Los Angeles Busted Mugshots

Los Angeles busted mugshots are some of the most searched arrest records in all of California. The city has a population near 3.9 million, and the LAPD handles tens of thousands of arrests each year. But here is the key detail most people miss: LAPD does not run its own jail. People arrested by the LAPD get booked at Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department facilities. That means the mugshot ends up in the LASD system, not LAPD's. This page walks you through how to search for busted mugshots from Los Angeles arrests, which databases to check, and what public records options are open to you.

Where Los Angeles Busted Mugshots Are Held

The LAPD is one of the biggest police forces in the nation. Yet it does not keep its own booking photos. When officers arrest someone in the City of Los Angeles, that person gets transported to a Los Angeles County jail for booking. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department runs these jails and processes all bookings. This is where the mugshot gets taken and stored.

For more on how the county system works, see our Los Angeles County busted mugshots page. That page covers the full county booking process, jail facilities, and related resources. Every city in LA County feeds into the same sheriff's jail system, so the county page is a good companion to this one. The LASD operates seven jail facilities across the county. Twin Towers, Men's Central Jail, and Century Regional Detention Facility are the biggest ones. Inmates booked from LAPD arrests can end up at any of these locations based on the charge type, gender, and bed space at the time of booking.

This means you won't find mugshots on the LAPD website. You need to search the LASD database instead.

Search Los Angeles Busted Mugshots Online

The LASD runs the Inmate Information Center, which is the main tool for finding booking photos from Los Angeles arrests. The search is free. Enter a first and last name, and the system will return results for anyone currently in LASD custody who matches. Click on a result to see the booking photo, charges, bail amount, and which facility they are housed in.

The LASD Inmate Information Center lets you look up busted mugshots for people currently held in Los Angeles County jail facilities.

A CAPTCHA verification step is required before you can view any search results on the site.

Keep in mind that this tool only shows people who are currently in custody. If someone was booked and then released, they drop out of the search results. For older records or people no longer in jail, you need to file a public records request. That process takes more time but covers historical booking data that the live search does not include. The system gets updated regularly throughout the day as new bookings and releases happen.

LAPD Records and Los Angeles Arrest Data

The LAPD does maintain its own arrest reports and incident records. These are separate from the booking record held by LASD. You can request LAPD records through their public records page. Call them at (877) 275-5273 if you need help with the process. The LAPD Records Division handles requests for crime reports, arrest reports, and other documents. Response time varies, but state law gives them 10 days to respond to a California Public Records Act request.

The LASD website provides details on how to access booking records, inmate search tools, and public records request forms for Los Angeles County.

Visit the transparency section on the LASD site for forms and detailed instructions on requesting copies of arrest records.

Note that LAPD arrest reports contain different information than the LASD booking record. The arrest report covers what happened, who was involved, and the circumstances. The booking record covers the intake process at the jail, including the mugshot. If you want the full picture on an arrest in Los Angeles, you may need records from both agencies. The LAPD website has more details on their records process and other services.

Public Records Requests for Los Angeles Busted Mugshots

California's Public Records Act gives you the right to request government records, including booking photos. For Los Angeles busted mugshots, you have two main options. First, you can request the booking record directly from LASD through their Public Records Act page. Provide the full name and an approximate date of arrest. LASD has 10 days to acknowledge your request under state law, and they must provide records "promptly" after that.

Second, you can go through the California Department of Justice for state-level criminal history. The DOJ keeps records from all law enforcement agencies in the state. File a CPRA request using the DOJ online form. For your own criminal history, submit Live Scan fingerprints with a $25 fee. The DOJ process takes longer than the county route, but it gives you a broader view of someone's record across California.

Both agencies are legally required to respond. They can withhold certain records if an exemption applies, but they must explain why.

State Resources for Los Angeles Mugshot Records

The California DOJ maintains statewide criminal history data. The Public Records Act information page from the DOJ explains what records are available and how to request them. The DOJ is separate from local law enforcement. They hold records that go beyond what LASD or LAPD have in their own databases. State records can include arrests from any jurisdiction in California.

For people serving time in state prison rather than county jail, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation runs the CIRIS inmate search tool. This only covers state prison inmates. If someone was arrested in Los Angeles and sentenced to state prison, they will show up in CIRIS after transfer. County jail detainees and people awaiting trial will not appear in this system. Los Angeles County sends more inmates to the state prison system than any other county in California, so this tool is worth checking for serious felony cases.

Removing Los Angeles Busted Mugshots

If your mugshot from a Los Angeles arrest appears on third-party websites, California law offers some protection. SB 1027 makes it illegal for websites to charge money to remove a booking photo. That law applies to all mugshot publication sites operating in California. If a site asks for payment, you can report them to the California Attorney General.

For the underlying record itself, you have a few paths. Penal Code section 851.87 lets you petition to seal an arrest if charges were never filed, dismissed, or you won at trial. Once sealed, the mugshot becomes restricted from public view. The Clean Slate Act under SB 731 provides automatic sealing for some arrests. Misdemeanor arrests get sealed after one year and felony arrests after three years if no charges were filed. Expungement under Penal Code section 1203.4 clears a conviction from your record but does not seal the arrest or mugshot on its own. For Los Angeles cases, file petitions with the Los Angeles Superior Court. Legal aid organizations in the city can help with these filings if you qualify based on income.

Nearby Cities in Los Angeles County

All cities in Los Angeles County use the LASD jail system for bookings. If someone was arrested near a city border, they may appear in the same LASD database regardless of which city police made the arrest. Here are nearby qualifying cities with their own busted mugshots pages.