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  1. Kern County Court
  2. Kern County Arrest Records

Kern County, California Arrest Records

Kern County arrest records are formal reports created by law enforcement agencies detailing arrests and related incidents occurring within the county’s jurisdiction. Arrest records provide essential information required by members of the public and arrested individuals to understand the charges filed against them, initiate legal actions, or have their records sealed or expunged. Arrest records may also enable victims and concerned citizens to track an arrestee's journey within the County's criminal justice system.

Kern County arrest records are generally open to the public under the state's public records law; however, access to Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) in Kern County is strictly limited to criminal justice agencies and regulated by Penal Code §§ 11105 and 13300-13326. Interested individuals may request Kern County arrest records from the County Sheriff's office and local police departments, such as the Bakersfield Police Department and the Delano Police Department.

Are Arrest Records Public Information in Kern County, California?

Yes. Per the California Public Records Act (Gov. Code § 7920 et seq.), arrest records created in Kern County are presumed public records. However, public access to arrest records and other law enforcement records is governed by California Government Code Section 7923.610 and Penal Code § 13320 respectively. 

Residents and nonresidents of Kern County may request access to inspect and copy publicly available arrest records under these laws. To review Kern County arrest and criminal justice records, concerned persons may be required to provide a valid photo identification such as a government-issued ID, driver’s license, or passport.

What Do Public County Arrest Records Contain?

In Kern County, publicly available arrest records typically contain the following information:

  • Full name of the arrestee
  • Physical descriptions and identifiers of the arrested individual 
  • Location, time, and date the arrest occurred 
  • Enforcement agency or officer in charge of the arrest
  • Alleged crimes or charges filed against the defendant 
  • Booking information and housing unit details 
  • Bail/bond conditions, parole, probation, or release information  where available 
  • The arrestee's custody status
  • Information about the holding facility 
  • Details about issued arrest warrants, if available 
  • Case number, arraignment schedules, and court details if the case requires prosecution 

While Kern County arrest records and the information contained in them are generally considered public records, certain information and portions of arrest records may be redacted and exempt from public access. This arrest information is typically withheld from the public because of its implications on public peace/safety, breach of privacy rights, sensitive nature, and court orders. Some examples of arrest data exempt or withheld from public access include:

  • Arrest information of active law enforcement investigations 
  • Arrest information pertaining to juveniles and minors according to Welfare & Institutions Code § 827
  • Information and contact details of victims and witnesses connected to the arrest
  • Information about the arrestee's medical reports or mental health evaluation records 
  • Arrest information sealed or expunged under the State's expungement laws
  • Arrest data tagged confidential by court order or law
  • Arrest information that will infringe on privacy rights or disrupt public peace 

Kern County, California Arrest Search

Interested individuals may search for arrests in Kern County by utilizing several state and federal search tools.

For statewide searches, Kern County arrest information and records may be requested by subjects and authorized agencies from the California Department of Justice(DOJ). The DOJ processes comprehensive fingerprint-based background checks (also known as “rap sheets”) for eligible applicants. Concerned persons may obtain Kern County arrest information from these official "rap sheets” for a processing fee of $25 per search.

In addition, remote access to state-level arrest and inmate information for persons incarcerated in state prisons is available via the inmate locator managed by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR). A name or CDCR number is usually required to retrieve  Kern County arrest information on this search tool. Also, the Superior Court in Kern County provides inquirers with public access to criminal court case files and arrest information through its Case Information Search portal. One may perform a Kern County arrest search on this portal using a defendant's name or case number.

Federal resources such as the Inmate Locators managed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Federal Bureau of Prisons or the Online Detainee Locator System maintained by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) provide information on Kern County arrests conducted by federal agencies. Interested persons may search these federal online tools by name or inmate number. Furthermore, concerned persons may query the relevant local field office or ICE detention facility in person, if known, to inspect and copy arrest information generated from Kern County.

Kern County Inmate Locator

The Kern County Sheriff's Office creates and maintains information on inmates held in the county's booking facilities. Interested persons can utilize the Sheriff's Inmate Information webpage which functions as the county's online inmate locator to obtain arrest and related inmate information on pretrial and sentenced inmates. Individuals may browse through the list of inmates provided on the webpage or use the search function to retrieve information about specific inmates. A search may be conducted by providing a first name, middle name, last name, booking number, or date of birth. 

For in-person or mail searches, concerned persons may query the Arrest Records unit, a division of the Sheriff's Office Records Section on weekdays between 8:00am and 5:00 pm using the contact details below:

Kern County Sheriff's Office

Records Section

1350 Norris Road

Bakersfield, CA. 93308

Phone: (661) 391-7624 (Arrest Records)   

(661) 391-7431 (Crime Reports)

It is important to note that the Sheriff's Office only allows public access to arrest information of persons currently incarcerated or with release dates not more than 60 days.

Active Warrant Search in Kern County

An arrest warrant is a court-issued writ authorizing law enforcement to bring a specific individual into custody to answer for a particular offense. Kern County arrest warrants are typically issued by judges or magistrates following the receipt of substantial evidence and probable cause from a law enforcement officer or applicant according to State laws. An arrest warrant usually discloses the subject’s name, the reason for the warrant(alleged crimes), the issuing city/county, the title/signature of the issuing judicial officer, the name of the issuing court or agency, and the issuing date/time (Cal. Pen Code § 815).

Kern County Sheriff's Office, alongside the courts, maintains warrant information; however, there is no designated online repository for accessing information about active warrants. To check for active warrants in Kern County, record subjects may visit the Kern County Justice Facility Inmate Receiving Center, located at 17645 Industrial Farm Road, Bakersfield, CA 93308 in person with a photo ID to confirm the existence of a warrant. Alternatively, concerned persons may contact the court for warrant information by calling any of the phone lines provided below:

  • (661) 610-6000, select option #4(Felony)
  • (661) 610-6000, select option #4(Misdemeanor)
  • (661) 610-7000, select option #1(Traffic)

How to Find Arrest Records for Free in Kern County

Concerned persons may obtain Kern County arrest records for free by visiting the Sheriff's Office Arrest Records unit or other local police departments within official hours to review the records in their custody. Note that a valid photo ID may be required to access arrest records at the Sheriff's Office.

In addition, one may utilize the Sheriff's Inmate Information Webpage to search for arrest and inmate information free of charge. This inmate locator allows interested persons to remotely retrieve arrest and inmate information by entering a name or booking number. Older records and redacted information may not be publicly available via the inmate locator; in-person visits to the Sheriff's Office may be the most reliable option for access to comprehensive and up-to-date Kern County arrest information and records.

Kern County Arrest Report

In Kern County, arrest reports are not the same as arrest records which are concise and summarized formal entries of arrests into the county's criminal justice records system. A Kern County arrest report is an official narrative generated by an arresting officer that provides in-depth descriptions of the events and circumstances surrounding an arrest. 

Arrest reports are usually very elaborate and furnish researchers with information such as why an individual was apprehended, the probable cause and evidence compelling the arrest, information regarding witnesses/victims and their statements, the alleged offenses or filed charges, and other necessary arrest details. Arrest records on the other hand, usually outline the arrested individual's name, date of birth, the arrest date, filed charges, the case status, and other booking information. Furthermore, while arrest records are generally considered public, arrest reports are confidential and require access authorization.

How to Get an Arrest Record Expunged in Kern County

Under California laws, record subjects are provided with several options and requirements for the expungement or sealing of arrest records in Kern County. The California Judicial Branch replaces the term “expungement” with “cleaning” because state laws do not permit complete erasure of criminal records. Eligible applicants may only be able to apply for dismissal of specific criminal felonies and misdemeanors under Penal Code §¯§1203.4 and 1203.4a.

To be eligible for expungement or “cleaning” of criminal convictions, one must have successfully completed all sentences, paid all fines/restitution, not committed any new criminal offenses, attended all court appearances and not be convicted for any crime under Penal Code Sections 286(c), 287(c), 288, 288a, 288.5, 289(j), 261.5(d). Eligible individuals may fill out Form CR-180 and submit to the clerk's office in the Kern County Superior Court to apply for an expungement. 

In cases where no conviction was entered or the suspect was declared factually innocent under California Penal Code §§ 851.8 and 851.91, record subjects may apply for sealing of adult records by submitting duly completed Forms CR‘409 or BCIA 8270 to the arresting agency or the Superior Court in Kern County. Record subjects who are juveniles may apply for sealing according to the conditions outlined in Welfare & Institutions Code §¯781/786 by filing Form JV‘595 with a juvenile court of jurisdiction. Concerned persons may find additional information on how to seal or clean arrest records by reviewing the state judiciary's Clean Your Record page or the Guide to Sealing Juvenile Court Records packet.

How Do You Remove Kern County Arrest Records From the Internet?

The most efficient method for removing Kern County arrest records from the Internet is typically applying for record sealing or expungement under state laws. Once an application for expungement or sealing is granted, the Superior Court sends a notice to the State Department of Justice and other criminal justice agencies mandating the removal of the affected records from their publicly accessible online repositories. However, while erasing expunged/sealed information from official repositories may be straightforward, removing one's records from third-party websites and search engines may require additional efforts and processes.