City Jail vs. County Jail: Where Your Loved One Goes After an Arrest

After an arrest in Southern California, your loved one usually goes first to the jail run by whoever arrested them: a city police jail or a sheriff's station. That first stop is often short-term. If they are not released, they are moved to a county jail run by the sheriff, where they stay until they post bail, are released by a judge, or their case ends.

Why it matters which jail they are in

Knowing where someone is affects almost everything you do next: which phone number to call, where bail can be posted, how to put money on their account and how long things may take. A person can be in a city jail for a few hours and then show up in a county system you were not searching.

The type of jail is not about how serious the charge is. It mostly depends on which agency made the arrest and how long the person is expected to stay.

The official categories: holding, Type I, Type II

California's Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC) inspects local jails and sorts them into types. The ones families run into most are:

• Temporary holding facilities hold people for 24 hours or less, pending release, transfer to another facility or a court appearance.
• Type I facilities hold people for no more than 96 hours after booking, not counting holidays. They are usually used while someone is waiting to be arraigned.
• Type II facilities hold people before arraignment, during trial and after sentencing. Most county jails are Type II.

You do not need to memorize these terms. The practical takeaway is that holding facilities and Type I jails are short stops, and Type II jails are where people stay longer.

City jails: the first stop for many arrests

Many cities have their own police department and their own jail. When city officers make an arrest, the person is usually booked there first. Some will be cited and released, some will post bail right there, and others will be transferred to the county jail.

Orange County examples

An Orange County Grand Jury review of local detention facilities listed these city jails as Type I facilities: Anaheim, Buena Park, Costa Mesa, Fullerton, Huntington Beach, La Habra, Newport Beach and Seal Beach. Several other city police departments, including Irvine, Garden Grove, Orange, Tustin and Westminster, were listed as temporary holding facilities.

Santa Ana is different. The City of Santa Ana describes its jail as a Type II facility, which means it can hold people longer than a typical city lockup. Its inmate FAQ says that if someone was arrested outside Santa Ana city limits, you should contact the arresting agency or the Orange County Jail instead.

See our pages on the Santa Ana Jail, Anaheim Jail and Fullerton Jail.

San Diego County example

The Chula Vista Police Department describes its jail as a temporary holding and booking facility. People are not housed there long-term. Chula Vista books and processes arrestees, then transports them to a San Diego County Sheriff's jail or another appropriate facility. Our Chula Vista Jail page has more.

Los Angeles: LAPD jails

The Los Angeles Police Department runs its own jails, including the Metropolitan Detention Center downtown, the 77th Street Regional Jail and the Valley Jail Section in Van Nuys. LAPD says bail can be posted at its jails 24 hours a day. Arrestees who stay in custody after arraignment are transferred to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. LAPD also offers a 24-hour line, (213) 473-6100, for checking whether someone is in LAPD or Sheriff's custody.

See LAPD Metropolitan Detention Center and LAPD Valley Jail (Van Nuys).

Sheriff contract cities

Not every city has its own police department. Many contract with the county sheriff for law enforcement. For example, Rancho Cucamonga's police services are provided through a contract with the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department, and West Hollywood contracts with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.

In contract cities, the officers are sheriff's deputies, even if the car or uniform shows the city's name. Arrests often go through a sheriff's station and then into the county jail system. That is why someone arrested in Rancho Cucamonga may end up at West Valley Detention Center. Our Rancho Cucamonga page explains the local process.

County jails: where people stay longer

County jails are run by each county's sheriff. They hold people waiting for court, people on trial and people serving sentences. In Southern California, the main intake jails include:

• Orange County: the Intake Release Center in Santa Ana. The Grand Jury notes that every inmate entering the Orange County jail system is booked through it.
• Los Angeles County: the Inmate Reception Center and, for women, the Century Regional Detention Facility in Lynwood.
• San Bernardino County: West Valley Detention Center, Central Detention Center and High Desert Detention Center.
• Riverside County: Robert Presley Detention Center, Cois M. Byrd Detention Center, Larry D. Smith Correctional Facility, John J. Benoit Detention Center and the Blythe jail.
• San Diego County: San Diego Central Jail, Las Colinas Detention Facility and Vista Detention Facility, among others.

Can you post bail at a city jail?

Often, yes. Bail can generally be posted wherever the person is being held, as long as they are eligible for bail and there are no holds. LAPD, for instance, accepts bail 24 hours a day. Under Penal Code section 1269b, the officer in charge of the jail where someone is held is one of the officials authorized to accept bail.

Timing matters. If the person is about to be transferred, it can be faster to wait until they arrive at county intake, or it can be faster to post before they move. A bail agent can check where they are and which path makes sense.

Common questions

How will I know if they have been transferred?

Check the county sheriff's inmate locator, or call the city jail. City jail rosters usually do not show people who have already moved to county. Our guide on how to find someone in jail lists each county's tools.

Does a city jail mean the charge is minor?

No. City jails book people on all kinds of charges. The jail type reflects who made the arrest and how long the stay is expected to be.

Can I visit someone in a city jail?

Some city jails allow limited visits and some do not, because stays are short. Call the jail directly for its rules.

This article is general information, not legal advice. For questions about your case, talk to a criminal defense attorney.

Need help now?

OnCall Bail Bonds has licensed agents who answer 24/7 in English and Spanish. We will find out which jail your loved one is in, whether bail can be posted there, and let you sign from your phone. Call (951) 339-3801 or start bail online.