Execute a Free Los Angeles County Mugshot Search: View Photos

Run a free Los Angeles County mugshot search to see if someone you know is charged with a crime or has recently been detained in any local or state correctional facilities.

Law enforcement agencies take photos of arrested individuals before they are placed in jail. These captured images are added to an individual’s criminal record. Under the California Public Records Act, local and state custodians made these records open for public access but with some restrictions.

This article contains instructions and tips for residents to effectively perform a search for mugshots through official channels.

Where Can Mugshots Be Found for Free in Los Angeles County?

According to Section 13665 of the Penal Code, law enforcement agencies in California – including those in Los Angeles County – are restricted from posting arrestee’s mugshots online.¹ Agencies do make important arrest and inmate information accessible from their websites, but visual information like mugshots aren’t included.

For this reason, records seekers may reach out to the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department (LASD) directly to request for mugshots.² Additionally, records can also be accessed through the county detention facilities managed by the LASD.

Citizens may also be able to obtain recent arrest mugshots from the city police agencies and also from the specific city jail, where arrestees were temporarily housed before they were transferred to the county detention facilities.

Furthermore, the California Department of Corrections & Rehabilitation (CDCR) keeps records of individuals placed in state prisons, while federal prisoners’ records are accessible from the Bureau of Prisons (BOP).

How To Access Los Angeles County Mugshots

Curious individuals can access an individual’s arrest and inmate information through the Inmate Locator offered by the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department (LASD).³ Online search results show the detainee’s booking number, charges, and bail amount, but mugshots are not part of the available information.

Individual mugshots are only accessible by submitting a records request to LASD, which can be made in various ways: in-person (by appointment) or through mail.⁴ Record seekers are required to provide details about the person involved – including full name, birthdate, date of arrest, location and any relevant information that may help with the record search.

It’s important to note that record requests in LASD may require a minimum fee of $25 per copy.

Inmate or booking records, specifically mugshots, can be accessed by calling 562.345.4441 and scheduling an appointment for in-person visit. Records can be obtain by going to the office in person, located at:

Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department
Public Service Section
12440 E Imperial Highway, Ste. 120
Norwalk, California 90650

For identification and security purposes, requesters must provide a valid ID.

Alternatively, you may also see police photographs by mailing a written request, along with documents and payment required to:

Records & Identification Bureau
Attention: Records Inquiry Non-Law Enforcement Section
12440 East Imperial Highway, Suite 400 West
Norwalk, California 90650

Phone: 562.345.4448

As mentioned in the previous section, inmates’ mugshots can also be acquired from the Los Angeles County Detention Facilities.⁵ For example, for inmates housed in Los Angeles County Men’s Central Jail (MCJ) their records can be accessed by visiting the jail directly.

MEN’S CENTRAL JAIL (MCJ)
441 Bauchet St.
Los Angeles, 90012

In case you don’t know for sure which facility the inmates are being held in, you can use the Inmate Locator mentioned above. For additional questions regarding inmates under custody, you can contact the Custody Operations Unit at 213.473.6100.

However, to keep the public aware of possible threats to their safety, the Los Angeles County Probation Information Center offers a list of most wanted individuals, available on their website.

Lastly, third party providers, like VINELink, can also provide limited custody information about individuals behind bars; you can also consider these sources to keep you updated of recent arrests within your area, though it doesn’t show mugshots.

Correctional Facility Services

Detained individuals in any Los Angeles County Detention Facilities are given support services, allowing them to still be updated to the happenings outside, keep their connection with loved ones and prepare for successful reintegration into the community after the time of their sentence.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Inmate services page provides information about services offered to those behind bars, such as purchasing commissary item procedures, phone guidelines, and available programs aimed at supporting inmate rehabilitation.⁷

With regards to visiting inmates, loved ones, friends and colleagues can visit incarcerated individuals. In the Men’s Central Jail (MCJ), for example, visitors must register and schedule their visit first before going in person, as explained in MCJ’s visitation procedure. These guidelines are also applicable to other jails, although there might be minor differences.

Posting bail in the county can only be done in the IRC (Inmate Reception Center) Cashiering Office, wherein payments must be made payable to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

For more information regarding how bail is posted, refer to the Los Angeles County bail and arrest information guide.

Locating Mugshots Across Los Angeles County Cities

Most cities in Los Angeles County have their own police department and detention facilities.

Recently arrested individuals are temporarily held in these local jails, usually about 2-3 days from the date of arrest, before they are transferred to a county detention facility.

However, similar to the county offices, these local agencies don’t share mugshots of individuals arrested to the general public, in connection with the Section 13665 of the Penal Code. To obtain a copy of police reports, records seekers will need to connect to the specific local police department.

Provided below are examples for requesting mugshots from city agencies.

Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD): The LAPD set restrictions regarding the availability of police or arrest reports, where mugshots are included. In the city, not all arrest records are shared to the public, so some may require a subpoena or court order to access such information.⁸

To obtain a copy of a police report, you may need to reach out to the appropriate legal authority: the City Attorney for misdemeanors, or the District Attorney for felonies.

If you have questions regarding the arrest report request, you may call 213.486.8300.

Alternatively, you can also visit the relevant LAPD jails directly, where the offender arrested by the Los Angeles Police is temporarily held.

Long Beach Police Department (LBPD): To view mugshots of individuals arrested by the Long Beach Police, you must submit a completed Police Record Request Form to:⁹

Long Beach Police Department
Attn: Information Management Division\
400 West Broadway
Long Beach, CA 90802

Requests can be sent by mail or personally at the address provided above. Do not forget to bring $23 as the copy for police reports isn’t free.

If you have questions regarding your request, you can call 562.570.7381.

Glendale Police Department (GPD): To request for police reports for arrest made by the Glendale Police, you may contact the 818.548.3135 or visit the agency directly at:¹¹

Glendale Police Department
613 E. Broadway
Glendale, CA 91206

You could also consider reaching out to the Glendale City Jail. It is most preferred to contact 818.548.3124 before going in person to inquire about your request.

Individuals looking for information about arrests made by other agencies can contact the relevant city’s police department within Los Angeles County. To find their contact information search online for “[city name] Police Department”.

Viewing Mugshots of California Inmates: State & Federal Prisoners

Similar to city and county custodians, mugshots of individuals transferred to state prison aren’t shared to the public online.

The California Department of Corrections & Rehabilitation (CDCR) offers an Offender Search Tool, that may provide information about inmates, like personal records, charges and which facility they are in, but doesn’t show mugshots.¹²

To request for prisoner’s mugshots, you can contact the CDCR Identification Unit at 916.445.6713 or visit the office directly.

However, to protect the public, the CDCR provides an online list of wanted sex offenders accessible by anyone for free. If you’re worried about your safety, you may visit the CDCR Wanted Sex Offenders page.¹⁴

If you believe that the person you are looking for is detained in the federal prison, you can verify it by searching through the Inmate Locator managed by the federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP). However, you’ll notice that their mugshots aren’t included in the search results. So, you may instead visit one of the BOP offices located in California to obtain the information you need.

As mandated by the California Public Records Act (CPRA), though mugshots aren’t entirely accessible by anyone and law enforcement agencies are restricted to post these online, the public is able to obtain it through alternative means.¹⁵

When obtained, you must know that using this information to harm someone or in any illegal activities is strictly not allowed, as required by federal law (the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) rules).

Although there are certain laws that restrict the public’s access to these records, the state still allows the public to perform a Los Angeles County mugshots search and obtain the desired records.