El Dorado County Police Records

El Dorado County police records are managed by the Sheriff's Office Records Unit at 200 Industrial Drive in Placerville. You can request arrest reports, incident files, and other police documents at 25 cents per page. The office charges $30 for clearance letters and $25 for local criminal record checks. Staff respond within ten working days to all requests. Call 530-621-5703 or visit during business hours. Online appointment scheduling is available through the county website for some services. Payment by cash or check only is accepted. Credit cards are not taken at the counter. The Records Unit also provides jail services for Alpine County under contract, so some Alpine arrestees are held here in El Dorado County.

Sheriff Records Unit

The El Dorado County Sheriff's Office Records Unit maintains all police files for the county. Staff process requests from the public, attorneys, insurance companies, and other agencies. The unit is at the Sheriff's headquarters at 200 Industrial Drive in Placerville. You can call, visit in person, or use online scheduling for certain services. Call 530-621-5703 during business hours for help with your records request in El Dorado County.

To request police records, contact the Records Unit by phone or in person. Explain what records you need. Give names, dates, case numbers, or report numbers if you have them. The more detail you provide, the faster staff can search. Be specific. Vague requests take longer because staff have to look through more files. The Sheriff has ten working days to respond under California law in El Dorado County.

El Dorado County charges 25 cents per page for copies of police records. This is lower than many California counties. Payment by cash or check only. Credit cards are not accepted at the counter. Clearance letters cost $30. These confirm you have no local arrest record. Local criminal history checks cost $25. These show arrests in El Dorado County only, not statewide data in California.

Online appointment scheduling is available for some services at app.timetrade.com. This includes fingerprinting and background checks. Check the county website for which services require appointments. Walk-ins may be accepted for simple requests but calling ahead is recommended in El Dorado County.

Types of Police Records

El Dorado County maintains several types of police records. Arrest reports show when someone was booked into the county jail. These include the person's name, charges, booking date, bail amount, and photo. Incident reports document crimes and calls for service that deputies respond to. These show what happened, who was involved, and what the deputy did. Traffic collision reports are filed when there is a crash on county roads in El Dorado County.

Civil documents are also handled by the Sheriff. This includes restraining orders, subpoenas, and other court papers served by deputies. These files are public unless sealed by a judge. Clearance letters and local criminal history checks are available for people who need to show they have no local arrest record. These are useful for job applications and licensing in El Dorado County.

Some records cannot be released. Active investigation files are usually exempt until the case closes. Personnel files about deputies are confidential unless they involve serious misconduct. Body camera footage is generally not released except for officer-involved shootings and critical incidents. If your request is denied, the Sheriff must cite the specific law under California.

How to Request Records

Start by calling the Records Unit at 530-621-5703. Tell them what records you need. Include names, dates, case numbers, report numbers, or addresses. The more info you give, the easier it is for staff to search. You can also visit in person at 200 Industrial Drive in Placerville. Bring photo ID and cash or a check for payment in El Dorado County.

Staff review your request under the California Public Records Act. This law is in Government Code Sections 7920 to 7931. The Sheriff has ten working days to respond. They tell you if the records exist and if they can be released. Some records are exempt from disclosure. If your request is denied, the Sheriff must tell you which law applies. You can appeal or narrow your request to try again in El Dorado County.

When records are ready, you pay 25 cents per page. This is one of the lower rates in California. You can pick up the records in Placerville or staff can mail them to you. Payment is due before you get the records. The office takes cash or check only. Cards are not accepted. After payment, you receive your copies right away if you are there in person in El Dorado County.

Note: Some services require online appointments through the county scheduling system.

Jail Services and Alpine County

El Dorado County provides jail services for Alpine County under contract. Some people arrested in Alpine are booked into the El Dorado County Jail in Placerville. This is because Alpine has no jail of its own. The two counties work together to provide law enforcement services in the Sierra Nevada region of California.

If you are looking for someone arrested in Alpine County, check with both the Alpine Sheriff and the El Dorado Records Unit. The Alpine Sheriff can tell you where a person was taken after arrest. If they are in the El Dorado jail, you request booking records from the El Dorado Records Unit. This arrangement is common for small rural counties in California.

Booking logs are public under California Government Code Section 7923.610. Contact the Records Unit to find out if someone is in jail. Staff can search the booking system by name. They can tell you the charges, bail amount, and booking date. Some booking data may be available online, but calling is often the fastest way to get current information in El Dorado County.

California Records Laws

The California Public Records Act gives you the right to access police records. This law is in Government Code Sections 7920 through 7931. Any person can make a request. You do not have to live in California. You do not need to give a reason for wanting the records. The agency must respond within ten days. They can extend this by 14 days if the request is complex or requires legal review in El Dorado County.

Some records are exempt from release. These include ongoing investigations, internal affairs files, and confidential informant data. Body camera footage is protected except for critical incidents under Government Code Section 7923.625. Officer personnel records must be disclosed if they involve serious misconduct under Penal Code Section 832.7. This law was changed by SB 1421 and SB 16 to require more transparency in California.

If a record is exempt, the agency must cite the specific law. You can challenge a denial in court. Many people hire attorneys to fight for records release. Legal aid groups may help with appeals if you cannot afford a lawyer. The court can order the agency to release records if the exemption was applied incorrectly under California law.

Other Law Enforcement

El Dorado County has several cities but most do not have their own police departments. The Sheriff provides law enforcement for the entire county including contract services to cities like South Lake Tahoe and Placerville. The California Highway Patrol handles traffic enforcement on U.S. Highway 50 and state highways. CHP investigates serious crashes. Request CHP crash reports at crashes.chp.ca.gov in California.

The U.S. Forest Service has law enforcement rangers in Eldorado National Forest. They handle crimes on federal land. Lake Tahoe is shared with Nevada, and law enforcement jurisdiction can be complex there. Know which agency handled your case before you request records. The Records Unit can help you figure out jurisdiction in El Dorado County.

For criminal history records, contact the California Department of Justice. The DOJ maintains statewide arrest and conviction data. You can get your own record for $25 through the Record Review Unit. Visit oag.ca.gov/fingerprints/record-review for instructions. The DOJ does not release other people's criminal history to the public under Penal Code Section 11105 in California.

Neighboring Counties

El Dorado County borders several other counties in the Sierra Nevada. Alpine County is to the east and contracts for jail services. Amador County is to the south. Sacramento County is to the west. Placer County is to the north. Each county has its own sheriff and records system in California.

If you are not sure which county handled your incident, check the exact location. County lines can be confusing in the mountains. The Records Unit can help you figure out jurisdiction. They work with neighboring agencies and can direct you to the right place. Know the location of your incident before you request records in El Dorado County.