Bakersfield Recent Arrest Search

Bakersfield recent arrest records come through the Kern County Sheriff's Office. The Bakersfield Police Department handles arrests within city limits, but the county sheriff runs the jail and booking system. Kern County has a dedicated Arrest Records Unit that processes every booking at the Inmate Reception Center. You can find arrest information through the sheriff's website. Bakersfield is the largest city in Kern County and the ninth largest in California. The volume of arrests keeps the booking system busy year-round.

Kern County Arrest Records for Bakersfield

The Kern County Sheriff's Arrest Records Unit handles all booking data for Bakersfield and the rest of the county. The unit is based at the Inmate Reception Center at 1350 Norris Road, Bakersfield, CA 93308. Every person booked into the facility gets processed through this unit. The arrest record includes the person's name, charges, booking date, and other details required by California law.

The Kern County Sheriff's arrest records page provides information about how arrest records are managed for Bakersfield and the entire county.

The California Public Records Act, shown above on the state DOJ site, governs how agencies like the Kern County Sheriff handle records requests from the public.

One notable feature is that Kern County lets people who have been arrested by the Sheriff's Office purchase their own booking photo for $5. This is not common across California. The sheriff's website specifically mentions this option. It only applies to arrests made by the Kern County Sheriff's Office, not by Bakersfield PD or other agencies.

Note: The Kern County Sheriff cites Government Code 7923.610 as the basis for releasing contemporaneous arrest information to the public.

Bakersfield Police Department Records

The Bakersfield Police Department has a records section that handles report requests for arrests made by BPD officers. The department's records page provides details on how to get copies of police reports. Fees and processing times apply. BPD follows the California Public Records Act for all records requests. The standard response window is 10 days.

For general questions about Bakersfield arrest records, contact the Bakersfield PD records division. They can tell you whether a report is available and what steps you need to take. If the arrest was made by BPD but the person was booked into the county jail, both agencies may have records related to the same arrest. The police department keeps the arrest report. The sheriff keeps the booking record.

How to Search Bakersfield Recent Arrests

Finding recent arrest records in Bakersfield involves checking the Kern County Sheriff's resources. Here is how to go about it depending on what information you need.

• Visit the Kern County Sheriff's Arrest Records page for booking information
• Call the Kern County Sheriff at (661) 391-7500
• Contact the Records Section at (661) 391-7624
• Reach out to BPD for arrest reports made by city officers
• Use VINE at 877-411-5588 for inmate custody alerts

The Kern County Inmate Reception Center at 1350 Norris Road in Bakersfield is where most bookings take place. Whether the arresting agency is BPD, the county sheriff, or another local agency, the booking goes through the same facility. This centralizes arrest records for the Bakersfield area into one system. If you need to check on someone's custody status, the sheriff's office phone lines can help when the online tools do not give you what you need.

Bakersfield Arrest Disclosure Law

The Kern County Sheriff explicitly cites California Government Code 7923.610 on their arrest records page. The law requires law enforcement to make contemporaneous arrest information available to the public. This includes the arrested person's full name, occupation, physical description, date of birth, arrest and booking dates and times, location of arrest, circumstances, bail, and all charges. Both BPD and the Kern County Sheriff must follow this rule for Bakersfield arrests.

The only exception is when sharing a specific piece of information would endanger someone or compromise an investigation. Outside those narrow situations, arrest data from Bakersfield is public. The law has been in effect since January 1, 2023, replacing older provisions.

Sealing Bakersfield Arrest Records

If you were arrested in Bakersfield and not convicted, you can petition to seal that arrest record under Penal Code 851.87. You file the petition with Kern County Superior Court. If granted, the record is hidden from most background checks. You can say you were not arrested for the charge.

California's automatic relief program also covers Bakersfield arrests. The DOJ reviews records monthly. Misdemeanor arrests from January 2021 onward where charges were dismissed or not filed within a year get cleared automatically. No petition is needed. The state handles it without your involvement. For people wanting to check their own criminal history, the California DOJ record review costs $25 and uses Live Scan fingerprints. Fee waivers are available for those who qualify.

Note: Sealed records can still be viewed by law enforcement and certain state licensing agencies under specific circumstances defined in the law.

Bakersfield Booking Process

When someone is arrested in Bakersfield, they are taken to the Kern County Inmate Reception Center for booking. The facility is at 1350 Norris Road. Staff record the person's name, date of birth, charges, and other identifying details during intake. Fingerprints and a booking photo are taken. Bail is set based on the Kern County bail schedule. Some people post bail or are released on their own recognizance. Others wait in custody for a court hearing.

The Arrest Records Unit at the same location processes every booking that comes through. This is the group that maintains the booking log and handles records requests from the public. For county-level questions, call (661) 391-7500. For records specifically, the number is (661) 391-7624. The CIRIS system from the California Department of Corrections covers people in state prison if you need to check beyond the county level.

Bakersfield Arrest Records County Info

Bakersfield arrests are handled through the Kern County Sheriff's jail and booking system at the Inmate Reception Center on Norris Road.

Nearby California Cities

Bakersfield is the only qualifying city in the Kern County area. For arrest records in nearby counties, check the county pages for Tulare, Kings, or San Luis Obispo counties.