Los Angeles Recent Arrests

Los Angeles recent arrest records come from two main sources. The city's own police department, LAPD, handles arrests within city limits. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department runs the jail system where most people end up after booking. You can search for recent arrests in Los Angeles through the county's online inmate locator or the city's open data portal. Both tools are free and open to the public. LAPD is one of the largest police forces in the country, so the volume of arrest records is high. Knowing which system to check saves time when you need to find someone.

Los Angeles Arrest Records Through LA County

When someone is arrested in Los Angeles, they are typically booked into the Los Angeles County jail system. LAPD officers make the arrest, but the county sheriff runs the jails. The main booking facility is Men's Central Jail at 441 Bauchet Street in downtown Los Angeles. Twin Towers Correctional Facility sits right next door at 450 Bauchet Street. Women go to Century Regional Detention Facility in Lynwood. These are the places where arrest records get created and stored in the county system.

The LA County Inmate Information Center lets you search for anyone currently in custody. You need a first and last name to run a search. The site uses reCAPTCHA to stop automated lookups. Results show the booking number, arrest date, arresting agency, bail amount, housing location, and next court date. The tool is free and works any time of day. It covers all LA County jail facilities, not just the ones in the city of Los Angeles.

Note: The inmate search only shows people currently in custody, not those who have been released.

LAPD Records and Arrest Data

LAPD has its own records division. It sits at 100 West 1st Street, Room P1-731, in Los Angeles. The phone numbers are 213-486-8300 and 213-486-8310. The public counter is currently closed to walk-in visits. You need to email WC-RI@lapd.online to reach the Records and Identification Division. One thing to know is that the R&I Division does not release arrest reports to suspects. They also do not give out crime or traffic reports at the counter.

Los Angeles also runs an open data portal with arrest data from 2020 to the present. This is a large public database. You can filter by date, location, charge, and other fields. It does not show names, but it gives you a broad look at arrest trends across the city. Researchers and journalists use it often. The data comes from LAPD booking records and gets updated on a regular basis.

The LA City open data portal shows arrest information for Los Angeles in a format you can download and analyze.

This database gives you a different view of Los Angeles arrests than the county inmate locator. It focuses on statistical data rather than individual booking details.

How to Search Los Angeles Recent Arrests

There are a few ways to look up arrest records in Los Angeles. The method you choose depends on what you need. If you want to find out whether a specific person is currently in jail, the county inmate search is the best bet. If you want arrest data for research, the city open data portal works well. Here is a quick breakdown of your options.

• Go to the LASD Inmate Information Center and enter the person's first and last name
• Check the LA County booking log for recent bookings (you may need to fill out a declaration form)
• Call the 24-hour inmate information line at (213) 473-6100
• Visit the LAPD records division by appointment or email WC-RI@lapd.online
• Search the LA City open data arrest portal

The booking log portal has a separate step. For journalistic, academic, or government purposes, you must fill out and sign a Booking Information Declaration. This is an extra form the sheriff's department requires before they share certain booking log data. It is not needed for the regular inmate search.

Los Angeles Arrest Disclosure Law

California state law controls what arrest information gets released to the public. Government Code 7923.610 requires every law enforcement agency to share specific details about arrests. This includes the full name and occupation of the arrested person, their physical description, date of birth, the time and date of both the arrest and the booking, the location of the arrest, the circumstances, the bail amount, release information, and all charges. LAPD and the LA County Sheriff must follow this law. The only exception is when releasing a detail would put someone in danger or hurt an active investigation.

The law took effect on January 1, 2023. It replaced older provisions and made arrest disclosure rules clearer. For Los Angeles residents, this means basic booking information about recent arrests is public record. You have a right to see it.

Note: Arrest records are different from conviction records, and an arrest does not mean the person was found guilty of anything.

Sealing Los Angeles Arrest Records

If you were arrested in Los Angeles but never convicted, California law may let you seal that record. Penal Code 851.87 allows people to petition the court to seal arrest records that did not lead to a conviction. Once the court grants the order, the record is hidden from most background checks. You can legally state that you were not arrested for that charge. Los Angeles County Superior Court processes these petitions.

There is also an automatic process. The California Department of Justice reviews arrest records each month. Arrests from January 1, 2021, onward that meet certain conditions get relief without any paperwork from the individual. Dismissed misdemeanor charges qualify. So do misdemeanor arrests where no case was filed within a year. This automatic system helps clear Los Angeles arrest records for people who were never prosecuted.

Los Angeles Jail Facilities

Los Angeles County operates several large jail facilities. People arrested in the city of Los Angeles can end up at any one of them depending on available space, the charges, and other factors. Here are the main ones that handle Los Angeles bookings.

Men's Central Jail is at 441 Bauchet Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012. The phone number is (213) 974-4082. Twin Towers Correctional Facility is at 450 Bauchet Street. You can reach it at (213) 893-5100. The Inmate Reception Center sits at the same address and handles intake processing. Its number is (213) 893-5327. Century Regional Detention Facility holds women at 11705 S. Alameda Street in Lynwood. The phone is (323) 357-5100. Pitchess Detention Center in Castaic is at 29320 The Old Road and takes calls at (213) 473-6100.

The LA County Sheriff's Records and Identification Bureau handles records requests. The office is at 12440 East Imperial Highway, Suite 400 West, in Norwalk, CA 90650. Call (562) 345-4441. Hours are Monday through Thursday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. by appointment only. For questions about sealing records, call (562) 345-4454 or (562) 345-4439.

Note: Call the 24-hour inmate line at (213) 473-6100 if you cannot find someone through the online search.

California DOJ Record Review

The California Department of Justice lets individuals review their own criminal history. You submit fingerprints through Live Scan and pay a $25 fee. Fee waivers are available. The DOJ sends back your complete criminal history summary. This includes arrests from Los Angeles and every other jurisdiction in California. It is not a tool for looking up other people. Only your own record.

For people in state prison, the California Incarcerated Records and Information Search (CIRIS) lets you look up anyone in CDCR custody. This covers people sentenced to state prison, not those in LA County jail. You can search by name or CDCR number.

Los Angeles Arrest Records County Info

Arrests in Los Angeles are processed through the Los Angeles County jail system. The county sheriff handles all bookings and maintains the inmate database.

Nearby California Cities

These cities are near Los Angeles and have their own arrest records pages. Many share the same county jail system.