Los Angeles County, California Public Records

Los Angeles County offices and records

Sheriff & Law Enforcement. Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department (LASD) is the largest sheriff's department in the United States, with approximately 10,000 sworn deputies. LASD provides law enforcement services to unincorporated LA County and 42 contract cities. It operates 7 jail facilities, including Twin Towers Correctional Facility, Men's Central Jail, and Century Regional Detention Facility, collectively housing roughly 17,000 inmates, making it the world's largest local jail system. LASD also runs 23 patrol stations countywide.

Police Departments. LAPD serves the City of Los Angeles across 21 geographic divisions and approximately 9,000 sworn officers. LASD serves unincorporated areas and 42 contract cities from 23 patrol stations. Independent municipal departments include Long Beach PD, Pasadena PD, Burbank PD, Glendale PD, Santa Monica PD, and 41 others.

Law Enforcement & Arrests. Law enforcement in Los Angeles County is provided by Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department (LASD), headquartered at 211 W. Temple Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012, phone (213) 229-1700, website lasd.org. The LASD is the largest sheriff's department in the United States, serving unincorporated areas and 42 contract cities, operating 23 stations, and managing Los Angeles County jail system with approximately 17,000 inmates across multiple facilities. To look up inmates in Los Angeles County jails, use the Inmate Information Center at app5.lasd.org/iic or call (213) 473-6100. Santa Monica Police Department, Torrance Police Department, El Segundo Police Department, Culver City Police Department, and dozens of others across Los Angeles County's 88 cities. The California Public Records Act requires agencies to respond within 10 days and provide records unless specific exemptions apply.

Criminal Records. Felony and misdemeanor convictions are held by the LA Superior Court District Clerk and searchable online at lacourt.org. Name-based checks ($25 CA DOJ processing fee) are available for non-criminal-justice purposes.

Arrest Records. Arrest records in Los Angeles County are maintained by the arresting agency, LAPD (21 geographic divisions), LASD (23 patrol stations), or one of 46 independent city police departments. California Proposition 57 (2016) and AB 1950 (2021) have modified certain sentence and probation rules that affect record visibility.

Jail & Inmate Records. LASD operates 7 major detention facilities in Los Angeles County: Twin Towers Correctional Facility (downtown LA, one of the largest jail facilities in the country), Men's Central Jail (MCJ), Century Regional Detention Facility (Lynwood, houses women), Pitchess Detention Center (Castaic, 4 camps), North County Correctional Facility, East Facility, and South Facility. To find a current inmate, use the LASD Inmate Information Center (app5.lasd.org) and search by name or booking number.

Mugshots & Booking Photos. California law (AB 1475, 2014) limits commercial mugshot websites from charging removal fees, providing some consumer protection.

Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce at lacchamber.com, phone (213) 580-7500, provides business development resources, though it does not maintain official licensing records. Use the LASD Inmate Information Center (app5.lasd.org/iic) to search LASD jail facilities by name or booking number. For LAPD arrests in the City of LA, call LAPD Jail Division at (213) 972-2945. Temple Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012, phone (213) 974-3211, website assessor.lacounty.gov. State professional licenses (contractors, cosmetologists, healthcare providers, real estate agents) are issued by California licensing boards searchable at dca.ca.gov. Building permits, zoning approvals, and land use permits for unincorporated Los Angeles County are handled by the Department of Regional Planning at planning.lacounty.gov, 320 W. Temple Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012, phone (213) 974-6411. Elections in Los Angeles County are administered by the Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk, located at 12400 E. Imperial Highway, Norwalk, CA 90650, phone (800) 815-2666 or website lavote.gov. For vital records occurring outside Los Angeles County or more than 100 years ago, contact the California Department of Public Health, Vital Records at cdph.ca.gov, MS 5103, P.O. Box 997410, Sacramento, CA 95899-7410, phone (916) 445-2684.