San Francisco County Court
San Francisco County Arrest Records

San Francisco County, California Arrest Records

In San Francisco, California, arrest records are government files regarding arrest events. Such records typically include the arrestee’s name, physical description, arrest charges, arrest date and location, and bond amount.

The San Francisco Sheriff’s Department and other local law enforcement agencies create arrest records after arresting and booking suspected offenders. In addition, they may disclose arrest records in accordance with the state laws. The California Public Records Act, for instance, allows public access to most government-generated records. In addition, Section 703 of the California Code of Regulations governs access to criminal history records, which may include arrest-related information.

California laws allow public access to arrest records for the following reasons:

To ensure transparency in the conduct of law enforcement agencies.
To notify the public of recent arrests and crimes within the local community.
To provide evidence in legal case proceedings.

Are Arrest Records Public Information in San Francisco, California?

San Francisco arrest records are mostly accessible to the public. The California Public Records Act allows the public to view and obtain copies of arrest records generated by arresting agencies. In addition, the law requires designated agencies to release the records upon receiving requests from the public.

The state law may restrict the release of arrest records that contain confidential information. Such information when disclosed may endanger the lives of concerned parties. Government agencies may disclose confidential arrest records to eligible parties, such as the record subject and their legal representative. Eligible parties must provide a valid ID along with other required documents to obtain confidential arrest records in San Francisco.

Note: The state law does not restrict out-of-state residents from accessing arrest records. Irrespective of their location, record seekers must follow the legal procedures to obtain arrest records.

What Do Public County Arrest Records Contain?

Public arrest records in San Francisco County may reveal the following information:

Arrestee’s name and physical description.
Arrest charges and description.
Name of the arresting agency.
Bond amount.
Booking number.

Non-public arrest records are not open to the public. Such records contain information that is deemed to not be in the public interest. Examples of such records include the following:

Information on juvenile arrests.
Personal information about crime victims, witnesses, informants, and undercover officers.
Gruesome crime scene recordings.
Information that may interfere with an ongoing criminal investigation.
Arrest records that are sealed or expunged under state laws.

San Francisco County, California Arrest Search

Record seekers in San Francisco County can search arrest information in inmate and criminal history records. To find arrest information in inmate records, record seekers must conduct searches using online search platforms provided by government entities. The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation hosts an online search tool for inmates transferred to state prisons. Record seekers may view records on the platform by providing the inmate’s full name or CDCR number.

Alternatively, the Federal Bureau of Prisons’ Inmate Locator reveals information about inmates serving time in federal prisons from 1982 to the present. To view records on the platform, record seekers must enter the inmate’s name or prison-identification number.

Record seekers can also view arrest records in online databases, such as the following:

San Francisco County Inmate Locator

The San Francisco Sheriff’s Department maintains an online search platform for pretrial detainees and inmates serving short sentences in the county jail. Record seekers can view records on the platform by filling out the following information:

Inmate’s first and last name.
SF number.
Booking number.

In contrast, record seekers may submit an online request for arrest records to the police department. After submitting the request, record seekers can monitor the progress of the request via the police’s Request Center. The police department may charge fees for retrieving and producing copies of arrest records.

Active Warrant Search in San Francisco County

In San Francisco County, arrest warrants are court documents that authorize law enforcement officers to arrest and bring a defendant before the court. Court magistrates issue arrest warrants when arresting officers show probable cause that the defendant violated state or federal laws. Arresting officers must provide a sworn statement or complaint that contains the offense committed and sufficient evidence to support the claim.

Under California laws, arrest warrants may include the following:

The defendant’s name, known aliases, and identifying features.
Description of the alleged crime.
Statement that commands law enforcement officers to arrest the defendant.
The date and county where the warrant was issued.
The signature and title of the issuing judge.

The San Francisco Sheriff’s Central Records and Warrant Unit maintains records of warrants issued within the county. Record seekers may obtain copies of warrant records by submitting a valid photo ID to the CRW Unit between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. at this address:

Hall of Justice

850 Bryant Street

Room 475

San Francisco, CA 94103

Phone: (415) 553-1415.

How to Find Arrest Records for Free in San Francisco County

Government-owned search platforms provide free information on arrest records created in San Francisco County. For example, the local sheriff’s department maintains an online search portal for inmates held in the county jail. The portal reveals arrest-related details, such as the arrest charges, booking number, and bond amount. Record seekers may view arrest information on the platform by providing the inmate’s full name, SF number, and booking number.

The CDCR also offers a free searchable portal that provides arrest information of inmates held in state prisons. Record seekers must fill in the inmate’s name and CDCR number to view records in the platform.

Record seekers may also obtain free arrest records by using online search tools maintained by federal agencies. For example, the Federal Bureau of Prisons’ Inmate Locator allows free searches for arrest records. Record seekers may also obtain arrest records from the following databases:

The San Francisco County Superior Court maintains a searchable portal for criminal case records, which may also include arrest data. Record seekers may freely view arrest information on the platform by entering the defendant’s name, case number, or attorney’s name.

San Francisco County Arrest Report

In San Francsico County, law enforcement officers create arrest reports in the aftermath of an arrest event. Such reports include the officer's observations and the events that led to the incident. In addition, arrest reports include the probable cause for the arrest, crime victims' statements, and evidence collected at the crime scene.

San Francisco County arrest reports are under the purview of the arresting agency that conducted the arrest. The county’s police department and other local law enforcement agencies may disclose the records to interested persons. For example, the San Francisco Police Department’s Central Records and Warrants Unit is responsible for releasing copies of arrest reports. Record seekers must submit an online request to the agency.

In contrast, arrest records contain basic information about arrest events. Record seekers may find such records in the custody of criminal justice agencies, such as the CDCR, the Federal Bureau of Prisons, and the San Francisco Superior Court. These agencies may offer online access to public records that contain arrest-related information.

How to Get an Arrest Record Expunged in San Francisco County

To expunge arrest records, residents may file a petition with the superior court in San Francisco. Residents are generally eligible to seal arrest records if:

They were arrested, but no charges were filed.
They were acquitted by the court.
The court passed a not-guilty verdict.
The statute of limitations for the crime has elapsed.

Eligible persons may seal arrest records by following these steps:

Complete a Petition to Seal Arrest Records and Related Records.
File the petition with the San Francisco Superior Court at any of these locations:

Civic Center Courthouse

400 McAllister Street

San Francisco, CA 94102

Hall of Justice

850 Bryant Street

San Francisco, CA 94103

Polk Street Annex

575 Polk Street

San Francisco, CA 94102

Create copies of the petition and send them to the District Attorney’s Office and the arresting agency at this location:

San Francisco District Attorney's Office

350 Rhode Island Street

North Building

Suite 400N

San Francisco, CA 94103

Phone: (628) 652-4000

Upon receiving the form, the court will set up a hearing date to review the petition and to hear objections from concerned parties. If the petition is granted, the court will issue a sealing order to all agencies that maintain copies of the record.

How Do You Remove San Francisco County Arrest Records From the Internet?

To remove arrest records from the internet, petitioners in San Francisco must first obtain a court order to seal the record. Petitioners may forward copies of the order to the arresting agency and other agencies that hold copies of the record.

The same process also applies when removing arrest records from third-party websites. Record seekers may find the contact information of third-party websites via their “Contact Us” or “About Us” page. They may submit a copy of the court order along with other identifying information to the website.

Alternatively, petitioners may send the removal request to data brokers that are responsible for selling bulk arrest information to third-party websites.