Los Angeles County Arrest Records
Los Angeles County arrest records are managed by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, one of the largest law enforcement agencies in the United States. The LASD runs the county jail system and posts inmate data online through their Inmate Information Center. You can search for people in LA County custody by name or booking number at no cost. The county also has a criminal case search through the Superior Court for court records tied to arrests.
Los Angeles County Quick Facts
LASD Inmate Information Center
The Los Angeles Sheriff's Department runs an online inmate search tool. This is the LASD Inmate Information Center. It lets you look up anyone currently in LA County custody. You can search by name or booking number. The site uses reCAPTCHA to prevent automated access.
Booking data may not show up right away after an arrest. The LASD says it can take 2 to 6 hours for new booking info to appear in the system. If you just found out someone was arrested, you may need to wait and check back later. The data updates regularly throughout the day and night.
For help finding an inmate or general custody questions, call the 24-hour Inmate Information Service at (213) 473-6100. This line runs around the clock. Staff can help you locate someone in custody and answer basic questions about jail procedures in Los Angeles County.
Note: The LASD no longer accepts online deposits for inmates as of recent policy changes.
Los Angeles Superior Court Criminal Records
The Los Angeles Superior Court has a criminal case name search at lacourt.org. This tool lets you find criminal case numbers by defendant name. The search returns case numbers, filing dates, and locations. You can look up felony cases from 1980 to now. Misdemeanor records go back to 1988.
The court charges fees for searches. Guest users pay $4.75 per search. If you register an account and use it often, the fee drops as low as $1.00 per search on a sliding scale. Document copies cost $1.00 per page for the first five pages. Pages beyond that cost $0.40 each. This court search shows case outcomes that tie back to arrest records.
For questions about the online system or older records, email onlineServices@lacourt.org. Records from before 1965 need a different search method. Call the Index Clerk at (213) 974-1378 for help with those old cases.
Request LA County Arrest Reports
Getting a copy of an arrest report from the LASD is not always simple. California law restricts access to some police records. Under Government Code Section 6254(f), local police investigation records are exempt from public release in many cases. This means you may not be able to get your own arrest report just by asking.
If you need records from the LASD, contact the Public Services Section at (562) 345-4441. The Records Division number is (562) 345-4426. You can also email your request to PRARequests@lasd.org. The mailing address for records requests is 12440 East Imperial Highway, Suite 400 West, Norwalk, California 90650.
Some records are available to certain people. Victims can often get a copy of the crime report for free. The first copy is no charge. After that, reports cost about $20. Defense attorneys and the courts can get records through legal channels. Each request is reviewed based on who is asking and what they need it for.
Note: The LASD cannot do warrant checks over the phone; you must go to a local station in person.
LA County Victim Notification
The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office runs a victim notification program. If you are a victim of a crime, you can sign up to get alerts about the offender's status. This includes when they are released from custody, have a court date, or get transferred. The LA DA Victim Notification page has details on how to register.
You can also use California VINE for alerts. VINE stands for Victim Information and Notification Everyday. Visit VINE California or call 1-877-411-5588 to register. This statewide system covers LA County inmates and works with other counties too.
Los Angeles County Sheriff Contact Info
The LASD headquarters is at 211 West Temple Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012. The main custody email is CustodyWebResponse@lasd.org for general questions. For medical concerns about an inmate that need fast attention, call the Medical Command Center at (213) 893-5544.
Los Angeles County has many jail facilities spread across the region. The main jail is downtown. Other facilities include the Twin Towers Correctional Facility, Pitchess Detention Center in Castaic, and Century Regional Detention Facility. Each has its own operations but all feed into the same inmate information system.
The LASD also contracts with many cities in LA County to provide police services. If someone was arrested in a contract city, the LASD handled the booking and holds the records. Cities like Lancaster, Palmdale, West Hollywood, and others use LASD for law enforcement. The same inmate search and records request process applies to those arrests.
Major Cities in Los Angeles County
Los Angeles County has 88 cities plus large unincorporated areas. Many cities have their own police departments with separate arrest records. Some cities contract with the LASD for police services. Here are the major cities in LA County with populations over 50,000.
Nearby California Counties
Los Angeles County borders several other counties. If you need to search for arrest records in a neighboring area, these counties have their own sheriff departments and jail systems.