Los angeles County, CA Arrest Records, Warrants, and Jail Information

Los Angeles County, located in southern California,is home to over 10.4 million residents. The county is the most populous county in the U.S. and accounts for approximately 27% of the state's population. The county's economy is driven by entertainment, international trade, tourism, healthcare, aerospace, and manufacturing. The major cities and towns in the county include Los Angeles City (county seat), Long Beach, Glendale, Pomona, Burbank, Beverly Hills, Malibu, and Santa Monica.

Los Angeles County's average violent and property crime rates are 595.9 and 2,513.1 per 100,000 residents, respectively. The average violent crime rate is 59.3% above the national average, while the property crime average is nearly 29% above the national average.

The primary law enforcement agencies in the county are the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) within the city limits and the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office (LASD). The LASD oversees the county jail and serves as the public law enforcement agency for the unincorporated areas of the county.

Who Keeps Arrest Records in Los Angeles County, CA

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office is responsible for creating and keeping arrest records, jail bookings, inmate release data, and most warrant information at the county level. Other law enforcement agencies, such as city police, state troopers, and federal agents, can also make arrests and generate incident reports. Those records are often shared with the Sheriff's Office when the person is booked into the county jail.

Types of Law Enforcement

Los Angeles County is home to several law enforcement agencies, including the county sheriff, city police departments, university/campus police departments, and federal law enforcement.

County Sheriff's Office

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office is the most comprehensive source for county-level arrest logs and jail rosters. The county sheriff's office manages:

• Arrest records across the county
• Jail bookings and inmate intake
• Active warrants
• Inmate release information
• The main county jail facility

City / Town Police Departments

Local police departments operate within Los Angeles County, such as those in Long Beach, Pasadena, and Santa Monica. Although the city police conduct the arrest, individuals are typically booked into the Los Angeles County jail, and their jail records are handled by the Sheriff's Office.

Local police departments handle arrests within their municipal limits and maintain their own arrest or incident reports.

State Police / Highway Patrol

State police or the California Highway Patrol may conduct highway stops or investigate statewide or interjurisdictional crimes. If an arrest occurs in Los Angeles County, the person is often booked into the county jail, and the records may appear in county logs.

Federal Law Enforcement

Federal agencies such as the FBI, DEA, ATF, U.S. Border Patrol, and Homeland Security may investigate and arrest for violations of federal laws and regulations. These offenses include terrorism, drug trafficking, immigration, and cybercrime. Note that federal arrests typically do not show up in county records unless the individual is temporarily housed in the Los Angeles County jail.

University/College Police

Universities or colleges have campus police in the Los Angeles Unified School District, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), University of Southern California, California State Polytechnic, Los Angeles Community College, Los Angeles Mission College, Los Angeles City College, and the California State University. These handle on-campus incidents and make arrests within university property, with bookings generally processed through the county jail.

What Los Angeles County Arrest Records Include

Typical arrest records in Los Angeles County may contain the following details:

• Full name of the arrested person
• Age and date of birth
• Date and time of the arrest
• Arresting agency
• Location where the arrest occurred
• List of charges filed
• Associated California statute numbers
• Booking number or ID
• Bond or bail amount
• Related court case number
• Scheduled court appearance dates
• Current custody or jail status

Note that the exact details available in arrest records vary depending on the agency, jurisdiction, and case type. Some information may be withheld due to privacy laws, juvenile protections, or ongoing investigations.

Arrest Statistics in Los Angeles County, CA

Every year, Los Angeles County reports about 58,140 violent crimes and 245,200 property crimes. The average violent crime rate is 595.5 per 100,000 residents, significantly above the national average by 59.3%. In contrast, property crimes average 2,513.1 per 100,000, which is 28.9% above the national average.

A breakdown of arrest statistics in Los Angeles County is presented below:

Table: Crime Categories Snapshot

Source: California Department of Justice

Common Warrant Types in Los Angeles County, CA

Several types of warrants are issued in Los Angeles County. These warrants can be found in arrest records, and each serves a different legal purpose. Warrants are used by judges, prosecutors, and law enforcement to enforce court orders and investigate crimes. Depending on state laws, warrants may have different names and scopes of authority. The following warrants are common in Los Angeles County:

Arrest Warrant

An arrest warrant is issued when law enforcement or a prosecutor presents probable cause that a person has committed a crime. It is signed by a judge, and it gives law enforcement legal authority to arrest the individual.

Bench Warrant

Bench warrants are issued by judges when a person fails to appear in court or disobeys a court order. These warrants do not require new criminal charges and are often used for missed hearings or unpaid fines.

Civil Capias Warrant

A civil capias warrant is used in civil matters, such as unpaid child support or failure to comply with a subpoena. Although it originates from a civil case, this warrant can still lead to arrest and temporary detention until the issue is resolved.

Fugitive Warrant

Also called an out-of-county or out-of-state warrant, a fugitive warrant is issued when someone wanted elsewhere is located in Los Angeles County. Local authorities detain the individual until they can be transferred back to the jurisdiction that issued the original warrant.

Governor's Warrant

A governor's warrant is a formal document signed by the governor authorizing the arrest and transfer of a person wanted for prosecution or to serve a sentence in another state.

Search Warrant

A search warrant allows law enforcement to enter and search a specific location for evidence related to a suspected crime. Issued by a judge based on probable cause, it is not an arrest warrant but may lead to one if illegal items or evidence are found during the search.

How To Search Los Angeles County Arrest Records?

You can access Los Angeles County arrest and jail records in several ways. To begin, you can visit the Los Angeles County Sheriff Department Inmate Location Center to find current jail bookings and inmate status. In addition, you can perform a warrant lookup through the Los Angeles County Superior Court online case lookup to find court cases associated with arrests. Some services let you sign up for alerts about court updates, inmate releases, or status changes.

Alternatively, you may request records in person, by phone, or by email from the sheriff's office, jail, or Superior Court Clerk's Office. You can also file a formal public records request under the California Public Records Act.

Los Angeles County Jail & Detention Facilities

The following are jail and detention facilities in Los Angeles County:

Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office

Police Departments in Los Angeles County

Los Angeles County Jail

Prisons and Jails in Los Angeles County