Riverside Criminal Records

Criminal records in Riverside involve the Riverside Police Department for police reports and the Riverside County Superior Court for case filings and court documents. The RPD covers all law enforcement activity within city limits, while the county court handles every criminal prosecution in the region. Riverside is the county seat, so the main courthouse sits in the city itself. Some records are available through online portals. Others need to be requested by phone, mail, or at a walk-in counter. The Riverside County Sheriff also plays a role by running the county jail and maintaining booking records.

Riverside Police Records Bureau

The Riverside Police Department Records Bureau manages all police reports, arrest records, and incident files for the city. The bureau is part of the Support Services Division. You can contact them by phone at (951) 826-5700 to ask about specific records or to start a request. The RPD handles a large volume of reports each year. Having your report number ready when you call will speed things up considerably. Staff can also search by name, date, and location of the incident, but those searches take more time.

Walk-in requests are accepted at the RPD. Bring a valid photo ID. If you are requesting someone else's records, you may need to show a legal basis for the request (such as being a victim or having a court order). Police reports cover the initial investigation and arrest. They do not include court records, plea deals, or sentencing information. Those come from the county court system. So if you need the full picture on a Riverside criminal case, you will need to contact both the RPD and the court.

Note: The RPD Records Bureau handles requests for the city of Riverside only. Crimes that happened outside city limits fall under the Riverside County Sheriff or other local agencies.

Riverside County Court Criminal Cases

Criminal cases from Riverside go through the Riverside County Superior Court. The court has an online public access portal at epublic-access.riverside.courts.ca.gov. You need to create an account to use the system. Once logged in, you can search for cases by defendant name or case number. The portal shows case details, hearing dates, and document filings. Copies cost $1 per page for the first five pages and 50 cents per page after that. Call the court at 951.222.0384 for questions about the online system or records requests.

Riverside County is one of the largest counties in California by area. The court system has multiple locations spread across the county, from Riverside to Palm Springs to Temecula. Cases from the city of Riverside are typically heard at the Riverside courthouse. But if you are not sure where a case was filed, call the main court number and they can look it up for you. Certified copies of court documents cost $40 anywhere in the county.

Older cases may not appear in the online system. For records that predate the court's digital system, you will need to go through the clerk's office. Off-site retrieval of older files takes additional time and may involve an extra fee.

Riverside Inmate Search

The Riverside County Sheriff's Department operates the jail system for the entire county. People arrested by the RPD are booked into a county facility. The Robert Presley Detention Center in downtown Riverside is one of the main jails in the area. You can search for current inmates through the sheriff's online lookup tool. Call (951) 349-4659 for inmate information by phone. The system shows current charges, bail, next court date, and facility location.

If someone has been transferred to state prison, use the CDCR's CIRIS tool at ciris.mt.cdcr.ca.gov. County jail holds people before trial and during short sentences. State prison is for longer sentences. After sentencing, there may be a delay before the person shows up in the state system. The county sheriff and state prison systems do not share a single database, so you may need to check both if you are not sure where someone is being held.

Background Checks in Riverside

Riverside has multiple Live Scan sites for criminal background checks. The California DOJ maintains the statewide criminal record database. To review your own record, visit a Live Scan site with form BCIA 8016RR and submit your fingerprints. The DOJ charges $25. Each Live Scan operator sets their own rolling fee on top of that. Use the DOJ Live Scan locator to find a site in or near Riverside. The city and surrounding area have plenty of options, including some at government buildings and others at private offices.

After submitting prints, check your status at applicantstatus.doj.ca.gov. You will need your ATI number and date of birth. Processing takes 48 to 72 hours when no record is found. A longer wait usually means the DOJ found a record that needs manual review. Employers in Riverside who need checks use the same system but must have state authorization before they can request criminal history information on applicants.

The sex offender registry at meganslaw.ca.gov lets you search for registered offenders in the Riverside area by address, name, or zip code. The registry is free and open to the public.

Clearing Criminal Records in Riverside

California provides several legal tools for clearing or reducing criminal records from Riverside cases. Penal Code Section 1203.4 allows you to petition the Riverside County Superior Court to dismiss a conviction after probation is complete. The court withdraws your guilty plea and enters a dismissal. Your record will then show the case as "dismissed per PC 1203.4." It does not erase the conviction entirely, but it changes how it appears on background checks and can remove barriers to employment.

Other relief paths depend on the specifics of your case. Arrest records can be sealed. Old felonies may qualify for reduction or resentencing. Marijuana convictions from before legalization may qualify for dismissal.

• PC 1203.4 dismissal for probation cases
• PC 851.87 to seal arrests that did not lead to a conviction
• Prop 47 resentencing for certain theft and drug felonies
• Prop 64 marijuana conviction dismissal or reduction
• Certificate of Rehabilitation for people who served prison time
• PC 851.8 factual innocence finding for wrongful arrests

Note: Record clearing is never automatic in Riverside. You must file a petition with the court for each conviction or arrest you want to address.

Riverside County Criminal Records

Riverside is the county seat of Riverside County. All criminal court cases from the city are processed through the Riverside County Superior Court.

Nearby California Cities

Other major cities in the area with criminal record search resources.