Find San Diego Arrest Records

Recent bookings in San Diego appear in the San Diego County jail database. When San Diego Police make arrests, they book people into county facilities managed by the San Diego County Sheriff's Department. You can search for bookings at the Who's In Jail portal online. The system shows names, booking dates, charges, bail amounts, and facility locations. San Diego arrest records are public information. Anyone can search the database for free at any time to find current custody information.

San Diego County Manages All Bookings

San Diego does not operate its own city jail. All arrests made by San Diego Police go to San Diego County jail facilities. The main jail sits downtown at 1173 Front Street. This facility handles most bookings for the city. The county sheriff runs all jail operations for San Diego and surrounding areas. This includes intake, custody, court transport, and release.

When an arrest happens in San Diego, officers transport the person to San Diego Central Jail. Staff complete the booking which takes personal info, photos, and prints. They log charges and set bail. A booking number gets assigned. All data goes into the county system within hours. Then you can search for that person through the Who's In Jail database online.

The county sheriff's department handles thousands of bookings each month from San Diego Police and other agencies across the county. The city police focus on patrols and investigations. The sheriff manages all custody operations. This setup has worked for decades in San Diego. It allows each agency to do what it does best while serving the public efficiently.

Search San Diego Bookings Online

Use the Who's In Jail portal to search San Diego bookings. Type a first and last name into the search fields. The system checks all county jails at once. Results show people currently in custody. You see booking dates, charges, and where they are held. Each record displays a booking number you can use for follow-up searches.

The portal works best on weekdays. The site goes offline for maintenance every Wednesday at noon. Plan your searches around that time. You can also search by booking number if you have it already. The database updates throughout the day as new arrests come in and inmates get released from San Diego County jails.

For help call (619) 409-5000 any time. This 24-hour line at San Diego Central Jail answers questions about custody status. You can ask which jail holds someone. Staff tell you charges and bail amounts. They provide tentative release dates too. The line stays open all day every day including weekends and holidays for San Diego booking inquiries.

Note: The website includes a caution that data should not be relied upon for legal action. Always verify information through official channels if you need it for court or legal purposes.

San Diego Jail Facilities

Most San Diego arrestees go to San Diego Central Jail downtown at 1173 Front Street. This facility has capacity for over a thousand inmates. It sits near the courthouse and city center. Male and female inmates both get housed here depending on available space and classification levels. The facility operates around the clock with intake happening at all hours.

Some inmates get sent to other county facilities outside the city. Las Colinas Detention and Reentry Facility in Santee houses female inmates. George Bailey Detention Facility in Otay Mesa handles overflow male inmates. The county decides placement based on gender, charges, security level, and bed space. All these facilities connect to the same Who's In Jail database so you can find anyone in the system.

Transfers between jails happen regularly. Someone booked at Central Jail might move to another facility later. The online portal shows current location. If you cannot find someone where you expect, check if they transferred. The sheriff's information line at (619) 409-5000 can tell you exactly where an inmate is right now.

Arresting Agencies in San Diego

San Diego Police Department is the main law enforcement agency in the city. SDPD employs over 1,800 sworn officers. They patrol the city and make most arrests within San Diego city limits. When you search booking records, you see SDPD listed as the arresting agency. The department covers the city proper but not surrounding communities with their own police forces.

Other agencies make arrests in San Diego too. San Diego County Sheriff's Department patrols unincorporated areas and some contract cities. California Highway Patrol makes arrests on freeways and highways. Port of San Diego Harbor Police patrol the waterfront. San Diego State University Police work the campus. Federal agencies like Border Patrol, FBI, and DEA also make arrests in the region. All these agencies book arrestees into the same county jail system.

The booking record shows which agency made the arrest. This helps you understand jurisdiction and which department investigated the case. But all arrests end up in the same database no matter who made them. You search one system to find bookings from any agency operating in San Diego.

Get Arrest Reports

The online search gives basic booking info for free. For detailed arrest reports or certified copies, contact the San Diego County Sheriff's Records Division. Call (858) 974-2110 during business hours. The office sits at 9621 Ridgehaven Court in San Diego. Bring ID and know the name and date of the arrest you need.

Crime reports and arrest reports cost $20 for the first copy. Victims get their first copy free. Extra copies cost more. Booking photos and other documents have their own fees. You must fill out a request form with details about the arrest. Staff process most requests within 10 days under California public records laws. Complex requests can take up to 14 additional days.

For arrests made by San Diego Police specifically, you might need to contact SDPD records as well. They maintain case files for their investigations. The county keeps booking records. Sometimes you need documents from both agencies to get complete information about a San Diego arrest.

Track Custody Status

Use VINE to track anyone booked in San Diego. VINE means Victim Information and Notification Everyday. Call 1-877-411-5588 or go to vinelink.vineapps.com/state/CA to register. Search for an inmate by name. Sign up for alerts when their status changes in San Diego County jails.

VINE sends alerts by phone, text, or email. You get notified when someone is released. This helps victims stay safe and families stay informed. The service is free and you do not have to explain why you want alerts. The system updates every 15 minutes from the jail database so information stays current for all San Diego bookings.

Nearby San Diego County Cities

Other cities in San Diego County use the same jail system. Check these nearby cities if you need to search bookings in the region: