Santa Rosa Police Records Access
Police records in Santa Rosa are held by the Santa Rosa Police Department and Sonoma County Sheriff. The police department handles most law enforcement in the city and creates arrest reports and incident files for cases within city limits. Santa Rosa is the county seat of Sonoma County. The police department has a records division that processes public requests. You submit requests through an online form or by mail. The agency responds within ten days under the California Public Records Act. Most reports are ready within two weeks of your request for Santa Rosa police records.
Santa Rosa Quick Facts
Santa Rosa Law Enforcement Agencies
The Santa Rosa Police Department provides law enforcement for the city. Officers patrol Santa Rosa and respond to calls for service. The department handles all types of cases including traffic stops, property crimes, and violent crimes. Each incident generates a report that becomes part of the department's records system in Santa Rosa.
The Sonoma County Sheriff also operates in areas around Santa Rosa. The sheriff handles unincorporated county areas and provides services to some smaller cities. If your incident occurred outside Santa Rosa city limits, you need to contact the sheriff instead. The sheriff's office is at 2796 Ventura Avenue, Santa Rosa, CA 95403. You can call them at 707-565-2121 for general questions about records from county areas near Santa Rosa.
| Agency | Santa Rosa Police Department |
|---|---|
| Address | 965 Sonoma Avenue Santa Rosa, CA 95404 |
| Phone | (707) 543-3600 |
| Records Contact | Through online portal |
| Website | srcity.org/police |
The Sonoma County Sheriff has an online report request system at sonomasheriff.org/report-request. This portal handles requests for sheriff reports from incidents in county areas. Response time is within ten days under the Public Records Act. Fees may apply depending on the type of record you request from Santa Rosa area sheriff incidents.
Submit a Records Request
To request police records from Santa Rosa, you need to know which agency handled the incident. City police handle cases within Santa Rosa city limits. The sheriff handles cases outside the city. Contact the wrong agency and they will tell you to submit your request elsewhere. Make sure you have the correct agency before you start your request for Santa Rosa police records.
The California Public Records Act in Government Code Sections 7920-7931 gives you the right to request police records. The agency has ten days to respond to your request. This is just the initial response. The agency will tell you if they have the records and when they will be ready. A 14-day extension is allowed if they need more time to search or review files in Santa Rosa.
Provide as much detail as you can in your request. Include the date of the incident, location in Santa Rosa, names of people involved, and the type of report you need. Case numbers help speed up the process if you have one. Without a case number, staff will search by name and date. The more detail you provide, the faster they can find your records from Santa Rosa.
Some records cannot be released under California law. Active investigation files are exempt. Arrest reports are not given to suspects. Government Code Section 6254 lists the exemptions. Victims and involved parties can usually get incident reports. If your request is denied, the agency must cite the specific exemption that applies to Santa Rosa police records.
Note: The Sonoma County Sheriff provides responses within ten days per state law requirements.
Police Record Types
Arrest records are created when someone is booked into custody in Santa Rosa. The booking log shows the person's name, booking date, charges, and bail amount. These logs are public under California law. You can search for recent bookings online through the Sonoma County Sheriff website. Arrest records do not prove guilt. Charges may be dropped or reduced later in Santa Rosa cases.
Incident reports document crimes and other calls for service in Santa Rosa. An officer writes a report after responding to an incident. The report includes what happened, who was involved, witness statements, and what actions the officer took. You can request a copy if you were a victim or party involved. The agency will not release reports to suspects in active investigations. Closed case files may be available depending on the type of crime in Santa Rosa.
Traffic collision reports are created when police respond to crashes in Santa Rosa. These show the date, time, location, vehicles, drivers, and any injuries. Vehicle Code Section 20012 requires agencies to release collision reports to drivers, passengers, vehicle owners, and insurance companies. Most reports are ready within seven to ten business days from Santa Rosa crashes.
Body camera footage from Santa Rosa police is generally exempt from disclosure. Critical incident footage must be released under Government Code Section 7923.625. This includes officer-involved shootings and serious use of force. The agency has 45 days to provide the footage. A 30-day extension is allowed for certain reasons. Other body cam video from routine calls is not subject to release in Santa Rosa.
Fees and Processing Times
The Santa Rosa Police Department may charge fees for police records. Fee amounts depend on the type of record and whether you need a certified copy. Some agencies provide digital copies at no cost. Others charge per page for printed copies. Contact the police department to ask about current fees before you submit a request for Santa Rosa police records.
The Sonoma County Sheriff charges fees for some records. The sheriff website mentions that fees may be required prior to release. Call the sheriff records unit at 707-565-2204 to ask about costs. Email them at Sheriff-CIB@sonomacounty.gov with questions about fees for specific types of records from Santa Rosa area sheriff incidents.
Processing times vary by request complexity. Simple incident reports often take one to two weeks. Complex requests with multiple files can take longer. The ten-day response deadline under the Public Records Act is just the initial response. The agency will estimate when your records will be ready. Follow up if you do not hear back within the time they quoted for Santa Rosa police records.
Victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, or human trafficking get free copies of their incident reports under California law. The agency must provide these within five days at no charge. You may need to show proof that you were the victim. This applies to both city police and sheriff records in Santa Rosa.
Additional Record Sources
The California Department of Justice maintains statewide criminal history records. You can request your own record for $25 through the DOJ Record Review Unit. The process requires fingerprints. Mail your application to PO BOX 160207, Sacramento, CA 95816-0207. Visit oag.ca.gov/fingerprints/record-review for forms. This gives you a complete state record including arrests or convictions from Santa Rosa.
The California Highway Patrol handles crash reports for incidents on state highways. You can request reports online at crashes.chp.ca.gov. Only parties of interest can get copies. This includes drivers, passengers, vehicle owners, and insurance companies. The CHP serves Highway 101 and other state routes near Santa Rosa. For crashes on city streets, contact the police department instead.
Sonoma County Superior Court keeps criminal case files for prosecutions in Santa Rosa. You can search cases online through the court website. Court records include filings, hearings, and judgments. These are separate from police reports but may contain related information. Contact the court clerk for copies of documents from Santa Rosa criminal cases.
The Sonoma County Sheriff has an incarcerated person search tool online. You can also view arrest logs and active warrants through the sheriff website. These tools provide public information about recent bookings and current inmates from Santa Rosa and other parts of Sonoma County.
Sonoma County Police Records
Santa Rosa is the county seat of Sonoma County. The sheriff serves unincorporated areas and smaller cities across the county. For county records, sheriff services, and the online report request portal, visit the Sonoma County police records page.