Sierra County Booking Records

Sierra County 72 hour booking records involve a unique setup compared to most California counties. Sierra County is the least populated county in California and does not operate its own full jail facility. Instead, the Sierra County Sheriff's Office uses the Nevada County jail for housing inmates. Booking data for people arrested in Sierra County goes through the sheriff's office in Downieville. This page covers how to find Sierra County booking records, the arrangement with Nevada County, what the law says about public access, and how to request records from this small mountain county.

Sierra County Detention Setup

Sierra County is tiny. With roughly 3,000 residents spread across remote mountain terrain, the county does not have the volume or budget to run a large jail. The Sierra County Detention Facility page explains the arrangement. People arrested in Sierra County are typically transported to Nevada County for jail housing. The Sierra County Sheriff handles the arrest and booking process, but longer-term custody falls to the Nevada County facility.

This means booking records for Sierra County may exist in two places. The Sierra County Sheriff's Office in Downieville keeps its own records of arrests and bookings that happen in the county. But if the person was housed at the Nevada County jail, some records may also be held by Nevada County. For the most complete picture, you may want to check with both agencies. Start with the Sierra County Sheriff for arrest and booking data specific to a Sierra County case.

The Sierra County Sheriff's Office is at 100 Courthouse Square in Downieville. The phone number is (530) 289-3700. Given the county's small size, phone calls are often the fastest way to get booking information. Staff can check records and give you details over the phone in many cases. For written records, they accept mail and in-person requests.

The detention facility page from Sierra County describes how the county handles jail operations, including the use of Nevada County facilities for inmate housing.

This screenshot shows the Sierra County Sheriff's website where the detention arrangement is described. It confirms that Sierra County relies on neighboring Nevada County for jail services.

Sierra County Booking Law

California Government Code 7923.610 applies to Sierra County just like every other county in the state. The law requires all booking records to be public. It does not matter how small the county is. When someone is booked in Sierra County, the sheriff must share the person's name, date of birth, physical description, arrest date and time, booking date and time, location of the arrest, bail amount, charges, and custody facility. There are no exceptions based on county size.

The California Public Records Act backs up this right. If you ask for booking records from Sierra County, the sheriff's office must respond within 10 days. They can charge a small fee for copies but cannot deny the request without a legal reason. Given the low arrest volume in Sierra County, most requests are handled quickly.

Arrested people in Sierra County have the same rights as anywhere in California. Penal Code 851.5 guarantees at least three phone calls within three hours of booking. The calls can go to a lawyer, bail agent, or family member. The sheriff cannot charge for these calls.

How to Get Sierra County Records

Getting booking records from Sierra County is straightforward but mostly offline. The county does not have a big online inmate search tool like larger counties do. Instead, you contact the sheriff's office directly. Here is what to do.

Call the Sierra County Sheriff at (530) 289-3700. Ask about the specific booking you are looking for. Provide the person's name and any dates you know. The office staff can usually check the records while you are on the phone. For simple lookups, this is the fastest method. If you need a formal copy of the booking record, they will tell you how to submit a written request.

You can also mail a request. Send it to Sierra County Sheriff's Office, 100 Courthouse Square, Downieville, CA 95936. Include the full name of the person, the approximate date of arrest, and your contact info. The office should respond within 10 business days. Fees for copies are small, usually just a few dollars for the pages.

• Phone the sheriff at (530) 289-3700 for quick lookups
• Visit the office at 100 Courthouse Square in Downieville
• Mail a written records request with the person's details
• Check with Nevada County if the person was housed there

Sierra County's small population means the sheriff's office handles a low volume of records requests. Response times tend to be fast compared to busy urban counties.

Note: If the person was transferred to Nevada County for jail housing, some booking details may need to come from the Nevada County Sheriff's Office instead.

Sierra County Arrest Details

Arrests in Sierra County are not common. The county has one of the lowest crime rates in California, which tracks with its very small population. Most arrests involve minor offenses. The Sierra County Superior Court handles cases that go to trial, and the courthouse is in Downieville. For booking records tied to a court case, you can also check with the court clerk's office.

The Sierra County Sheriff's Office is the primary law enforcement agency for the entire county. There are no city police departments in Sierra County since the county has no incorporated cities. Every arrest and booking in the county goes through the sheriff. This makes the records search simple. There is only one agency to contact.

The booking process in Sierra County follows the same steps as the rest of California. Officers collect the person's information, take fingerprints and photos, and log the charges. Bail is set based on the county bail schedule. The big difference is that after booking, the person may be moved to Nevada County for housing. The booking record still belongs to Sierra County, even if the person is held in another county's jail.

Nearby County Booking Records

Sierra County borders a few other counties in the northern Sierra Nevada region. Each has its own booking records and search tools.