Contra Costa County Busted Mugshots

Contra Costa County busted mugshots are processed through the sheriff's office detention facilities in Martinez and Richmond. With a population of about 1.15 million, Contra Costa is one of the larger counties in the Bay Area. The county seat is Martinez, and major cities include Concord, Antioch, and Richmond. The sheriff operates two detention facilities and handles bookings for much of the county. Multiple city police departments also make arrests here, but the booking system feeds through the county sheriff. This page walks you through the tools for searching busted mugshots in Contra Costa County.

Contra Costa County Sheriff Inmate Search

The Contra Costa County Sheriff's Office operates two detention facilities. The Martinez Detention Facility is the main county jail, and the West County Detention Facility is in Richmond. Together they hold inmates from across the county. The sheriff's main office is at 651 Pine Street in Martinez, CA 94553. Call (925) 335-1500 for general inquiries or (925) 957-5790 for the jail information line.

The sheriff's website provides access to inmate information. Check the site for a booking search or inmate lookup tool. You can also use VINE (Victim Information and Notification Everyday) to search for inmates in Contra Costa County custody. VINE shows custody status and can send you alerts when an inmate's status changes. This is useful for tracking whether someone is still in jail or has been released.

When someone is booked at a Contra Costa County facility, the record includes a mugshot, personal details, charges, bail amount, and court dates. The booking data is entered into the county's system and becomes part of the public record. For current inmates, the online tools should show the information. For past bookings of people no longer in custody, you will likely need to file a records request.

How to Find Busted Mugshots in Contra Costa County

Start with the sheriff's website. Look for an inmate search, booking log, or custody information section. Enter the person's name and check for results. The system should show matches for people currently held at the Martinez or West County detention facilities. Click on a result to see the full booking record, which may include the mugshot.

If the person is not in custody, try VINE. The VINE system tracks inmates through the California justice system and may have records even after release. You can access VINE at vinelink.com or by calling 1-877-411-5588. Enter the person's name or booking number to search.

For older records or records not available online, file a California Public Records Act request. Send it to the Contra Costa County Sheriff's Office at 651 Pine Street, Martinez, CA 94553. Include the person's full name, date of birth, and approximate date of arrest. Ask for the booking record and booking photo. The agency has 10 days to respond. Copying fees apply, but they are usually minimal.

The California DOJ record review page explains how to check your own criminal history, which includes data from Contra Costa County agencies and departments statewide.

The record review is for checking your own history only. You cannot use this process to look up someone else's criminal record.

Contra Costa County Law Enforcement Agencies

Contra Costa County has many city police departments in addition to the sheriff's office. Concord Police, Antioch Police, Richmond Police, Walnut Creek Police, and others all operate within the county. Each department handles its own arrests and maintains its own records. But booking typically goes through the county sheriff's detention facilities. So the mugshot for a Concord PD arrest, for example, would be in the sheriff's system.

If you need a police report rather than a booking record, contact the specific department that made the arrest. Police reports contain details about the incident, witness statements, and officer observations that are not in the booking record. For the booking photo and charge information, the sheriff's system is where you need to look. Some city departments may also publish their own arrest logs or press releases, which can help you find names and dates to use in a records request to the sheriff.

The Contra Costa County District Attorney's office handles criminal prosecutions. Their records show charging decisions, plea offers, and case outcomes. The Contra Costa County Superior Court maintains the court files, including motions, orders, and sentencing information. Between the sheriff, the police department, the DA, and the court, there are multiple sources of information about any arrest in Contra Costa County.

State Resources for Contra Costa County Mugshots

The California DOJ keeps statewide criminal history records. File a request through the DOJ online form for state-level records. For your own criminal history, submit Live Scan fingerprints with form BCIA 8016RR and a $25 fee. The DOJ does not provide individual mugshots, but the RAP sheet shows arrest data from all California agencies including every department in Contra Costa County.

The CDCR CIRIS tool covers people in state prison. It does not include Contra Costa County jail inmates. Use CIRIS if someone has been sentenced to state custody. The search is free. It shows name, CDCR number, facility, and admission date. For sex offenders, the Megan's Law site provides public access to registration information and photos statewide.

Removing Contra Costa County Busted Mugshots

California offers several ways to clear your arrest record. Penal Code section 851.87 lets you petition to seal an arrest when charges were not filed, were dropped, or ended in acquittal. Once sealed, the mugshot and all booking data become inaccessible. The Clean Slate Act (SB 731) automates this for many arrests. Misdemeanor arrests without charges seal after one year. Felony arrests seal after three years. The DOJ runs the automatic process.

Expungement under Penal Code section 1203.4 applies to convictions. It sets aside the verdict and dismisses the case but does not seal the arrest or mugshot. For Contra Costa County cases, file expungement petitions with the Contra Costa County Superior Court. The court has locations throughout the county. Legal aid organizations in the Bay Area can help with the process if you qualify.

Under SB 1027, no website can charge you money to remove a booking photo. This is a statewide law that applies to all third-party mugshot sites. Penal Code section 13665 restricts law enforcement from posting booking photos on social media for nonviolent arrests. The 2023 amendment (AB 994) requires all booking photos to be removed from social media within 14 days. These rules do not affect the sheriff's official inmate search database or website.

Cities in Contra Costa County

Contra Costa County has 19 incorporated cities. Three have populations over 100,000: Concord, Antioch, and Richmond. Each has its own police department. Other notable cities include Walnut Creek, San Ramon, Pittsburg, Brentwood, and Martinez (the county seat). All bookings from these cities flow through the sheriff's detention facilities, so mugshots are in the county system regardless of which department made the arrest.

Walnut Creek, San Ramon, Pittsburg, Brentwood, and other smaller cities in the county do not have individual pages on this site but their arrest records are all available through the Contra Costa County Sheriff's Office booking system.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Contra Costa County. Arrests near county lines could be processed in a neighboring jurisdiction.