Santa Maria Recent Arrests

Santa Maria recent arrest records are kept by Santa Barbara County. The Santa Maria Police Department handles law enforcement within city limits, but jail bookings go through the county sheriff's system. Santa Barbara County runs a "Who Is In Custody" tool online that lets you look up current inmates for free. If someone was recently arrested in Santa Maria, that database is the first place to check. This page covers how arrests work in Santa Maria, what records are available, and how California law affects what you can and cannot see.

How Santa Maria Arrests Are Handled

Santa Maria has its own police department that patrols the city and responds to calls. Officers make arrests and transport people to the county jail for booking. Santa Barbara County operates the main jail facility in Santa Barbara. It is the primary detention center for the county. There is also a Northern Branch Jail that serves the northern part of the county, which is closer to Santa Maria. Someone arrested in Santa Maria could end up at either facility depending on capacity and the nature of the charges.

The booking process creates a record in the county system. That record includes the person's name, arrest charges, booking date, bail amount, and where they are being held. The Santa Maria Police Department shows as the arresting agency. This detail helps distinguish Santa Maria arrests from those made by the sheriff's deputies or other agencies in the county.

Search Santa Maria Recent Arrests Online

The Santa Barbara County Who Is In Custody tool is the main resource for finding Santa Maria inmates. The database shows everyone currently held in county jails. You can search by name. Results display the person's booking information, charges, bail amount, and current housing location. The tool is free and updates regularly.

If you cannot find someone in the online system, they may have already been released. The database only covers current inmates. For past bookings or copies of arrest reports, you would need to contact the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's records section or the Santa Maria Police Department directly. Arrest reports from the Santa Maria PD may be available through a records request under the California Public Records Act.

• Check the Who Is In Custody page for current Santa Maria inmates
• Call the Santa Barbara County jail for inmate status
• Contact Santa Maria PD records for arrest report copies
• Submit a public records request for older records

Note: The online search only shows people in custody right now, not those who have been released or transferred.

Santa Maria Arrest Disclosure Under State Law

Government Code 7923.610 requires law enforcement to share specific arrest information with the public. Both the Santa Maria Police Department and the Santa Barbara County Sheriff must comply. The law mandates disclosure of the arrested person's name, occupation, physical description, date of birth, arrest and booking times, where the arrest took place, the circumstances, bail amount, release information, and all charges including outstanding warrants and holds.

Two narrow exceptions exist. Agencies can withhold details that would endanger a person or hurt an active investigation. Everything else is public. The law took effect January 1, 2023, and replaced prior provisions in the Government Code. For Santa Maria residents, this means basic booking data about recent arrests must be available on request.

The California Legislature's statute page for Santa Barbara County related laws is shown here.

This is the source text for the laws governing how arrest information is handled across the state, including Santa Maria.

Sealing Santa Maria Arrest Records

If you were arrested in Santa Maria but never convicted, the law allows you to petition for record sealing. Penal Code 851.87 covers this. You file a petition with the court. If approved, the arrest record is sealed. It will not appear on most background checks. You can legally say you were not arrested for that charge. Santa Barbara County Superior Court handles the petition process for Santa Maria arrests.

California's automatic relief system under AB 1076 also applies. The DOJ reviews arrest records monthly and clears those that qualify. Dismissed misdemeanor charges from January 2021 onward are eligible. Misdemeanor arrests with no case filed within one year also qualify. This happens without you needing to take any action. Santa Maria arrests that meet these conditions get cleared through the same statewide process.

Note: Automatic relief does not cover felony arrests or cases that are still pending in court.

State Level Resources for Santa Maria Records

The California DOJ record review lets individuals request their own criminal history summary. You submit Live Scan fingerprints and pay $25. Fee waivers are available. The DOJ mails back your complete record, including Santa Maria arrests and anything else from across the state. This program is for personal review only. Third-party requests are not accepted.

The CDCR Incarcerated Records and Information Search covers people in state prison. If someone from Santa Maria ended up in state prison after conviction, this tool shows their location, admission date, and parole information. You search by name or CDCR number. County jail inmates are not included in this database.

Booking Photos and Santa Maria Arrests

California has two important laws about booking photos. Civil Code 1798.91.1 bans commercial websites from charging fees to remove booking photos. If a site posts your Santa Maria booking photo and demands payment for removal, you have grounds to sue. Damages are at least $1,000 per violation plus costs and attorney fees.

Penal Code 13665 limits what law enforcement can do with booking photos on social media. The Santa Maria PD and Santa Barbara County Sheriff cannot post booking photos on social media for nonviolent crimes unless the person is a fugitive or poses a threat to public safety. This restriction was added to prevent the unnecessary spread of arrest photos for people facing minor charges.

Santa Maria Arrest Records County Info

Santa Maria arrests are processed through the Santa Barbara County jail system. The county sheriff manages all detention facilities and the inmate database for the area.

Nearby California Cities

These cities have their own arrest records pages on this site.