Access San Diego County Police Records

San Diego County police records are maintained by the San Diego County Sheriff at 9621 Ridgehaven Court. You can request crime, arrest, and accident reports online through GovQA at sdsheriff.govqa.us. Reports cost $20 but the first copy is free for victims. Processing takes three to ten business days for most requests. The department maintains most records for ten years. Call 858-974-2222 for help with records requests. San Diego County uses both GovQA and LexisNexis systems for different types of reports. This gives you multiple ways to access police records in San Diego County.

San Diego County Sheriff Records

The San Diego County Sheriff processes all public records requests for police reports, arrest logs, and incident files in unincorporated areas. The main office is at 9621 Ridgehaven Court in San Diego. Staff handle thousands of requests each year from victims, attorneys, insurance companies, and the general public. Most submissions go through the online GovQA portal. This system tracks your request and sends email updates when records are ready in San Diego County.

San Diego County charges $20 for reports. The first copy is free to victims. This benefit helps people who were harmed by crimes or involved in accidents. Processing takes three to ten business days for most requests. Complex cases with multiple files or redactions can take longer. The department maintains most records for ten years. Older records may not be available. Call the records office to check if your specific report still exists before submitting a request in San Diego County.

The sheriff website explains the request process at sdsheriff.gov/i-want-to/request. This page covers what information you need to provide, how long processing takes, what records are available, and which ones are exempt. Reading this page before you submit a request can save time and help you understand what to expect from the sheriff in San Diego County.

Available Police Records

Crime reports document incidents investigated by San Diego 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. The first copy is free for victims. Others pay $20 per report. Processing takes three to ten business days. Active investigations may not be released until cases close. Suspects cannot get copies of reports under California exemptions in San Diego 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. Some traffic reports may be available through LexisNexis instead of GovQA. Check with the sheriff to see which system has your report. For crashes on state highways, contact the California Highway Patrol at crashes.chp.ca.gov in San Diego County.

Arrest records show when someone was booked into the San Diego 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.

The department maintains most records for ten years. Older reports may not be available. If your incident occurred more than ten years ago, call the records office to check if the file still exists. Some cases are kept longer due to their serious nature. Homicides and other major crimes may be retained indefinitely in San Diego County.

Request Process for Records

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

To submit online, go to sdsheriff.govqa.us 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 three to ten business days for most requests in San Diego County.

If you were a victim, note that in your request. The first copy is free for victims. Others pay $20 per report. You may need to provide proof that you were the victim such as a copy of the report number or other documentation. The sheriff will explain what they need when they respond to your request in San Diego County.

To request by phone, call 858-974-2222 and ask for the records 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 GovQA. 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 Diego County.

Some traffic reports may be available through LexisNexis at ecrash.lexisnexis.com. This is a third-party service that processes crash reports. Check with the sheriff to see if your report is in this system. For most records, use GovQA as the primary method in San Diego County.

Public Records Act Requests

The California Public Records Act gives you the right to request police records from the San Diego 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 Diego County.

San Diego County follows the standard CPRA process used throughout California. Submit your request through GovQA 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 you were the victim, the first copy is free. If denied, you get a written explanation with the legal reason. Processing takes three to ten business days in San Diego 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 Diego County.

Fees and Wait Times

San Diego County charges $20 for reports. The first copy is free to victims. This applies to crime reports, traffic collision reports, and incident logs. You may need to show proof that you were the victim. The sheriff will explain what documentation they need when they respond to your request. Payment is required before reports are released to non-victims in San Diego County.

Processing times are three to ten business days for most requests. Simple requests for a single report may come back in 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 if needed in San Diego 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. Since San Diego County already provides the first copy free to victims, the main benefit is the faster timeline. SB 1421 records involving officer misconduct or use of force must be released within 45 days in San Diego County.

Note: The first copy of any report is free for victims. Others pay $20 per report in San Diego County.

City Police Records in San Diego County

Several cities in San Diego 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 Diego County.

The City of San Diego Police Department is the largest in the county. They have a records division at 1401 Broadway. All reports cost $12. Call 619-531-2846 for help or email sdpdreportrequests@pd.sandiego.gov. Other cities with police departments include Chula Vista, Oceanside, Escondido, Carlsbad, El Cajon, Vista, San Marcos, Encinitas, National City, and La Mesa. Contact each city directly for their records request procedures. Cities without their own police use the San Diego County Sheriff for law enforcement. For those cities, submit your request to the county sheriff as described above in San Diego 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 Diego 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 Diego 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.