Fontana Booking Reports Database

Fontana booking reports are filed through the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department. Located in the western part of San Bernardino County, Fontana is one of the fastest growing cities in the Inland Empire. The city has its own police department that handles arrests, but all bookings go through the county jail system. If you need to find a Fontana booking report, you can use the county sheriff's online inmate locator or contact the Fontana Police records unit by phone. This page covers the steps for searching Fontana booking records and what to expect from the process.

San Bernardino County Books Fontana Arrests

All Fontana bookings go through San Bernardino County. The county sheriff operates several detention centers across the region. The West Valley Detention Center at (909) 350-2476 is one of the primary facilities serving the western part of the county where Fontana sits. When the Fontana Police Department arrests someone, that person gets transported to a county jail for booking. The sheriff's staff processes the intake and creates the booking report with all the required details.

The San Bernardino County Sheriff provides a Booking Search tool online. You can enter a name and look up anyone in county custody. The system covers all detention facilities in the county. This means a Fontana booking shows up in the same system as bookings from every other city in San Bernardino County. The search is free and available at all hours. Some names may not appear due to exemptions under Government Code Section 6254(f), but most Fontana bookings will show in the results.

Fontana Police Records Division

The Fontana Police Department has a records division that handles requests for police reports. Call (909) 356-7103 to ask about arrest reports, incident reports, or other records from the city. An arrest report from the Fontana Police is different from the booking report held by the county sheriff. The police report describes the arrest itself. The booking report documents the jail intake. You may want both if you need the full story.

Under the California Public Records Act, the Fontana Police must respond to records requests within 10 days. Government Code Section 7920.000 sets this rule. Ask for what you need and the department will tell you the fees and processing time. Fees vary by record type. The records division can also help you figure out where to go if the document you need is held by the county sheriff instead of the city.

Fontana Booking Report Access Laws

California law makes Fontana booking information public. Government Code Section 7923.600 requires law enforcement to release booking data including the name, physical description, date of birth, arrest time, charges, bail, and where the person is held. This data is public from the moment someone gets booked in Fontana. No waiting period exists. You do not need permission or a reason to request it. The San Bernardino County Sheriff must provide this information when asked.

Penal Code Section 13300 defines local criminal history records. Booking numbers, arrest dates, and charge data fall under this definition. Basic Fontana booking data is public. A full criminal history with all of a person's past arrests is restricted and requires special authorization. For your own criminal history, the California DOJ charges $25 through the Live Scan fingerprint process.

Note: Free online searches show current custody status; historical Fontana booking reports require a formal records request.

State Tools for Fontana Booking Searches

Beyond the county sheriff, California provides statewide search tools that may cover people booked in Fontana. The California Incarcerated Records and Information Search shows anyone currently in state prison.

If someone booked in Fontana later received a state prison sentence, this tool will show their current location, admission date, and other key information. It covers all California prisons.

The California VINE system works for San Bernardino County. Sign up for free custody alerts on anyone booked in Fontana. VINE sends notifications when the person is released, transferred, or has any status change. Choose phone, email, or text for your alerts. This tool runs 24 hours a day and is especially helpful for crime victims who need ongoing updates without calling the jail repeatedly.

Sealing Fontana Booking Records

People arrested in Fontana who were not convicted can petition to seal their booking records. Penal Code Section 851.91 allows this when charges are dropped, dismissed, or the person is acquitted. The petition goes to the San Bernardino County Superior Court. If granted, the Fontana booking report gets sealed from public view and will not appear in background checks or the county inmate search.

Penal Code Section 851.8 provides an even stronger option for those found factually innocent. Under this statute, the court can order all Fontana arrest records, booking photos, and evidence sealed for three years and then destroyed permanently. Getting a record sealed takes effort. You have to file the right paperwork with the court and convince a judge that your situation meets the legal standards. A lawyer or the county public defender's office can help guide you through it.

Rights During Fontana Booking

Penal Code Section 851.5 gives people booked in Fontana the right to make at least three phone calls within three hours of arrest. These calls can go to a lawyer, a bail bond agent, or a family member. The booking report should show the time of arrest and booking, which is relevant if there are questions about whether this right was honored during a Fontana arrest.

Nearby City Booking Reports

Fontana sits near several other Inland Empire cities. If the arrest you are searching for happened in a neighboring city, these pages have the local details.