Access Chico Busted Mugshots

Chico busted mugshots go through the Butte County jail system since Chico is the largest city in Butte County. The city has a population near 103,000 and is home to California State University, Chico. The Chico Police Department handles arrests in the city, but booking happens at the Butte County Jail. The sheriff runs that facility. This page explains how to search for busted mugshots from Chico, which online tools are available, and how to get copies of older booking records through public records requests.

Where Chico Busted Mugshots Are Processed

The Chico Police Department makes arrests in the city, but they do not run a jail. Arrested people get taken to the Butte County Jail for booking. The Butte County Sheriff's Office operates the jail. The mugshot gets taken during the intake process and stored in the county booking database. This is standard for California cities. City police arrest, county sheriff books.

The Butte County Jail is located in Oroville, the county seat, about 25 miles southeast of Chico. Despite the distance, all Chico arrests get processed through this facility. The jail has capacity for several hundred inmates and handles bookings from Chico PD, the sheriff's office, and other agencies in the county. Butte County's population grew after the Camp Fire in 2018 pushed people from Paradise into the Chico area, which affected arrest volumes as well.

See our Butte County busted mugshots page for more details on the county system.

Search Chico Busted Mugshots Online

The Butte County Sheriff provides online inmate search tools through their website. You can look up current inmates by name. Results include booking photos, charges, bail amounts, and court dates. The search is free and covers all inmates booked through the Butte County Jail, including those arrested by Chico PD. The tool works for all agencies that book into the county system.

The California DOJ provides FAQ information about the public records request process for criminal history data from Chico and statewide sources.

Check the DOJ FAQ for answers about what records you can request and what the process looks like.

The inmate search only shows current jail detainees. Released inmates are not in the live results. Chico has a college-town arrest pattern, with DUI and alcohol-related offenses spiking during the school year. Property crimes and drug cases are also common. For older records where the person is no longer in custody, you need to file a public records request with the Butte County Sheriff for historical booking data.

Chico Police Department Arrest Records

The Chico Police Department keeps its own arrest reports and incident documentation. These are separate from what the county jail holds. The arrest report from Chico PD covers the incident details. The booking record covers the jail intake and mugshot. For the complete picture on a case, you may need records from both the city police and the county sheriff.

Call Chico PD at (530) 897-4900 for records questions. You can file a California Public Records Act request for copies of arrest reports and other documents. The department must respond within 10 days under state law. Chico PD serves a city that includes a large university campus. Campus police at CSU Chico handle some incidents on university property, but off-campus arrests typically go through Chico PD. Either way, the booking happens at the county jail.

How to Request Chico Busted Mugshots

For a booking photo from a Chico arrest, contact the Butte County Sheriff's records division. Give them the name and approximate arrest date. The CPRA requires a response within 10 days. Booking records are public for most adult arrests. Some exemptions may apply in sensitive cases, but routine bookings are generally accessible.

The California DOJ is another route. Use the DOJ online form for state-level criminal history data. The DOJ database covers all California agencies, including Chico PD and the Butte County Sheriff. Personal criminal history checks cost $25 through Live Scan. The state records can include information from other jurisdictions that the county system does not have.

Both options are open to the public. No special status is needed to request booking records in California.

State Resources for Chico Arrest Records

The California DOJ PRA page explains the process for requesting state-held records. This is useful when county records are not enough or when you need data from multiple jurisdictions.

The California DOJ record review process lets individuals check their own criminal history data held in the state system.

Use the record review option if you need to verify or correct your own criminal history at the state level.

The CDCR CIRIS tool covers state prison inmates. If someone from Chico was sentenced to state prison, they will appear in CIRIS after transfer from the county jail. Butte County Superior Court handles criminal cases from Chico. Court records show case outcomes, sentencing, and other details beyond the booking record. Together these tools give you the full picture on any case that started with a Chico arrest.

Removing Chico Busted Mugshots

SB 1027 prohibits websites from charging money for mugshot removal. Report any site demanding payment to the Attorney General.

Penal Code section 851.87 lets you petition to seal an arrest if charges were never filed, dismissed, or you were acquitted. The Clean Slate Act (SB 731) automatically seals some records. Misdemeanor arrests without charges seal after one year. Felony arrests without charges seal after three years. Expungement under Penal Code section 1203.4 clears a conviction but does not seal the arrest record by itself. File petitions with the Butte County Superior Court for Chico cases. The main courthouse is in Oroville, though Butte County also has a court facility in Chico. Legal aid organizations in the area assist qualifying residents with record clearing. The process typically takes a few months from filing to court order.

Nearby Cities

These cities in the region have their own busted mugshots pages. Chico is the only qualifying city in Butte County. Sacramento and Roseville are the nearest large cities to the south.