information. If a report contains disturbing content, we note this with a discretion advisory at the beginning of the narrative.
We do censor profanity (e.g., sh*t, fu*k) to remain compliant with advertising and platform policies.
No Pay-for-Coverage
We do not accept payment in exchange for publishing, removing, or altering any story. Our coverage decisions are based solely on whether information is true, documented in public records, and relevant to the people of Georgia.
Contact
If you have questions about our ethical guidelines or believe we have not followed them in a specific case, contact the publisher directly at Matt@TheGeorgiaGazette.com.
These guidelines reflect how we operate today. We reserve the right to update them at any time without notice as our practices evolve.