Downey Booking Records Search
Booking records in Downey are public data under California law. The Downey Police Department handles arrests in the city, and the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department runs the jail system. People arrested by Downey PD are booked at LA County detention facilities. California Government Code 7923.610 requires all 72 hour booking information to be released to the public. Names, charges, bail amounts, and custody details are all part of the public record. Downey is in southeast Los Angeles County and has about 111,000 residents.
Downey Booking Quick Facts
Downey Booking in Los Angeles County
Downey sits in Los Angeles County, south of the 5 freeway in the Gateway Cities area. The city has its own police department, which gives it local control over patrol and investigations. For jail operations, the LA County Sheriff takes over. The county runs one of the largest jail systems in the nation, with multiple facilities across the region.
When Downey PD makes an arrest, the person is transported to an LA County jail for booking. The Century Regional Detention Facility in Lynwood and the Inmate Reception Center in downtown LA are among the facilities that process bookings from this area. Which facility the person goes to depends on gender, charges, and available space. Jail staff handle the full booking: prints, photo, charge entry, and bail setting.
Downey generates a steady flow of arrests each year. The city sits in a densely populated part of the county. Property crimes, drug offenses, DUI, and domestic cases are common charges that bring people through the booking process after a Downey PD arrest.
Search Downey Booking Records
The Los Angeles County Sheriff has an Inmate Information Center online. You can search for anyone in county custody by name. Results show booking details, charges, bail amount, and facility. It is free and available at all hours. The tool covers all LA County detention centers.
The BSCC Jail Profile Survey tracks jail data for county facilities statewide, including the Los Angeles County system that handles Downey bookings.
The LA County system is one of the busiest in the state. Processing can take longer than in smaller counties. It may be several hours before a person arrested by Downey PD shows up in the online search. Do not assume something went wrong if the record does not appear right away. The system handles a massive volume of bookings every day.
The Inmate Information Center shows current inmates. Once someone posts bail or is released, they drop off the search. For past booking records, you contact the LA County Sheriff's records division or file a formal public records request.
Downey Booking Law
Government Code 7923.610 makes all booking records public in California. Both the Downey Police Department and the LA County Sheriff must follow this law. Every booking at a county facility produces a record that anyone can request. The law specifies what must be released: full name, date of birth, charges, bail, booking date and time, and facility name.
Penal Code 851.5 protects phone call rights during booking. Each person booked into the LA County system gets three free calls within three hours. They can call a lawyer, a bail bond agent, or a family member. The facility cannot block or charge for the calls. Given the size of the LA County system, the three-hour clock starts from the time of formal booking, not from the time of arrest.
If a records request is denied, the California Public Records Act gives you the right to challenge the denial. Agencies must respond to written requests within 10 days. Booking records are standard public information and are rarely withheld.
Downey Police Department
The Downey Police Department is at 10911 Brookshire Avenue, Downey, CA 90241. The phone number is (562) 861-0771. The department handles all law enforcement in the city. Officers patrol, investigate, and make arrests. People arrested by Downey PD are transported to LA County facilities for booking.
Downey PD keeps its own arrest reports and case files. For the police report from a Downey arrest, contact their records division. The jail and booking records are held by the LA County Sheriff. For custody status and booking data, use the county's Inmate Information Center. For the police side of the case, go through the Downey department.
The department has been in operation since 1957. It serves a diverse community with a mix of residential neighborhoods, shopping centers, and medical facilities. The Downey Regional Medical Center and nearby commercial areas generate calls that sometimes lead to arrests and bookings.
Get Downey Booking Data
Start with the LA County Sheriff's Inmate Information Center for recent bookings. For older records, submit a written request to the sheriff's records division. Include the person's name, arrest date, and the records you need. The agency has 10 days to respond. Copy fees may apply.
- LA County Sheriff Inmate Information Center for current custody
- Downey PD at (562) 861-0771 for arrest reports
- Written request to sheriff's records for past bookings
- California DOJ for statewide criminal history
The DOJ process is separate and takes longer. It may need fingerprints. For most Downey booking searches, the county website and a call to the police department will cover what you need.
Nearby City Booking Records
Other cities near Downey in Los Angeles County also have booking pages on this site. All feed into the same LA County jail system.
Norwalk is next door to the southeast. Long Beach is south and has its own police department and jail. Los Angeles is to the north and west. Each city has different police departments, but all use the LA County Sheriff's jail system for county-level bookings. The same state laws on public access to booking records apply everywhere.