Imperial County 72 Hour Booking

Imperial County 72 hour booking records are managed by the Imperial County Sheriff Office in El Centro. The sheriff runs the county jail and handles all booking data for the area. Imperial County sits in the far southeast corner of California along the Mexican border. The county has a population of about 180,000 and processes a steady flow of bookings at the county jail. California law says all booking records must be made public. This page explains how to access Imperial County booking records, what information each record holds, where to contact the sheriff for help, and what California statutes apply to booking data in Imperial County.

Imperial County Booking Records Access

The Imperial County Sheriff Office is the primary source for 72 hour booking records in the county. Unlike some larger California counties that run full inmate search databases online, Imperial County handles much of its booking record access through the Records Division. The Imperial County Sheriff Support Services page provides information about the Records Division and how to request records. You can contact the sheriff office by phone or in person to ask about recent bookings at the Imperial County jail.

Imperial County does not have a public-facing inmate search database on its website at this time. To look up someone who was recently booked, you may need to call the jail directly. The Imperial County jail is in El Centro. The phone number for the sheriff office is (442) 265-2101. Staff can check if a person is in custody, confirm booking charges, and tell you about bail. This is a common approach in mid-sized California counties that have not yet built online search tools. The data is still public. The law says so. You just access it by calling or visiting instead of clicking a search button.

Some people prefer to submit a written public records request. You can do that by writing to the Imperial County Sheriff Office, Records Division, 328 Applestill Road, El Centro, CA 92243. Under the California Public Records Act, the agency has 10 days to respond. There should be no fee to view booking data, though copies may cost 10 cents per page.

Note: Call the Imperial County Sheriff at (442) 265-2101 for the quickest access to recent booking information.

Imperial County Records Division Screenshot

The Imperial County Sheriff describes its Records Division on the support services page of the agency website. Below is a view of that page.

This page outlines the services the Records Division provides, including how to request public records like 72 hour booking data. It is the starting point for anyone who needs official Imperial County booking information from the sheriff.

Imperial County Booking Law

California Government Code 7923.610 makes booking records public at every law enforcement agency in the state. Imperial County is no exception. The law spells out exactly what must be shared when you ask. The data includes the full name of the booked person, date of birth, physical description, arrest date and time, booking date and time, where the arrest happened, bail amount, all charges filed, and which jail or facility holds them. The Imperial County Sheriff must provide this data to anyone who requests it.

Even though Imperial County does not have a searchable online database, the law still applies. The sheriff cannot refuse to share booking data. You might have to call or write instead of searching a website, but the result is the same. The California Public Records Act protects this right. If the Imperial County Sheriff does not respond within 10 days to a written request, you can escalate through the California Attorney General's office. Most requests get handled without any issue though.

People booked into the Imperial County jail have rights under Penal Code 851.5. Every arrested person in California gets at least three phone calls within three hours of booking. The calls are free. They can go to an attorney, a bail bond agent, or a relative. This right cannot be denied no matter what the charges are. The Imperial County jail in El Centro must follow this law.

Imperial County Jail Information

The Imperial County jail is at 328 Applestill Road in El Centro, California 92243. The sheriff runs the facility and processes all bookings for the county. El Centro is the county seat and the largest city in Imperial County. The jail handles arrests from the sheriff, El Centro police, Brawley police, Calexico police, and other local agencies. All of these bookings create public records under California law.

Imperial County is unique because of its location on the Mexican border. The county includes the Calexico port of entry, one of the busiest land border crossings in the United States. Federal agencies like Customs and Border Protection also operate in the area. Federal arrests go to federal facilities, not the county jail. But local and state arrests in Imperial County all get processed through the sheriff's jail in El Centro. This includes arrests from the Imperial County Sheriff, city police departments, and the California Highway Patrol.

To ask about someone in custody at the Imperial County jail, call (442) 265-2101. The staff can tell you if a person is booked in, what their charges are, and the bail amount. Visiting hours change, so call ahead for the current schedule. Bail in Imperial County follows the county bail schedule. Most charges have a set amount. A judge can change bail at the arraignment hearing, which takes place at the Imperial County Superior Court in El Centro.

Other Sources for Imperial County Booking Data

While the sheriff office is the primary source for Imperial County booking records, a few other tools can help you find related information. These work statewide and cover Imperial County.

• VINELink tracks custody status and can send alerts when someone leaves the Imperial County jail
• The California DOJ Public Inquiry Unit at (916) 210-6276 handles criminal history requests across all counties
• CIRIS shows California state prison inmates, useful if someone was transferred from the county jail after sentencing
• The BSCC Jail Profile Survey tracks booking statistics and jail population data for Imperial County
• The Imperial County Superior Court in El Centro keeps case records after charges are filed

For current 72 hour booking records, calling the Imperial County jail is the fastest option. The statewide tools above are better for tracking someone after they leave the county jail or for pulling up criminal history data that spans multiple counties. VINELink is especially useful if you want to know when someone gets released. It is free to sign up and works for any California county, including Imperial.

Imperial County Booking Record Contents

Every Imperial County booking record contains a standard set of information. The person's full legal name is recorded first. Then their date of birth and a physical description that includes height, weight, hair, and eye color. The arrest details come next. These cover the date, time, and location of the arrest, plus which agency made it. The booking date and time show when the person was processed at the Imperial County jail. Charges are listed by California code section. Bail is a dollar amount or "no bail" for certain serious offenses. The holding location confirms the person is at the Imperial County jail in El Centro.

A booking photo is usually taken during the process. Whether you can get a copy depends on how you request it. If you call the jail, they may describe the person but not send a photo over the phone. A written public records request can include a request for the booking photo. The California Public Records Act does not specifically exempt booking photos from disclosure, though some agencies treat them differently. For Imperial County, ask the Records Division directly if you need a photo.

Note: Written records requests to the Imperial County Sheriff should include the person's full name and approximate booking date for the fastest response.

Nearby County Booking Records

Imperial County borders two other California counties. Both have their own jail systems and booking records. Use the links below to find booking data from these neighboring counties.