Fresno Booking Reports

Fresno booking reports document every arrest processed through the county jail in California's Central Valley. The Fresno Police Department handles most arrests within city limits, but the Fresno County Sheriff runs the jail where booking actually takes place. To search for booking reports tied to Fresno arrests, you need to check the county sheriff's inmate database for custody data and the city police for incident reports. Both sources are public records that anyone in California can request without giving a reason.

Fresno County Sheriff Booking Data

Fresno County operates the jail at 1225 M Street in downtown Fresno. The facility has a combined capacity of over 2,400 inmates. When the Fresno Police Department or any other law enforcement agency in the county makes an arrest, the person ends up here for booking. The booking report records the person's name, date of birth, charges, bail amount, arrest time, and physical description. The county sheriff manages all of this data.

The Fresno County Sheriff publishes a jail bookings blotter that shows arrests from the last 72 hours. This is a free tool. It gives you quick access to recent Fresno booking reports without making a formal request. For older records or detailed copies, contact the sheriff's office at (559) 475-9491. The jail phone line can confirm whether someone is currently in Fresno County custody and provide basic booking information.

Note: The Fresno County jail bookings blotter covers the last 72 hours of bookings and is updated regularly.

Fresno Police Records and Reports

The Fresno Police Department keeps arrest reports, incident reports, and collision reports for events within city limits. Call (559) 621-2534 to reach the records unit. Collision reports cost $12 when ordered online. In-person requests for collision reports are free. Arrest and incident reports have their own fee schedule. The records unit can tell you what you owe when you call.

This is where many people get confused. The Fresno police report describes the incident. It tells you what the officer saw, what happened, and why the arrest was made. The booking report from the county sheriff tells you the result: who was booked, on what charges, and for how much bail. They are two different documents held by two different agencies in Fresno. If you want the full story of a Fresno arrest, you will likely need to request from both places.

Fresno Booking Report Access Rights

California's Public Records Act at Government Code Section 7920.000 gives the public the right to inspect records held by Fresno agencies. Both the city police and county sheriff must comply. They have 10 days to respond to a request. A 14-day extension is possible in some cases. Government Code Section 7923.600 lists what booking data must be released: names, charges, bail, arrest and booking times, and the custody location.

Penal Code Section 13300 draws the line between public booking data and restricted criminal history. A Fresno booking report for a single arrest is public. A full criminal history showing all past arrests is restricted. Only the person themselves or authorized agencies can get a full criminal history through the California DOJ. The DOJ charges $25 and requires fingerprints through the Record Review process.

Statewide Tools for Fresno Bookings

California operates several statewide databases that include Fresno booking and custody records. The VINE notification system covers Fresno County. Register for free to get alerts when someone booked in Fresno is released, transferred, or escapes custody. Pick phone, email, or text alerts. VINE is run with support from the California State Sheriffs' Association.

The CDCR inmate search tool lets you find people from Fresno who have been sentenced to state prison. It shows their current facility, admission date, and parole information. The statewide VINE system is shown below.

VINE provides free custody change alerts for anyone booked into Fresno County jail or any other California facility.

Sealing Fresno Arrest Records

If you were arrested in Fresno but not convicted, you may seal the booking record. Penal Code Section 851.91 allows petitions to seal arrest records after charges are dropped or a not-guilty verdict. File the petition in Fresno County Superior Court. Penal Code Section 851.8 covers factual innocence claims, which lead to records being sealed and then destroyed after three years.

Penal Code Section 13665 limits how Fresno police can share booking photos on social media. Photos of people arrested for nonviolent offenses cannot be posted unless specific conditions are met. If posted, they must come down within 14 days. This rule applies to both the Fresno Police Department and the Fresno County Sheriff.

Rights During Fresno Booking

People booked after a Fresno arrest have rights under Penal Code Section 851.5. Within three hours of booking, the person can make at least three phone calls. These calls can go to a lawyer, a bail bond agent, or family. Local calls are free. This right applies at the Fresno County jail just like everywhere else in the state. The jail cannot deny or delay these calls unless it is physically impossible to provide them.

Nearby Cities Booking Reports

Other Central Valley cities near Fresno with booking report pages are listed below. Bakersfield uses a different county system while Visalia falls under Tulare County.