Hayward Inmate Lookup

Hayward inmate population records flow through two systems. The city runs a small jail with about 30 beds, and Alameda County operates the much larger Santa Rita Jail in Dublin. Most people arrested in Hayward end up at one of these two places. The Hayward Police Department makes arrests within city limits and processes initial bookings at the city jail. Inmates who stay longer than a few days typically transfer to Santa Rita. You can search for Hayward inmates through the Alameda County Sheriff's online lookup, which covers both the city and county facilities. Call the Hayward jail at (510) 293-7043 for direct questions about people held locally.

Alameda County Inmate Search

The Alameda County Sheriff's Office runs an online inmate search tool that covers all county facilities. This is the best way to find someone arrested in Hayward. The tool searches Santa Rita Jail and other Alameda County detention locations. You enter a name and it shows everyone currently in custody who matches. Results include booking number, charges, bail, and housing location. The system is free and open to the public.

Santa Rita Jail is the main facility in Alameda County. It sits at 5325 Broder Boulevard in Dublin, about 15 miles east of Hayward. This jail holds more than 2,500 people on a typical day. Anyone transferred from the Hayward city jail ends up here. The Alameda County search tool updates throughout the day. New bookings show up within hours of processing. If someone was just arrested in Hayward, check again later if the first search comes up empty. The booking process takes time.

Note: The Alameda County search shows county custody only. It does not cover people held at the Hayward city jail before they transfer.

Hayward City Jail Details

Hayward is one of a handful of cities in Alameda County that operates its own jail. The facility has roughly 30 beds. It is a Type I jail, which means it holds people for short periods. That includes people waiting for arraignment, serving sentences under 96 hours, or waiting for transfer to Santa Rita. The Hayward Police Department runs the jail. It sits at 300 West Winton Avenue, attached to the police station.

To check if someone is at the Hayward city jail, call (510) 293-7043. The jail staff can tell you if a person is currently in their custody. They can also tell you if someone was already transferred to Santa Rita. There is no separate online search for the Hayward city jail. You have to call directly or check the Alameda County system, which picks up inmates after they transfer. Most people pass through the Hayward jail quickly. Stays are usually less than 48 hours before the person either gets released on bail or moves to the county facility.

Hayward's city jail handles a steady flow of bookings. The city has its own police force with over 200 sworn officers. They patrol a large area along the East Bay. Arrests come in around the clock and the jail operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Statewide Inmate Tools

VINELink is another option for finding Hayward inmates. It covers all of California. Call 1-877-411-5588 or go online to search. VINE checks every county jail in the state at once. If you are not sure which county holds someone, this is the quickest way to search broadly. VINE also sends custody alerts. Sign up and you get a call, email, or text when the inmate's status changes. It is free.

People sentenced to state prison from Hayward show up in the CDCR system. Use the CIRIS locator to search California state prisons. It covers all 34 facilities. CIRIS does not include county jail data though. The two systems do not overlap. If you cannot find someone in the Alameda County search or VINE, try CIRIS. The person may have already been sentenced and transferred to state prison.

Under Government Code 6254(f), booking records are public information in California. Names, charges, bail amounts, and booking data are all available to anyone. The Alameda County Sheriff posts this data online because the law allows it. Full criminal history is restricted by Penal Code 11105. You cannot get a full background on someone through these jail search tools. They only show current custody status.

Hayward Court and Legal Aid

Criminal cases from Hayward go through the Hayward Hall of Justice. It sits at 24405 Amador Street. This is the local branch of the Alameda County Superior Court. Arraignments, bail hearings, and preliminary hearings for Hayward cases happen here. More serious matters may transfer to the main courthouse in Oakland. If you want to track a case, the Alameda County Superior Court website has a case lookup tool. Enter a name or case number to see hearing dates and case status.

The Alameda County Public Defender's Office serves Hayward. If someone in custody cannot afford a lawyer, a public defender gets assigned at arraignment. The office handles thousands of cases each year across Alameda County. Bay Area Legal Aid also operates in Hayward and provides free civil legal services. For criminal matters, the public defender is the primary free resource.

• Hayward Hall of Justice: 24405 Amador Street, Hayward, CA 94544
• Hayward Police/Jail: 300 West Winton Avenue, Hayward, CA 94544
• Alameda County Public Defender: (510) 272-6600
• Bay Area Legal Aid: (510) 250-5270

Alameda Sheriff Search Portal

The Alameda County Sheriff inmate search shown below is the main online tool for looking up Hayward inmates who transferred to county custody.

Enter a last name to start your search. First name helps narrow results. The tool returns current inmates with their booking info, charges, and bail. It works on phones and computers.

Nearby Cities

These cities are near Hayward in the East Bay area. Each has its own page with local inmate search details.

Alameda County

Hayward is part of Alameda County. Visit the county page for full details on Santa Rita Jail and the sheriff's inmate search system.