Alpine County Booking Information

Alpine County does not operate its own jail facility. When law enforcement makes an arrest here, they book people into neighboring county jails. The sheriff office contracts with El Dorado County and Calaveras County for jail services. This arrangement is common for small rural counties in California. You need to check multiple systems to find arrest records for people booked on Alpine County charges. Most bookings go to El Dorado County facilities, though some may go to Calaveras depending on where the arrest happens and bed space availability.

Alpine County Sheriff Office

The Alpine County Sheriff Office handles law enforcement for the entire county. Deputies patrol highways, respond to calls, and make arrests. The office sits in Markleeville, the county seat. When deputies arrest someone, they transport that person to a partner county jail. This saves money for a small county with very few arrests each year.

El Dorado County receives most Alpine County inmates. The El Dorado Sheriff inmate search lets you look up current bookings. Enter a name to see if someone arrested in Alpine County is being held there. Calaveras County also houses some Alpine inmates. Check the Calaveras County jail roster if you cannot find a record in El Dorado County. Both systems update regularly with new bookings from Alpine County.

For questions about a specific arrest in Alpine County, call the sheriff office directly at (530) 694-2231. Staff can tell you where an inmate is housed. The office is located at 50 Diamond Valley Road in Markleeville. Business hours are Monday through Friday. Deputies are on duty around the clock for emergencies and arrests.

Find Alpine County Arrest Records

Start by searching the El Dorado County inmate database. Most Alpine arrests end up there. Use the full name of the person you are looking for. If the search comes up empty, try Calaveras County next. Both counties maintain online search tools that work without creating an account. Results show booking dates and charges along with current housing location.

Keep in mind that Alpine County is very small. Arrests are rare compared to urban counties. The sheriff office handles just a handful of bookings each month. Most involve traffic offenses, domestic disputes, or drug charges. Serious crimes may result in transfer to state custody after initial booking. Check partner county systems first, then contact the Alpine Sheriff if you still cannot locate an arrest record.

Public records requests go through the Alpine County Sheriff Office. California law gives you the right to ask for booking logs and arrest reports. The California Public Records Act requires agencies to respond within ten days. Submit requests in writing. Email or mail works. The sheriff may charge copying fees for paper records but basic booking information is usually free in Alpine County.

Law Enforcement in Alpine County

Alpine County has no incorporated cities. The sheriff office provides all law enforcement services across the county. Deputies patrol state highways like Highway 4 and Highway 89. They also respond to calls in Markleeville, Woodfords, and Bear Valley. The California Highway Patrol assists with traffic enforcement on major routes through the county. CHP makes arrests for DUI and other violations. These bookings also go to partner county jails.

The sheriff office works with neighboring agencies when help is needed. Mono County and Douglas County in Nevada are close by. Multi-agency task forces handle drug investigations and search and rescue operations. Alpine County is part of the Central Valley California High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area. This brings in resources from state and federal agencies for major cases in Alpine County.

California Arrest Record Laws

State law controls what arrest information agencies must release. Government Code Section 7923.600 lists required disclosures. Law enforcement must make public the full name and occupation of every arrested person. Physical description details like date of birth, eye color, hair color, sex, height, and weight are public. The time and date of arrest must be disclosed. Location of the arrest and factual circumstances surrounding it are public. Bail amounts are also public under this law in California.

Some records stay confidential during active investigations. Detailed criminal history summaries are protected under Penal Code Section 11105. Only law enforcement and authorized agencies can access these. The California Department of Justice maintains statewide criminal records. Local agencies compile their own summaries under Penal Code Section 13300. These can be released if doing so enhances public safety or public understanding of the justice system in California.

You can review your own California criminal record through the DOJ Record Review process. This requires fingerprinting at a Live Scan site. The fee is $25. You get a complete summary of arrests and convictions on file. If errors exist, you can challenge them. This ensures Alpine County arrest records in state databases remain accurate for background checks.

About Alpine County

Alpine County is the least populated county in California. Just over 1,200 people live here year-round. The county covers mountainous terrain in the Sierra Nevada. Markleeville serves as the county seat. Tourism drives the local economy. People visit for skiing, hiking, and fishing. Winter brings heavy snow. Many residents work in nearby Nevada casinos or at ski resorts.

The county has no traffic signals or incorporated cities. State Route 4 crosses east to west over Ebbetts Pass. State Route 89 runs north from Markleeville toward Lake Tahoe. Both routes close in winter due to snow. This isolation means Alpine County relies heavily on partnerships with neighboring counties for services like jail operations and specialized law enforcement support.

Note: Arrest does not equal guilt and charges may be dismissed after investigation.

Partner County Jail Systems

El Dorado County operates the main jail in South Lake Tahoe and another in Placerville. These facilities serve El Dorado residents and contract inmates from Alpine County. Booking logs appear online through the CitizenRIMS platform. You can search current inmates and recent releases. The system shows charges and bail amounts. Call El Dorado County at (530) 621-5655 for questions about an Alpine County inmate housed there.

Calaveras County runs a jail facility in San Andreas. This jail also accepts contract inmates from small counties. The CrimeGraphics platform hosts their online search tool. You can look up inmates by name or booking number. Calaveras County Sheriff can be reached at (209) 754-6500 for information about Alpine County bookings at their facility. Either county may hold Alpine inmates depending on current bed space and the nature of the arrest.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Alpine County. Each has its own law enforcement and jail system with separate booking records and search tools.