San Bernardino County Police Records

San Bernardino County police records are handled by the Sheriff Information Services Division at 655 East Third Street in downtown San Bernardino. You can request records online through NextRequest or by phone at 909-888-5916. Clearance letters cost $38. Processing takes about ten business days for most requests. A network service interruption currently prevents the sheriff from accessing reports taken between April 23, 2019 and April 7, 2023. If your report falls in this date range, the sheriff cannot provide it at this time. For all other records, use the NextRequest portal or contact the Information Services Division directly in San Bernardino County.

Sheriff Information Services Division

The Information Services Division at the San Bernardino County Sheriff processes all public records requests for police reports, arrest logs, and incident files. This office is in downtown San Bernardino at 655 East Third Street. Staff handle hundreds of requests each week from the public, attorneys, insurance companies, and other agencies. Most submissions now go through the online NextRequest portal. This system lets you track your request and get email updates when records are ready in San Bernardino County.

An important notice is posted on the sheriff website. Due to a network service interruption, the department cannot process requests for reports taken between April 23, 2019 and April 7, 2023. If your report falls in this date range, the sheriff cannot provide it until the technical issue is resolved. This affects crime reports, traffic reports, and incident files from that four-year period. For all other dates, records requests proceed normally. Contact the office to check if your specific report is available before submitting a request in San Bernardino County.

San Bernardino County uses NextRequest for online submissions. This portal is at sanbernardinocounty.nextrequest.com. You can create an account, submit your request, and track its progress. The sheriff will tell you if the records exist, how much they cost, and when they will be ready. Processing takes about ten business days for most requests. Complex cases with multiple files or redactions can take longer in San Bernardino County.

Note: Reports from April 23, 2019 to April 7, 2023 are currently unavailable due to a network service interruption.

Available Police Records

Crime reports document incidents investigated by San Bernardino County Sheriff deputies. These include theft, assault, burglary, domestic violence, vandalism, and other offenses. You can request a copy if you were a victim or involved party. Suspects cannot get copies of reports under California exemptions. Active investigations may not be released until cases close. Remember that reports from April 2019 to April 2023 are not available due to the technical issue in San Bernardino County.

Traffic collision reports are created when sheriff 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 in San Bernardino.

Arrest records show when someone was booked into the San Bernardino County jail system. Booking logs are public under California Government Code Section 7923.610. These logs include the person's name, booking date, charges, and bail amount. You can view current inmates online through the county jail website. Historical arrest records require a formal request to the sheriff. An arrest does not prove guilt. Charges may be dropped or dismissed. Only convictions appear in official criminal history records from the California Department of Justice.

Clearance letters show that you have no active warrants in San Bernardino County. These cost $38. Many people need clearance letters for employment, housing, or licensing. The sheriff can search their system and issue a letter if you have no outstanding warrants. Processing takes about ten business days for clearance letters in San Bernardino County.

Request Process for Records

You can request police records from San Bernardino County through the NextRequest portal or by phone. Online is faster and lets you track your request. Phone works for questions and simple requests. Pick the method that fits your needs in San Bernardino County.

To submit online, go to sanbernardinocounty.nextrequest.com and create an account. Fill out the request form with all the details you have. 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 when they will be ready. Processing takes about ten business days for most requests in San Bernardino County.

Before you submit, check the date of your report. If it falls between April 23, 2019 and April 7, 2023, the sheriff cannot provide it due to the network issue. For reports outside this date range, submit your request normally through NextRequest or by phone in San Bernardino County.

To request by phone, call 909-888-5916 and ask for the Information Services Division. Staff can answer questions about the process and tell you what info to include. They will likely direct you to submit a formal request through NextRequest. Phone requests work best for questions, not for submitting actual records requests. Have your case number or report number ready when you call if you have it in San Bernardino County.

Public Records Act Requests

The California Public Records Act gives you the right to request police records from the San Bernardino 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. Examples include active criminal investigations, personnel files, attorney-client communications, and records that would endanger someone's safety. Body worn camera footage is generally exempt except for critical incidents per Government Code Section 7923.625. 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 San Bernardino County.

San Bernardino County follows the standard CPRA process used throughout California. Submit your request through NextRequest or by phone. Provide enough detail so staff can locate the records. The sheriff will search and tell you if they 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. Processing takes about ten business days in San Bernardino County.

Penal Code Section 832.7 governs 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 in San Bernardino County.

Fees and Wait Times

San Bernardino County charges $38 for clearance letters. Other fees are set based on the actual cost of searching, copying, and processing your request. California law allows agencies to charge for these costs. Expect to pay for photocopies, staff time to search and redact records, and any special formats you need. The sheriff will give you a fee estimate after reviewing your request in San Bernardino County.

Processing times are about ten business days for most requests. Simple requests for a single report may come back faster. 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 if needed in San Bernardino 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 applies to 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 San Bernardino County.

Note: Contact the Information Services Division at 909-888-5916 for current fee information before submitting your request.

City Police Records in San Bernardino County

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

Major cities with police departments include San Bernardino, Fontana, Rancho Cucamonga, Ontario, Victorville, Chino, Upland, and Redlands. Contact each city directly for their records request procedures. Fontana Police charges $18 for all reports and uses LexisNexis for some crash reports. Other cities have different fees and systems. Cities without their own police use the San Bernardino County Sheriff for law enforcement. For those cities, submit your request to the county sheriff as described above in San Bernardino 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 San Bernardino 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 procedures 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 San Bernardino County. You can view data by county, city, or agency. The portal includes interactive maps and charts. This is useful for research on crime trends but does not include individual case files or personal records in California.

For general public records requests to state agencies, use the California DOJ portal at oag.ca.gov/consumers/general/pra. The DOJ has ten days to decide if it will release records. Copy fees are 10 cents per page. Some records are exempt such as active investigations and confidential legal advice in California.