Crime & Public Safety
Crime & Public Safety

DeKalb offers deal to citizens with outstanding warrants

8/15/20 - Stone Mountain, GA - A DeKalb sheriff officer keeps an eye on marchers as several far-right groups, including militias and white supremacists, rally Saturday in the town of Stone Mountain, and a broad coalition of leftist anti-racist groups organized a counter-demonstration there after local authorities closed Stone Mountain park. Jenni Girtman for the Atlanta Journal Constitution

Credit: Jenni Girtman

Credit: Jenni Girtman

8/15/20 - Stone Mountain, GA - A DeKalb sheriff officer keeps an eye on marchers as several far-right groups, including militias and white supremacists, rally Saturday in the town of Stone Mountain, and a broad coalition of leftist anti-racist groups organized a counter-demonstration there after local authorities closed Stone Mountain park. Jenni Girtman for the Atlanta Journal Constitution
By Christian Boone
April 28, 2021

If you have an outstanding warrant in DeKalb County for a misdemeanor offense, you may want to consider turning yourself in to authorities.

The DeKalb Sheriff’s Office on Wednesday announced a series of “Warrant Relief Days” from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. on May 4-6. During those three days, persons with outstanding misdemeanor warrants issued by any DeKalb law enforcement agency are eligible for an unsecured judicial release if they report to the county jail on Memorial Drive in Decatur.

It’s something of a get out of jail card, but not quite for free. The sheriff’s office said charges will not be dismissed but those accused could remain out of jail until their court date. The offer is a continuation of a standing order governing bail during judicial emergency issued at the onset of the pandemic by DeKalb state court.

The city of Dunwoody has announced a similar program.

About the Author

A native Atlantan, Boone joined the AJC staff in 2007. He quickly carved out a niche covering crime stories, assuming the public safety beat in 2014. He's covered some of the biggest trials this decade, from Hemy Neuman to Ross Harris to Chip Olsen, the latter of which was featured on Season 7 of the AJC's award-winning "Breakdown" podcast.

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