Riverside County Police Records Search

Riverside County maintains police records through the Riverside County Sheriff Department in downtown Riverside. You can submit public records requests online through NextRequest or by email to cpra@riversidesheriff.org. The sheriff provides a comprehensive FAQ page explaining what records are available and which ones are exempt. Body worn camera footage is generally not released except for critical incidents. A transparency portal at publicaccess.riversidesheriff.org lets you search for certain police records. The main records office is on the fifth floor at 4095 Lemon Street. Call 951-955-2400 for help with records requests in Riverside County.

Riverside County Sheriff Records

The Riverside County Sheriff handles all public records requests for police reports, arrest logs, and incident files in unincorporated areas. The records office is on the fifth floor of the main building at 4095 Lemon Street in Riverside. Staff process hundreds of requests each month. Most submissions now come through the online NextRequest portal. This system lets you track your request and get updates by email when records are ready in Riverside County.

Riverside County provides a detailed FAQ page at riversidesheriff.org/faq.aspx that explains the CPRA process. This page covers what records you can get, which ones are exempt, and how long it takes. Key points include that police reports by number and incident are generally exempt from disclosure. Body worn camera footage is also exempt except for critical incidents under California law. The FAQ helps you understand what to expect before you submit a request in Riverside County.

The transparency portal at publicaccess.riversidesheriff.org provides direct access to certain records. This includes SB 1421 records involving officer-involved shootings and serious misconduct. You can search this portal without submitting a formal request. The portal complies with California laws requiring disclosure of critical incident records. Most agencies must release these within 45 days of a request in Riverside County.

Available Police Records

Crime reports document incidents investigated by Riverside County Sheriff deputies. These include theft, assault, burglary, vandalism, domestic violence, and other offenses. You can request a copy if you were a victim or involved party. The sheriff FAQ states that police reports by number and incident are generally exempt from disclosure under California law. Active investigations are not released. Suspects cannot get copies of reports about their own arrests in Riverside County.

Traffic collision reports are created when deputies respond to crashes on county roads. These show the date, time, location, drivers, vehicles, and any injuries or damage. Parties of interest can request copies under California Vehicle Code Section 20012. This includes drivers, passengers, vehicle owners, and insurance companies with a valid claim. For crashes on state highways, contact the California Highway Patrol at crashes.chp.ca.gov instead of the county sheriff in Riverside County.

Arrest records show when someone was booked into custody. Riverside County posts booking logs online that anyone can view. These logs include the person's name, booking date, charges, and bail amount. Booking logs are public under California Government Code Section 7923.610. An arrest record does not prove guilt. Charges may be dropped, dismissed, or result in acquittal. Only convictions show up in official criminal history records from the California Department of Justice.

Body worn camera footage is generally exempt from release under the California Public Records Act. However, Government Code Section 7923.625 requires agencies to release footage from critical incidents. This includes officer-involved shootings and use of force causing serious injury or death. Agencies have 45 days to provide this footage. They can take 30-day extensions for certain reasons. Check the transparency portal for available critical incident videos in Riverside County.

Request Process for Records

You have three main ways to request police records in Riverside County. Online through NextRequest is the fastest and most common. Email works for simple requests. Phone or mail serve as backups. Pick the method that fits your needs best in Riverside County.

To submit online, go to riversidecountyca.nextrequest.com and create an account. Fill out the request form with all the details you can. Include names, dates, case numbers, locations, and a clear description of what you want. The more specific you are, the faster staff can find your records. Submit the form and check your email for updates. The sheriff will tell you if the records exist, how much they cost, and how long processing will take. Pay online when your records are ready in Riverside County.

For email requests, write to cpra@riversidesheriff.org with a detailed description of what you need. Include your name, contact info, and any case numbers or report numbers you have. Staff will respond within ten days under California law. They will tell you if the records exist and give you a fee estimate. Some requests may be redirected to NextRequest for formal submission in Riverside County.

To request by phone, call 951-955-2400 and ask for the records unit. Staff can answer questions about the process and tell you what to include in your request. They will likely ask you to submit a formal request in writing through NextRequest or email. Phone requests work best for questions, not for submitting actual requests in Riverside County.

Before you request, read the CPRA FAQ at riversidesheriff.org/faq.aspx. This page explains what records are available and which ones are exempt. It saves time to know what you can get before you submit a request. The FAQ covers topics like body camera footage, arrest reports, incident logs, and more in Riverside County.

Public Records Act Requests

The California Public Records Act gives you the right to request police records from the Riverside County Sheriff. This law is in Government Code Sections 7920-7931. Any person can make a request. You do not need to be a California resident or explain why you want the records. The sheriff has ten calendar days to respond. They can extend this by 14 days if they need more time to search or consult with attorneys in California.

Some records are exempt from release under state law. The Riverside County Sheriff FAQ lists common exemptions. These include police reports by number and incident, active criminal investigations, personnel files, attorney-client communications, and records that would endanger someone's safety. Body worn camera footage is also generally exempt except for critical incidents. If your request is denied, the sheriff must cite the specific exemption. You can challenge a denial in court if you believe the records should be public in Riverside County.

Riverside County follows the standard CPRA process. Submit your request through NextRequest or by email. Provide enough detail so staff can locate the records. The sheriff will search and tell you if the records exist. If they do, you get a fee estimate and timeline. Pay the fee and wait for the documents. If denied, you get a written explanation with the legal reason. This process applies to all California law enforcement agencies including Riverside County.

Penal Code Section 832.7 is the main law for peace officer personnel records. SB 1421 and SB 16 changed this law to require more transparency. Agencies must now disclose records of officer-involved shootings, use of force, sustained findings of sexual assault by an officer, and sustained findings of dishonesty. These records must be released within 45 days. The Riverside County transparency portal provides access to some of these records online without a formal request in California.

Fees and Wait Times

Riverside County does not list specific fees on their website. Fees are based on the actual cost of searching, copying, and processing your request. California law allows agencies to charge for staff time, photocopies, and any special formats you need. The sheriff will give you a fee estimate after reviewing your request. Expect to pay before records are released in Riverside County.

Processing times vary based on the complexity of your request and how busy the records office is. Simple requests for public logs may take just a few days. Complex requests with multiple files or redactions can take weeks. The sheriff has ten days to respond under the Public Records Act, but this is just the initial response. They can take more time to actually produce the documents. Requesters often wait two to four weeks for completed records in Riverside County.

Certain requests get priority under California law. Domestic violence victims can get free copies of their incident reports within five days per California Family Code Section 6228. This also covers victims of sexual assault, stalking, and human trafficking. SB 1421 records involving officer misconduct or use of force must be released within 45 days. General requests have no set deadline beyond the ten-day response window in Riverside County.

Note: Contact the sheriff records office for current fee information before submitting your request.

City Police Records in Riverside County

Several cities in Riverside County have their own police departments with separate records divisions. If your incident occurred in one of these cities, contact that police department directly instead of the county sheriff. Each city sets its own fees and procedures for records requests in Riverside County.

The City of Riverside Police Department has a Records Bureau at riversideca.gov/rpd. Call 951-354-2007 for records requests. Corona Police Department has a Records Section at 730 Public Safety Way. Call 951-736-2330 option 3 for help. Reports cost $0.25 per page for traffic and $27 for clearance letters. Corona uses LexisNexis for some crash reports at ecrash.lexisnexis.com in Riverside County.

Other cities with police departments include Palm Springs, Hemet, Lake Elsinore, Murrieta, Temecula, and Indio. Contact each city directly for their records request procedures. Cities without their own police use the Riverside County Sheriff for law enforcement. For these cities, submit your request to the county sheriff as described above in Riverside County.

Other Police Records Resources

For criminal history records, contact the California Department of Justice. You can request your own record through the DOJ Record Review Unit. This requires fingerprints and a $25 fee. Mail your request to PO BOX 160207, Sacramento, CA 95816-0207. The DOJ does not release someone else's criminal history to the public under Penal Code Section 11105. Only you can get your own record, or law enforcement for official purposes in California.

The California Highway Patrol handles crash reports for accidents on state highways in Riverside County. Request these at crashes.chp.ca.gov or by submitting Form CHP 190. Call 1-800-TELL-CHP for help. The CHP charges fees for reports and has different timelines than county or city police in California.

The California DOJ runs the OpenJustice data portal at openjustice.doj.ca.gov. This site has crime statistics, arrest data, and law enforcement information for Riverside County and all California counties. You can view data by county, city, or agency. The portal includes interactive maps and charts. This is useful for research but does not include individual case files or personal records in California.