Alpine County Booking Records

Alpine County 24 hour booking records work a bit differently than in other parts of California. This is the state's least populated county, and it does not run its own jail. Arrests made in Alpine County get processed through neighboring counties under contract agreements. Searching for booking records here means checking the systems used by El Dorado County and Calaveras County, which house Alpine County inmates. The Alpine County Sheriff's Office handles law enforcement, but custody and booking fall to partner jails. This setup is unusual in California, and it affects how you look up recent arrests in the area.

Alpine County Jail and Booking Setup

Alpine County has no jail of its own. This is a key fact that sets it apart from nearly every other county in California. When the sheriff makes an arrest, the person gets transported to a partner county for booking and custody. El Dorado County and Calaveras County both hold Alpine County inmates under contract. The booking record shows up in those county systems, not in an Alpine County database.

Because of this arrangement, there is no Alpine County jail roster or inmate locator to search. You have to check the booking systems in El Dorado County or Calaveras County instead. The El Dorado County Sheriff runs a 48-hour booking log at their website, while the Calaveras County Sheriff posts detention facility data as well. If someone was arrested in Alpine County, their booking record will be in one of those two systems depending on which jail received them.

This contract model is rare in California. Most counties run their own jail and post their own booking records. Alpine County's small size makes it impractical to staff and maintain a full detention facility. The cost per inmate would be too high for a county with roughly 1,200 residents.

Search Alpine County Arrest Records

To find 24 hour booking records for an Alpine County arrest, start with the partner county systems. El Dorado County posts recent bookings online, and Calaveras County has a detention facility page at sheriff.calaverasgov.us. Look for the person by name in both systems. The arresting agency field should show Alpine County Sheriff if the arrest happened in Alpine County.

You can also call the Alpine County Sheriff's Office at (530) 694-2231 to ask about a specific arrest or booking. The office is at 99 Water Street in Markleeville. Staff can tell you which facility is holding a person and how to access their booking record. Phone inquiries are sometimes the fastest route for Alpine County booking data because the online options are spread across multiple county systems.

The California Department of Justice also maintains statewide arrest data through the OpenJustice data portal. This site tracks arrest statistics by county, though it does not show individual booking records for Alpine County or any other county. It is more of a research tool for understanding trends.

Alpine County Booking Record Details

Under California law, booking information is public. Government Code Section 7923.610 requires law enforcement to share the full name and occupation of the arrested person, their physical description, the time and date of arrest and booking, the location where the arrest took place, the factual circumstances of the arrest, bail amount, and all charges. Alpine County must comply with this law even though it contracts jail services out to other counties.

The booking record itself gets created at whichever facility processes the person. That means El Dorado County or Calaveras County staff handle the intake, take the booking photo, and enter the data. But the arrest belongs to Alpine County. The sheriff's office keeps its own records of the arrest, and you can request those directly. Filing a public records request with the Alpine County Sheriff is an option if the online booking logs in partner counties don't show what you need.

Note: Sealed arrest records under Penal Code Section 851.91 will not appear in any public search, including partner county booking databases.

Public Records Requests in Alpine County

The California Public Records Act covers all booking and arrest data held by Alpine County. You can submit a records request to the sheriff's office for any booking information tied to an Alpine County arrest. The law gives the agency 10 days to decide if it will release the records. A short extension of 14 days may apply in some situations. The California DOJ public records page explains the process and your rights under the CPRA.

Copy fees are typically 10 cents per page at the state level. Alpine County may charge its own rate for copies. Call ahead to confirm. Most routine booking data can be shared over the phone or pulled from the partner county's online system without a formal request. The formal route is best for older records or when you need certified copies of Alpine County booking documents.

Under Government Code Section 7923.600, investigative records tied to active cases may be held back. This applies to detailed case files, not basic booking information. The Alpine County Sheriff can withhold analysis and conclusions from ongoing investigations, but the base arrest and booking facts must still be released to the public.

Alpine County Sheriff Contact

For any questions about Alpine County 24 hour booking records, arrests, or custody status, the sheriff's office is your main point of contact. Given that there is no county jail, the sheriff's staff can direct you to the right facility and help you track down a booking record.

Reach the Alpine County Sheriff at (530) 694-2231. The office is located at 99 Water Street, Markleeville, CA 96120. Hours are limited compared to larger counties, so calling during regular business hours is best. For after-hours emergencies or urgent custody questions, dispatch can help route your call. You can also submit written requests by mail if you need formal records from the Alpine County Sheriff's Office. Include the person's full name, approximate date of arrest, and any other identifying details to speed up the search for the booking record you need.

The California DOJ criminal records request page is another option if you need a broader background check that goes beyond a single Alpine County booking.

California Booking Records Law

Since Alpine County does not host its own jail booking portal, here is a look at the state law that governs how booking records are released to the public. The arrest disclosure statute shown below applies to Alpine County and every other county in California.

This statute is the legal basis for public access to booking records statewide, including those created when Alpine County arrests are processed at partner jails.

Cities in Alpine County

Alpine County has no incorporated cities and no cities over the 100,000 population threshold. Markleeville serves as the county seat but is an unincorporated community. Arrests in the area are handled by the Alpine County Sheriff and booked through partner county facilities.

Nearby California Counties

These counties border Alpine County. El Dorado and Calaveras counties handle Alpine County jail services under contract.