Search Compton Police Records
Police records in Compton come from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. Compton contracts with the sheriff for all law enforcement services. The city has about 97,000 people and is in Los Angeles County. You can ask for copies of incident reports, arrest logs, and crash files. Requests go to the sheriff's records division in Norwalk. The department responds within ten days under the California Public Records Act. Not all files can be released if a case is still open in Compton.
Compton Quick Facts
Los Angeles County Sheriff Records
Compton does not have its own police department. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department provides all law enforcement in Compton through a contract. This is common in California. Many cities use the county sheriff instead of running their own police force. All police records for Compton are kept by the sheriff's records division in Los Angeles County.
To request police records from Compton, contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff at (562) 345-4441. The records office is at 12440 East Imperial Highway, Suite 400 West in Norwalk. Hours are Monday through Thursday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, by appointment only. You need to schedule a visit before you go. They take appointments for record requests and other services in Los Angeles County.
| Agency | Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department |
|---|---|
| Address | 12440 East Imperial Highway, Suite 400 West Norwalk, CA 90650 |
| Phone | (562) 345-4441 |
| Hours | Monday - Thursday, 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM (by appointment) |
The sheriff has an FAQ page about records at lasd.org/records-faq. The page says a copy of your arrest report is not available to you. Per California Government Code Section 6254(f), local police agency records of investigation are exempt from release. This applies to all sheriff records, including those from Compton stations in Los Angeles County.
Transparency Portal for Compton
The Los Angeles County Sheriff has a special portal for SB 1421 records. This covers officer-involved shootings and serious misconduct cases in Compton. The portal is at lasdsb1421.powerappsportals.us. You can search for records that must be disclosed under California law. These include use of force incidents, officer shootings, and sustained findings of dishonesty or sexual assault by deputies in Los Angeles County.
SB 1421 records must be released within 45 days of a request. The sheriff can delay up to 180 days if there is an active criminal investigation. This law changed in 2019 to require more transparency from police agencies. It applies to all law enforcement in California, including sheriff deputies who patrol Compton in Los Angeles County.
For regular police reports that are not SB 1421 records, you use the normal request process. Contact the records division at the number above or use the SB 1421 portal only for transparency records. Most incident reports and crash files go through the standard California Public Records Act process for Compton.
Types of Police Records
Incident reports document crimes and events that sheriff deputies respond to in Compton. A deputy writes the report after investigating a call. The report has facts about what happened, who was there, and what action was taken. You can ask for a copy if you were a victim or involved party. Suspects cannot get arrest reports under California law. The sheriff reviews each request to decide what can be released from Compton.
Arrest records show people booked into jail by sheriff deputies in Compton. These include the name, booking date, and charges. Los Angeles County posts booking logs online that you can search by name or date. An arrest does not mean a conviction. Charges may be dropped later. Some arrest info is public under Government Code Section 7923.610, but full arrest reports are exempt from release in Compton.
Traffic collision reports show crash details for accidents that deputies respond to in Compton. These include the date, time, vehicles involved, and any injuries. California Vehicle Code Section 20012 requires the release of crash reports to drivers, passengers, owners, and insurers. Processing takes about seven to ten days. If the CHP handled the crash, you request from them instead of the sheriff for Compton.
Body camera footage is mostly exempt from release in Compton. California law keeps body cam video private except for critical incidents. This includes deputy-involved shootings and serious use of force. The sheriff must release that footage within 45 days under Government Code Section 7923.625. All other body cam video stays confidential in Los Angeles County, including footage from Compton.
How to Request Records
To ask for police records from Compton, contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff with these details:
- Your name and phone or email
- Date of the event in Compton
- Names of people involved
- Location in Compton
- Case number if you know it
- What type of record you want
The California Public Records Act gives the sheriff ten days to respond. This means they tell you if the record exists and if they will release it. It does not mean you get the file in ten days. They may need more time to produce the records. A 14-day extension is allowed if they need to search many files or consult with other offices in Los Angeles County.
If your request is denied, the sheriff must cite the law that exempts the record. Common exemptions include ongoing investigations, personnel files, and certain confidential records. You can challenge a denial in court. Many people work with lawyers or advocacy groups on appeals. The California Attorney General has info on your rights at oag.ca.gov for police records in Compton.
Note: Domestic violence victims get free copies of their reports within five days under California Family Code.
California Public Records Laws
The California Public Records Act in Government Code Sections 7920-7931 gives you the right to ask for police records in Compton. Any person can make a request. You do not need to live in California or give a reason. The agency has ten days to respond. They can extend this by 14 days if needed. Some records are exempt from release under state law in Compton.
Penal Code Section 832.7 covers peace officer personnel records. SB 1421 and SB 16 changed this law to require more disclosure in Compton. The sheriff must now release records of shootings, serious use of force, sexual assault by a deputy, and dishonesty. The department has 45 days to provide these files. A delay of up to 180 days is allowed if there is an ongoing criminal investigation in California.
Vehicle Code Section 20012 requires the release of traffic collision reports to involved parties in Compton. This includes drivers, passengers, owners, and insurers. The law sets out who qualifies. Agencies cannot deny these requests if you meet the requirements in California. Most crash reports are ready in seven to ten days from the sheriff for Compton.
Other Records and Resources
The Los Angeles County Sheriff only keeps law enforcement records for Compton. For other public records, contact different city or county offices. Vital records like birth and death certificates go through the Los Angeles County Public Health Department. Court records are at the Los Angeles County Superior Court. Property records are kept by the County Assessor in Compton.
If you need legal help related to police records in Compton, several groups offer services. Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles serves people with low income. Call (800) 399-4529 for info. The Los Angeles County Bar Association has a lawyer referral service if you need to hire an attorney. You can also contact the California State Bar at 1-800-392-5660 for referrals statewide.
For questions about California police records laws, the Attorney General website at oag.ca.gov has guides and FAQs. The site explains the Public Records Act and how it works. It also has contact info if you need to file a complaint about a denied request. These resources apply to all law enforcement agencies in California, including the Los Angeles County Sheriff in Compton.
For more on county-level records, see the Los Angeles County page. That page covers the sheriff's records division, jail booking logs, and other resources. It also lists which cities in the county contract with the sheriff for police services. Compton is one of those contract cities, so all Compton police records come from the Los Angeles County Sheriff.