Contra Costa County Arrest Lookup

Contra Costa County recent arrest records are available online through the sheriff's inmate reports system. The county operates two detention facilities where bookings are processed. You can search for people in custody or pull up arrest and incident reports through the sheriff's portal. Contra Costa County is in the East Bay area with a population over 1.1 million. Martinez is the county seat. Large cities like Concord, Richmond, and Antioch have their own police departments, but all bookings go through the county jail system. Search recent Contra Costa County arrests for free using the online tools on this page.

Contra Costa County Inmate Reports

The Contra Costa County Sheriff's Office runs an inmate reports portal where you can pull arrest reports and incident summaries. The system has a dropdown menu that lets you select the type of report you want. Options include arrest reports and incident summary reports. This tool covers people booked into the Contra Costa County jail system. It is free to use and does not require an account.

For checking whether someone is currently in custody, the Contra Costa County Sheriff's Custody Services Bureau handles all in-custody information. You can reach them at (925) 646-4496 at any hour. That line runs 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Give them a name and they will tell you if the person is in the Contra Costa County jail. This phone line is the fastest way to check current custody status when you need an answer right away. The online portal works well too, but calling is quicker if you just need a yes or no about someone's custody status.

The Contra Costa County inmate reports system lets you view arrest and incident data.

Select the report type from the dropdown to view recent arrest and booking information from Contra Costa County jails.

Contra Costa County Jail Facilities

Contra Costa County has two main detention facilities. The Martinez Detention Facility is at 901 Court Street in Martinez. Its phone number is (925) 335-4600. The West County Detention Facility sits at 5555 Giant Highway in Richmond. Call (510) 262-4200 to reach it. Both jails process bookings for people arrested anywhere in Contra Costa County. City police in Concord, Richmond, Antioch, Walnut Creek, and other communities transport arrested people to one of these two facilities.

The booking process at both Contra Costa County facilities follows the same steps. Officers bring the arrested person in. Jail staff record identifying information. They take fingerprints and a booking photo. Charges from the arresting agency go into the system. Bail is set using the Contra Costa County bail schedule. Some people are released on their own recognizance. Others must post bail or wait for a court hearing. The entire booking process creates a record that becomes part of the publicly searchable system.

Note: The 24-hour custody information line at (925) 646-4496 covers both Contra Costa County detention facilities.

Contra Costa Arrest Record Request

Beyond the online portal, you can request arrest records from the Contra Costa County Sheriff's Office through the California Public Records Act. Write up your request and send it to the sheriff's records division. The agency has 10 days under state law to decide whether it will release the records. Basic arrest information is usually provided without problems. More detailed investigation files may be partially exempt under the investigative records exemption in the law.

Fees for copies vary. The standard copying charge under the Public Records Act is 10 cents per page for paper copies. Digital copies may be free or available at a reduced cost depending on the format and how the Contra Costa County Sheriff's Office handles electronic records. If you are a victim of a crime, you are entitled to the first copy of the crime report at no charge. This right is set by California law and applies across all counties.

Contra Costa County Arrest Disclosure

Government Code 7923.610 requires Contra Costa County to release specific arrest details publicly. The law covers nine categories of information including the arrested person's full name, physical description, arrest date and time, booking details, arrest location, circumstances, bail, release status, and charges. Every arrest processed through the Contra Costa County system is subject to these disclosure requirements. The only exceptions are when releasing information would endanger someone or compromise an investigation.

This law took effect January 1, 2023. It replaced older provisions under the former Government Code 6254(f). The substance is similar, but the new statute is more clearly organized. For people looking up recent arrests in Contra Costa County, the practical effect is the same. Booking data is public. You have a right to access it.

Sealing Contra Costa County Arrests

People arrested in Contra Costa County who were not convicted can petition to seal their records. Penal Code 851.87 allows this through the Contra Costa County Superior Court. The sealed record disappears from most background checks. You can legally tell employers you were not arrested for that charge. Getting the petition right matters. Some people hire a lawyer to handle it. Legal aid groups in Contra Costa County may help if you qualify.

Automatic relief is also available. Under AB 1076, the California DOJ reviews records each month. Qualifying misdemeanor arrests from January 2021 onward are sealed without a petition. This covers Contra Costa County arrests where charges were dismissed or never filed within a year. The process runs automatically. Check your record through the DOJ Record Review to see if your arrest has been sealed.

Contra Costa County Arrest Records by City

Several large cities in Contra Costa County have their own police departments. Arrests made by these departments are booked into the county jail system. Here are the major cities with dedicated pages.

Nearby Counties

Contra Costa County shares borders with several Bay Area and Central Valley counties. Each has its own jail and arrest record system.