Ontario Inmate Records Search

Ontario inmate population records are managed through the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department. The city has about 175,000 people and sits in the western part of San Bernardino County. Ontario has its own police department, but it does not run a city jail. People arrested by Ontario Police get booked into the county detention system. You can search for Ontario inmates online through the Sheriff's booking search tool. The search is free and available to anyone at any time.

San Bernardino County Jail Search for Ontario

The San Bernardino County Sheriff operates the booking search tool. This is the main way to find Ontario inmates. The tool lets you search by name and returns results showing charges, bail, court dates, and facility location. It covers all county detention facilities. Ontario arrests typically go to the West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga, which is the closest county jail. Some inmates end up at the Central Detention Center in San Bernardino or the Glen Helen Rehabilitation Center depending on available beds and charges.

Ontario has its own police department. Officers make arrests and process initial reports. But there is no city jail for holding inmates beyond a brief period. After Ontario Police arrest someone, the person goes to a county facility for full booking. The San Bernardino County system handles all custody from that point. This means the county sheriff's booking search is the only online tool for looking up Ontario inmates. Ontario PD does not maintain its own public inmate roster.

The screenshot below shows the San Bernardino County Sheriff's booking search page where you can look up Ontario inmates.

A new Ontario arrest usually shows up in the booking search within a few hours. The system updates regularly. If a common name returns many results, add a first name or use the booking date to narrow it down.

Statewide Search Options for Ontario

VINELink works across every county in California. Search by name and VINE checks all county jails at once. This is useful when you are not sure if an Ontario inmate is still in San Bernardino County or got transferred somewhere else. VINE also sends custody alerts. Sign up and you get a phone call, text, or email when an inmate's status changes. Call 1-877-411-5588 for VINE by phone. The service is free.

For Ontario inmates serving time in state prison, use the CIRIS inmate locator from CDCR. It covers all 34 California state prisons. Search by name or CDCR number. Results show the current facility, admission date, and parole hearing dates. There are actually two state prisons near Ontario. The California Institution for Men in Chino is just a few miles south, and the California Institution for Women is also in Chino. But CIRIS covers all facilities statewide, not just the ones near Ontario.

The BSCC Jail Profile Survey publishes monthly data on San Bernardino County jail population. It tracks total inmates, capacity, and trends. Ontario bookings are part of the countywide numbers. The West Valley Detention Center alone holds well over 3,000 inmates on a typical day.

Note: The California Institution for Men in Chino near Ontario is a state prison, not a county jail, so it uses CIRIS for lookups.

Ontario Inmate Data Access Rules

Booking records for Ontario are public information. Government Code 6254(f) requires law enforcement to release arrest data including names, charges, and bail amounts. The San Bernardino County Sheriff posts this through the online booking search. Ontario Police also comply with public records requests for arrest reports. You do not need to state a reason when asking for this information.

Full criminal history is restricted in California. Penal Code 11105 limits criminal background access to the individual, authorized agencies, and qualified employers. The booking search is not a background check. It only shows current custody status. For your own criminal record, visit a Live Scan site in Ontario and pay the $25 DOJ fee. Several providers operate in the Ontario area. Results come back in a few business days through the DOJ Record Review process.

Under Penal Code 2081.5, inmates released from state prison near Ontario may be supervised at the county level through realignment. The San Bernardino County Probation Department handles these cases. This is separate from the jail system but related to how inmate population flows back into the community.

Ontario Police and Court Information

Ontario Police Department handles all law enforcement within the city. The main station is at 2500 South Archibald Avenue. For questions about a recent Ontario arrest, call Ontario PD at (909) 986-6711. They can tell you if someone was arrested and where the person was booked. For custody status after booking, the county sheriff handles that. The two agencies work together but maintain separate records systems.

Ontario criminal cases go through the Rancho Cucamonga branch of the San Bernardino County Superior Court. The courthouse is at 8303 North Haven Avenue. Arraignments happen there within 48 hours of arrest. The court handles bail hearings, preliminary hearings, and trials. The San Bernardino County Public Defender represents people who cannot afford a lawyer. They get assigned at the first court appearance.

• Ontario Police Department: (909) 986-6711
• West Valley Detention Center: (909) 350-2476
• Rancho Cucamonga Courthouse: 8303 North Haven Ave, Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730
• CDCR ID Unit: (916) 445-6713
• VINE Statewide: 1-877-411-5588

Nearby City Inmate Population Pages

These cities near Ontario share related jail and court systems. Each page explains how to search for inmates in that area.

San Bernardino County

Ontario is in San Bernardino County. The county page covers all detention facilities and the full booking search system.