San Francisco Jail Inmate Records

San Francisco is a unique city and county in California. The San Francisco Police Department makes arrests within city limits, and the San Francisco County Sheriff operates the jail facilities. When SFPD arrests someone, they are booked into one of several county jail facilities operated by the Sheriff. You can search for jail mugshots and custody records through the Sheriff's online inmate locator system. The county operates multiple facilities including County Jail numbers one through five. These jails house inmates arrested throughout San Francisco. The online databases provide public access to booking photos, custody status, charges, and bail information. The systems update as new bookings occur each day in San Francisco. Most searches are free and do not require you to create an account or log in to view records.

San Francisco County Sheriff Facilities

San Francisco is both a city and a county. This means the San Francisco County Sheriff handles all jail operations for the city. When San Francisco Police arrest someone, that person is booked into the county jail system. The Sheriff operates several facilities within the city including County Jails one through five.

To search for San Francisco jail mugshots, visit the Sheriff's Find Person in Jail page online. You can search by name, booking number, or other identifying information. The database shows custody status, charges, bail amounts, and booking photos for inmates in San Francisco jails.

The Sheriff's Records Office is at 850 Bryant Street, Room 460, San Francisco. Call (415) 553-9505 for records information during business hours. For medical emergencies involving an inmate, call (415) 558-4443. These numbers provide information about people in custody and how to get copies of booking records.

San Francisco County Jail Number One is the main booking facility. Most arrestees are processed there before being assigned to other facilities based on their charges and security classification. The Sheriff determines which jail will house each inmate arrested in San Francisco.

San Francisco Police Records

The San Francisco Police Department maintains arrest reports and investigation files. If you need police records beyond jail booking information, contact SFPD Records. They handle public records requests for incident reports, arrest reports, and case files related to arrests in San Francisco.

SFPD headquarters is at 1245 3rd Street, San Francisco, CA 94158. The main number is 415-837-7000. The Identification Bureau is at 850 Bryant Street, Room 475. Call (415) 553-1415 for ID Bureau services. This office handles fingerprinting and records searches for San Francisco arrests.

The police department charges fees for certified records. A Certificate of Record costs $40. A case search is $15. Copies are 50 cents per page. These fees cover the cost of searching police databases and providing copies of San Francisco arrest records and case files.

For jail mugshots and custody status, use the San Francisco County Sheriff system. SFPD does not maintain booking photos after someone is transferred to Sheriff custody. All inmate information appears in the Sheriff's database once booking is complete at a San Francisco jail facility.

Searching for San Francisco Inmates

Start by going to the Sheriff's inmate search page. Enter the person's first name and last name. You can also search by booking number if you have it. The system searches all San Francisco County jail facilities at once.

Search results show a list of matching inmates. Click on a name to see the full record. The detailed page includes a booking photo in most cases. You will also see the person's physical description, booking date, charges, bail amount, and which facility is holding them in San Francisco.

If the person has a common name, you may get multiple results. Look at the booking date and charges to identify the right person. You can also check the physical description like height and weight to make sure you have the correct inmate arrested in San Francisco.

For recent bookings, the system updates within hours of arrest. Check back if someone was just arrested and does not appear yet. It can take a few hours for booking information to show up in the online database. Call the Sheriff's Records Office if you need immediate information about a recent San Francisco arrest.

Older records may not appear in the active inmate database. The system typically shows people currently in custody or recently released. For archived records from months or years ago, contact the Sheriff's Records Office at (415) 553-9505 to request copies of San Francisco booking records.

Inmate Notification Services

VINE offers free notifications for San Francisco jail inmates. Visit vinelink.dhs.gov to register for alerts. You can get text messages or emails when an inmate is released or transferred between facilities. The service covers all San Francisco County Sheriff detention centers.

Call 877-411-5588 to reach VINE by phone. This automated hotline lets you check custody status without using a computer. You can search by name or booking number. The system tells you if someone is still in custody and which facility is holding them in San Francisco. The line operates 24 hours a day for all California counties.

For direct contact with the Sheriff, use the Records Office number at (415) 553-9505. They can answer questions about custody status, visiting procedures, and how to send money to an inmate. The staff can look up booking information and tell you which jail is holding someone arrested in San Francisco.

California Public Records Requirements

Government Code 6254(f) requires law enforcement to disclose basic booking information. This includes the person's name, physical description, date of birth, arrest time and date, booking time and date, location of arrest, charges filed, and bail amount. San Francisco County must provide this data to anyone who requests it.

Booking photos are public records unless a specific exemption applies. The Sheriff can release jail mugshots to the public in most cases. Most San Francisco County mugshots appear in the online database without restrictions. You do not need to explain why you want the information or provide identification to search for booking photos.

Penal Code 13665 restricts how police share mugshots on social media. Law enforcement cannot post booking photos of nonviolent crimes on platforms like Facebook or Twitter. If they do post them, they must remove them within 14 days. This law does not affect official jail databases. The Sheriff's inmate locator remains available to the public for San Francisco records.

Civil Code 1798.91.1 bans charging fees to remove mugshots from websites. Some companies used to post San Francisco booking photos and demand payment to take them down. California law now makes this practice illegal. Violations can result in civil lawsuits and penalties against the companies engaging in mugshot extortion.

Contacting San Francisco Inmates

San Francisco County uses VisitorKiosk and other systems for inmate communications. These services handle video visits and deposits for inmates. Check the Sheriff's website for current providers and procedures. Each service has its own fees and policies for San Francisco jails.

To send money to an inmate in San Francisco, use the approved deposit methods listed on the Sheriff's website. You will need the inmate's full name and booking number. Deposits typically post within a few hours to a day. Inmates can use the funds for commissary purchases and phone calls inside San Francisco jails.

Video visitation may be available at some San Francisco County facilities. Check the Sheriff's website for current visitation policies. You might need to schedule visits in advance. Each jail has different rules about who can visit and when. Some facilities require background checks before approving visitors.

Mail can be sent to inmates at their facility address. Include the inmate's full name and booking number on the envelope. The Sheriff's website lists addresses for each jail location. Follow the mailing guidelines to ensure your letter reaches the inmate in San Francisco custody.

San Francisco Public Data Portal

The city operates DataSF, a public data portal with information about jail bookings and other city records. You can access booking statistics and trends through this system. It provides aggregate data about arrests and jail operations in San Francisco.

DataSF does not replace the Sheriff's inmate search for finding individual records. Use the Sheriff's system to look up specific people. Use DataSF to research trends, statistics, and patterns in San Francisco jail bookings over time. The portal is useful for researchers and journalists studying the criminal justice system.

Both systems are public and free to use. Neither requires registration or login to access San Francisco jail data. The Sheriff's system is better for finding individual mugshots. DataSF is better for understanding the bigger picture of arrests and bookings in the city.

Nearby California Counties

San Francisco is surrounded by other counties. If you cannot find someone in San Francisco jails, they may be held in a neighboring county. People can be arrested in one county and held in another. Warrants from other jurisdictions also affect where someone is booked.

San Mateo County Alameda County Marin County Contra Costa County

Each county operates its own jail system with separate databases. You need to search each county individually. VINE can search across multiple counties at once if you are not sure where someone is being held. This is useful when looking for someone who may have been arrested near county borders in California.