Kern County 72 Hour Booking Records

Kern County booking records are public under California law. The Kern County Sheriff's Office runs the main jail in Bakersfield and posts arrest data online. You can search for people booked into the Kern County jail through the sheriff's website or use the FOIA portal for formal records requests. Kern County also uses Securus Technologies for inmate phone and video services. This page covers how to find 72 hour booking records in Kern County, what tools are free to use, and how the process works from start to finish.

Kern County Booking Search Tools

The Kern County Sheriff's Office gives the public two main ways to look up booking records. The first is the arrest records page on the sheriff's website. This page explains how to get copies of arrest reports and booking data from Kern County. It lists the steps to file a request and what info you need to provide. The sheriff's office is at 1350 Norris Road in Bakersfield. You can call them at (661) 391-7500. Walk-in requests are taken during business hours on weekdays.

The second tool is more direct. Kern County runs a dedicated FOIA portal through JustFOIA. This is an online system where you can submit a public records request for booking data. You type in what you need, give your contact info, and the sheriff's office will process it. The portal tracks your request so you can check the status at any time. Not many California counties have this kind of formal online FOIA system, which makes Kern County one of the more accessible places to get booking records. Response times vary but most requests get a reply within 10 business days.

The arrest records page from the Kern County Sheriff's Office walks you through each step. It covers what forms to fill out, fees that may apply for copies, and where to send your request if you want to do it by mail. The page also notes that some records take longer to process depending on case status.

Kern County FOIA Portal

Kern County's JustFOIA portal stands out among California counties. Most sheriff offices handle records requests by phone, email, or a basic web form. Kern County built a full tracking system. You create an account, submit your booking records request, and get updates as it moves through the process. This is useful when you need a formal paper trail for your request. Legal professionals in Kern County use this portal often for case prep work.

The FOIA portal screenshot above shows the public-facing side of the Kern County records request system. You can browse past requests that have been made public too. This gives you an idea of what kinds of booking records people ask for in Kern County and how the sheriff's office responds.

Note: The Kern County FOIA portal is free to use, but copies of records may have a per-page fee attached.

Booking Law in Kern County

California Government Code 7923.610 requires all law enforcement agencies to release booking information to the public. This applies to the Kern County Sheriff's Office and every police department in the county. The law says agencies must share the full name of the person booked, their date of birth, a physical description, the time and date of arrest, time and date of booking, where the arrest happened, bail amount, all charges, and which facility holds them. No Kern County agency can refuse to share this data.

The Kern County jail processes a large volume of bookings each year. As one of the biggest counties in California by land area, Kern County covers a wide stretch of the southern Central Valley. The sheriff runs the main detention facility in Bakersfield. Booking records from this jail fall under the 72 hour rule. That means data from recent bookings should be available to the public promptly. In practice, most Kern County booking data is accessible through the tools on the sheriff's website or the FOIA portal.

Arrested people in Kern County also have rights under Penal Code 851.5. This law gives each person at least three phone calls within three hours of being booked. These calls can go to a lawyer, bail agent, or family. The jail cannot charge for them. This right applies at every booking facility in Kern County.

Kern County Inmate Services

Kern County uses Securus Technologies for inmate communications. Securus handles phone calls, video visits, and messaging for people held in the Kern County jail system. Family members can set up accounts through the Securus website to stay in touch with someone who was recently booked. The system also lets you deposit money into an inmate's commissary account. These services are separate from the booking record itself, but they are part of the same jail system in Kern County.

If you want to confirm that someone is currently in custody at the Kern County jail, the inmate search tools are the fastest way. The sheriff's website has a section for checking on people held at detention facilities in Kern County. You search by name and can see booking details, charges, and bail info. This is the same data that falls under the 72 hour booking disclosure law. Most results show up quickly. The system updates as new bookings come in throughout the day.

Kern County handles a mix of urban and rural arrests. Bakersfield generates the most bookings by far, but smaller towns across the county also funnel arrests into the main Kern County detention center. The sheriff's office covers unincorporated areas, while city police departments in places like Bakersfield, Delano, and Ridgecrest make their own arrests. All of these bookings end up in the Kern County jail system and become part of the public 72 hour booking data.

Note: Securus account setup is handled through their own website, not through the Kern County Sheriff's Office directly.

Kern County Booking Process

When someone is arrested in Kern County, the booking process starts at the detention facility. Officers collect personal info, take photos and fingerprints, and enter the charges. This data becomes the booking record. Under California law, the Kern County Sheriff must make this info public. The 72 hour window means the data should be available to anyone who asks within three days of the booking.

The types of charges in Kern County booking records range widely. You will see everything from misdemeanor drug possession to felony assault cases. Each booking record lists all charges filed at the time of booking. Bail amounts vary based on the Kern County bail schedule. Some offenses have set bail amounts while others require a judge to set bail at arraignment. The booking record will show the bail amount once it has been determined.

• Full name and date of birth of the person booked
• Physical description including height, weight, and identifying marks
• Date and time of arrest in Kern County
• Date and time of booking at the facility
• Location where the arrest took place
• All charges filed at booking
• Bail amount and custody status

All of this information is public. You do not need to give a reason when you ask for Kern County booking records. The California Public Records Act protects your right to access it.

Bakersfield Booking Records

Bakersfield is the county seat and the largest city in Kern County. The Bakersfield Police Department makes its own arrests, but those bookings go into the Kern County jail system. So whether the arrest was made by BPD or the Kern County Sheriff, the booking record ends up in the same place. You search for Bakersfield booking records through the Kern County Sheriff's tools. The Bakersfield PD also has its own records division for police reports, but for 72 hour booking data, the county sheriff is the source.

Bakersfield accounts for a large share of all Kern County bookings. The city has over 400,000 residents and a busy police department. If you are looking for someone who was arrested in Bakersfield, start with the Kern County Sheriff's arrest records page or the FOIA portal. Both tools cover all bookings at the county jail, no matter which agency made the arrest.

Nearby County Booking Records

Kern County borders several other California counties. Each one has its own sheriff's office and booking search tools. If you are not sure which county handled an arrest, check the surrounding areas.