What are Oakland City Public Records?
According to the California Public Records Law, Oakland City public records include documents concerning the activities of public agencies that are used, prepared, owned, or retained by public officials. The record’s form does not matter. Public records may be handwritten, typed, printed, photographed, or photocopied. Records may exist as electronic mail, facsimile transfer, audio, or any other means of recording information. Although most records are open to the public, some records may be confidential. These include records sealed pursuant to court order and records made confidential by law. Some records that are not part of Oakland City public records are:
- Personnel, medical, and other similar files that would infringe the right to privacy if the custodian discloses the record.
- Records concerning a public litigation that the public agency is a party to. Such records will remain confidential until the litigation comes to an end.
- Preliminary drafts and notes of public agencies if there is no public interest in disclosing the records.
- Records of complaints and investigations received by a law enforcement agency.
- Test questions and other examination data.
- Any record prohibited from disclosure by any federal or state law.
Public city records may also be accessible from third-party websites. Record seekers may either opt to use these non-governmental platforms to search for a specific record or multiple city records. However, users will need to provide enough information to assist with the search such as:
- The address of the requestor
- A case number or file number (if known)
- The location of the document or person involved
- The name of the subject involved in the record (not juvenile)
- The last known or current address of the registrant
Third-party sites are not sponsored by government agencies. Because of this, record availability and results may vary.
Oakland City Crime Statistics
The California Department of Justice provides annual reports on crime statistics for all cities within California, including Oakland City. In 2020, Oakland City recorded 28,511 crimes with 5,653 violent crimes and 22,858 property crimes. The violent crimes included 102 homicides, 362 rapes, 2,479 robberies, and 2,710 aggravated assaults. The property crimes included 2,537 burglaries, 6,712 motor vehicle thefts, 13,373 larcenies, and 236 cases of arson.
Are Oakland City Criminal Records Public?
Oakland City criminal records are open to qualified persons, pursuant to the California public records law. Individuals can make requests for their own criminal records. Some employers are also able to carry out criminal background checks. Employers that fall within this category are usually law enforcement agencies, security firms, or jobs that involve working with children.
How to Obtain Oakland City Police Reports and Arrest Records
The Oakland Police Department provides access to Oakland City police reports and arrest records. Any interested person can make a request to the police department to either view the record or to obtain a copy of the record. Requesters usually receive responses within ten days. If the police department denies the request, the custodian would inform the requester of the reason for the denial. In some cases, the department may need more time to make the record available. The custodian will inform the requester in writing if this is the case, while also stating the reason for the delay and when the record would be made available.
A request for Oakland City police reports and arrest records may be made orally or in writing. The request should contain the name of the record. If the requester cannot identify the record by name, adequate description of the record should be given to allow the custodian practicably find the record. No identifying information is needed to gain access to public records. However, the custodian may need some information if the record is to be sent by mail. Also, physical requesters would need to provide identification as a condition to entering secured parts of the Department building. The cost of duplicating records is 5 cents for each page. There is a request form for requesters who wish to submit written requests. Requests can be made physically, by mail, or by phone at:
Public Records Request Coordinator,
OPD Records Section,
455 7th Street, Room 306
Oakland, CA 94607
Phone: (510) 238-7143
Email: opdrecordrequest@oaklandca.gov
Work hours: 8:00 am to 3:00 pm, Mondays to Fridays
How to Find Sex Offender Information in Oakland City
The Department of Justice of California maintains a sex offender information registry for all of California, including Oakland City. This registry is open to the public and any person can use it to find registered sex offenders resident in Oakland City. Users can conduct searches either by name or by location. If the search is being conducted by name, the user would need to provide the offender’s first name and last name. The registry will provide a list of all matching offenders. Location searches can be carried out with a street name or device location. The search can be limited to sex offenders within three-quarters of a mile, one mile, two miles, five miles, or ten miles of the location. Information available regarding the registered sex offenders includes known aliases, photographs, description, offenses, addresses, and risk assessment scores.
How to Find Oakland City Inmate Records
The Alameda County Sheriff’s Office maintains inmate records in the county, including Oakland City inmate records. An inmate locator is available to find inmates. The Sheriff’s Office provides and maintains the inmate locator. Users can search for inmates by either their name or their personal file number. There is also an option to check for inmates that were booked within the previous 24 hours. Users can identify inmates with the information available after a search. The inmate locator shows the inmate’s name, time of arrest, expected release date, charges, and the jail the inmate is being held in.
How Do I Visit an inmate in Oakland City Jail?
The Alameda County Sheriff maintains Santa Rita Jail and persons arrested in Oakland City are held in this jail. Individuals interested in visiting the jail are required to make a prior appointment three days in advance. There is an Online Visiting Reservation Center to make visitation reservations. While registering, visitors should provide their name, email address, home address, telephone number, driver’s license number, and date of birth. A valid identification is necessary for a visit. The visitor should have the inmate’s name, personal file number, and date of birth. Any person below 18 years old should be accompanied by an adult. Visitors can find the jail at:
Santa Rita Jail
5325 Broder Blvd.
Dublin, CA 94568
Phone: (925) 551-6500
Visitation guidelines include:
- Visitors should be fully clothed, wearing shoes or sandals. See-through, sleeveless, and strapless clothing are not allowed. Shorts or skirts that expose more than the mid-thigh are also not allowed.
- Persons who have been previously convicted for a felony, on probation, or held in the jail within the previous six months have to obtain written permission to visit any inmate.
- Visitors and their vehicles are subject to a search within the jail.
- Bringing firearms, alcohol, controlled substances, or alcohol into the jail is a felony.
- Visitors that routinely cancel visits may have their visitation rights suspended.
- Visitors should not carry electronic items into the jail. They should be left in the visitor's vehicle or the public lockers in the lobby area.
- Visitors should not have physical contact with inmates.
What are Oakland City Vital Records?
Oakland City vital records are records of significant life events such as birth, death, divorce, and marriage within Oakland City. Governmental agencies maintain these records and make them available to eligible persons upon request. The Alameda County Public Health Department generally maintains birth and death records and makes these records available. Interested persons can also obtain Oakland vital records through the California Department of Public Health. Divorce records are available at the court that determined the divorce. These vital records are confidential in some cases. Where this is the case, they will only be available to particular individuals, such as the subjects of the records, their spouses, and their parents. Requesters may need to provide valid identification to show that they are eligible to obtain or view the record.
Where and How to Obtain Oakland City Divorce Records
The Alameda County Superior Court provides Alameda divorce records, including the divorce records for Oakland City. Divorce records are available as court decrees and any person may request access to the records. A request for divorce records may be by phone, email, mail, or in person. Persons interested in submitting a request to the Superior Court may do so at:
Alameda Superior Court
2233 ShoreLine Dr,
Alameda, CA 94501
Email: AskRecordsManagement@alameda.courts.ca.gov
Phone: (510) 891-6005
There is also a search portal which interested persons can use to find some divorce cases. The records may be physically inspected or viewed online at no cost. However, there are costs for certain records. Obtaining copies of divorce records costs 50 cents per page. A certified copy of a divorce decree costs $25.
A request may also be made at the Rene C. Davidson Court in Oakland. Any person making a request at the court should visit between 8:30 am and 3:00 pm. The request can be made at:
Rene C. Davidson Court
1225 Fallon Street
Oakland, CA 94612
Phone: (510) 891-6000
Where and How to Get Public Oakland City Marriage Records
Oakland City marriage records may be either regular public marriage records or confidential marriage records. Section 501 of California’s Family Code allows the Alameda County clerk to issue confidential marriage licenses. These records are closed to the public and can only be accessed by court order. Regular marriage records, on the other hand, can be gotten through a request to the Oakland City Clerk or the Alameda County Clerk. Oakland City provides the NextRequest portal for interested persons to make requests for public records. Any person can use the portal to request public records. Requests may also be made at:
Oakland City Clerk
1 Frank H Ogawa Plaza
1st and 2nd Floors
Oakland, CA 94612
Email: cityclerk@oaklandca.gov
Phone: (510) 238-3226
Working hours: 8:30 am to 5:00 pm, Monday to Friday
Any person can make a request for Oakland City marriage records to the Alameda County Clerk in person, by mail, or online. The County Clerk Office provides an online portal for interested persons to order marriage records. The marriage license should have been purchased in Alameda County. Only records after 1853 are available and the requester would need to provide the name of the parties and the date of the marriage to obtain the record. An Oakland marriage certificate costs $17. There is an extra $2 convenience fee for online requests. The request may either be for an unrestricted or informational copy. An unrestricted copy is only available to authorized persons, such as the registrant, a law enforcement agent, a close family member of a registrant, or an attorney representing a registrant. The informational copy is available to every person. An informational copy is not a valid official document. In person and mail requests can be made at:
County of Alameda Clerk-Recorder
1106 Madison Street
Oakland, CA 94607
Working hours: 8:30 am to 5:00 pm, Monday to Friday
Where and How to Find Oakland City Birth Records
Oakland City birth records are available at the county and state levels. The Alameda County Public Health Department provides birth records at the county level while the California Department of Public Health provides birth records at the state level. Restricted birth records are confidential under California law and can only be accessed by qualified persons. All other persons can only obtain informational copies. Informational copies clearly show that they are not valid official documents and cannot be used for identification. The following persons can obtain unrestricted Oakland City birth records.
- The registrant, a parent of the registrant, or a legal guardian of the registrant.
- A party authorized to receive the record by a court order.
- An attorney of the registrant.
- A law enforcement agent.
- A close family member of the registrant, such as a grandparent, sibling, a child, a domestic partner, or a grandchild.
The Alameda County Public Health Department accepts birth records requests in person, by phone, or online. In-person requesters would need to visit the Health Department, while phone requesters may call. There is an online portal for interested persons to order records. Users can order either unrestricted or informational records. Each Oakland birth certificate costs $30. County requests can be made at:
Alameda County Health Public Department
1106 Madison Street,
Oakland, CA 94607
Phone: (510) 272-6362
The California Department of Public Health maintains California birth records from 1905 till present, including Oakland City birth records. Electronic requests to the Department are processed within seven to nine weeks, while mail requests are processed within eight to ten weeks. Each birth record costs $25. The request should be made to:
California Department of Public Health
Vital Records – MS 5103
1501 Capitol Avenue
P.O. Box 997410
Sacramento, CA 95814
Where and How to Find Oakland City Death Records
Interested persons can find Oakland City death records either at the county level or at the state level. The requester would need to provide the name of the decedent, date of the death, and the city the death happened. A request may be for either an unrestricted copy or an informational copy. Informational copies are available to the general public while unrestricted copies are only available to eligible persons. Informational copies cannot be used for official purposes. Requesters seeking unrestricted copies may be required to sign a statement that they are authorized to receive the copy, under penalty of perjury. The persons with the authority to receive unrestricted copies of Oakland City death certificates include:
- A parent or legal guardian of the registrant.
- A law enforcement agency.
- A close family member of the registrant.
- An attorney representing the registrant or their estate.
Requesters can make their requests to the Alameda County Public Health Department in person, by phone, or online. The Health Department provides an online portal that can be used to order copies of the records. About two weeks are used to process the requests. Each death record costs $23. However, online requests have an additional $2 charge. In-person and phone requests can be made at:
Alameda County Health Public Department
1106 Madison Street,
Oakland, CA 94607
Phone: (510) 272-6362
Requesters can also submit their requests to the California Department of Public Health. The available death records span from 1905 till present. Electronic requests are processed within seven to nine weeks while mail requests are processed within eight to ten weeks. Each death certificate costs $23. The request can be made at:
California Department of Public Health
Vital Records – MS 5103
1501 Capitol Avenue
P.O. Box 997410
Sacramento, CA 95814
