Richmond Booking Records Lookup
Booking records in Richmond are public data under California state law. The Richmond Police Department handles arrests within city limits, and the Contra Costa County Sheriff operates the jail system. When someone is arrested in Richmond, they are booked at a county detention facility. Under Government Code 7923.610, all booking data must be shared with the public within 72 hours. That covers names, charges, bail, booking times, and the holding facility. Richmond is in the western part of Contra Costa County along the San Francisco Bay.
Richmond Booking Quick Facts
Richmond Booking in Contra Costa County
Richmond sits in Contra Costa County, right on the bay across from San Francisco and Marin County. The city has its own police department that handles patrol, investigations, and arrests. For jail operations, the Contra Costa County Sheriff takes over. The county runs the West County Detention Facility in Richmond and the Martinez Detention Facility in the county seat.
When Richmond PD makes an arrest, the person is taken to one of these county detention facilities for booking. The West County facility in Richmond is often the first stop since it is right in town. Staff there process the booking by taking fingerprints, a photo, and recording all charges. Bail is set based on the Contra Costa County bail schedule. The booking record enters the county database and becomes public at that point.
Richmond has dealt with public safety challenges over the years. The police department stays active with a high call volume. Property crimes, drug offenses, assaults, and firearms cases are all common reasons for bookings that originate from Richmond PD activity.
Search Richmond Booking Records
The Contra Costa County Sheriff publishes in-custody reports online. This tool lets you look up anyone currently held in the county jail system. You can search by name and see booking details, charges, bail amounts, and current custody status. The search is free, works on any device, and does not require an account.
The California BSCC Jail Profile Survey provides statewide data on county jail facilities, including the Contra Costa County detention centers that process Richmond bookings.
If someone was arrested by Richmond PD and booked at the West County Detention Facility, they will appear in this system. Processing can take a few hours after the arrest. The system shows current inmates. Once someone is released, they eventually come off the active list. For older booking records, you would contact the sheriff's records unit.
The in-custody report at inmateinfo.so.cccounty.us covers all facilities in the county. It is the single best tool for checking on a recent Richmond arrest and finding out where the person is being held.
Richmond Booking Law
Government Code 7923.610 requires public access to all booking data in California. The law covers both the Richmond Police Department and the Contra Costa County Sheriff. Any booking record created at a county facility after a Richmond arrest is public information. The law lists what must be released. Full name. Date of birth. Charges. Bail amount. Time and date of booking. Facility name.
Penal Code 851.5 protects the rights of people during booking. Each person gets three free phone calls within three hours. The calls go to a lawyer, a bail agent, or a family member. The detention facility cannot block or charge for them. This applies at every booking facility in the state.
If your request for Richmond booking records is turned down, you can challenge it under the California Public Records Act. Booking data is some of the most clearly public information under state law. Denials are rare and usually overturned.
Richmond Police Department
The Richmond Police Department is at 1701 Regatta Boulevard, Richmond, CA 94804. The non-emergency phone number is (510) 233-1214. The department handles all law enforcement for the city, from patrol to homicide investigations. Officers make arrests and transport people to county detention facilities for booking.
Richmond PD keeps its own arrest reports and case files. If you need the police report from a Richmond arrest, go through the department's records unit. The booking record from the jail is held by the county sheriff. For custody and jail data, contact the county. For the police side of an arrest, go through Richmond PD.
The department has worked to bring crime rates down in recent years. Community policing programs and violence prevention efforts have been part of that push. Despite progress, the city still sees a high volume of arrests that flow through the county booking system.
Request Richmond Booking Data
Start with the county's online in-custody report for recent bookings. If the person has been released, file a public records request with the Contra Costa County Sheriff. Write to their records section and include the person's name, the arrest date, and what you want. They have 10 days to respond. Fees may apply for copies.
- Contra Costa County Sheriff in-custody report for current inmates
- Richmond PD at (510) 233-1214 for arrest reports
- Written records request for older booking data
- California DOJ for statewide criminal history
The DOJ process takes more time and may need fingerprints. For most Richmond booking lookups, the county website and a phone call to the police department cover what people need.
Nearby City Booking Records
Other cities near Richmond have booking pages on this site. Some share the same county jail system, while others are in neighboring counties.
Berkeley and Oakland are in Alameda County and use a different jail system. Concord and Antioch are also in Contra Costa County and share the same county detention facilities. State law on booking records access works the same way in all of these cities.