What Are Walnut Creek City Public Records?
Public records in the City of Walnut Creek means any form of documentary material prepared, generated, used, or maintained by any public agency in the city, which contains information on its business conduct. Walnut Creek public records may be written, photographed, typewritten, transmitted electronically, or stored in other forms. However, not all of these records are available for public inspection or duplication. Although records like sex offender information and public court records may be open to the public, some may have restricted access by law. These include:
- Archaeological site reports and information maintained by the Department of Parks and Recreation or other local or state agencies
- Corporate financial records and corporate proprietary information
- Data received in confidence by a government agency
- Electronically collected personal data gathered or collated by a state agency
- Financial data, trade secrets, and commercial information
- Home addresses, date of birth, and other personal details of a public employee
- Law enforcement records that may endanger personal safety, jeopardize operations, or affect the successful completion of an ongoing investigation
- Mental health or medical records
- Records or information protected by privilege
Public records are available at various agencies at the state, county, and city levels. In addition to official sources, 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.
Walnut Creek City Crime Statistics
According to the FBI Crime in the U.S Report, Walnut Creek City had 2,496 property crimes and 120 violent crimes recorded in 2019. Property crimes included 307 burglaries, 155 auto vehicle theft, 2,034 larceny thefts, and four arson cases. Meanwhile, violent crimes consisted of six rape cases, 40 robberies, and 74 aggravated assaults. No murders were reported that year. In comparison to the 2018 FBI statistics, property and violent crimes increased by 10.98% and 10.09%, respectively. A breakdown of changes by crime category showed that murder was the only crime that reduced in 2019. The categories that increased included burglary (1.3%), aggravated assault (7.2%), larceny (12.3%), robbery (14.3%), auto vehicle theft (15.7%), rape (100%), and arson (300%).
Are Walnut Creek City Criminal Records Public?
Access to Walnut Creek City criminal records varies on a case-by-base business. For instance, record subjects and authorized entities may request criminal background checks from the DOJ through Live Scan sites or by mailing appropriate live-scan forms and requirements to:
California Department of Justice
Bureau of Criminal Identification and Analysis
Record Review & Challenge Section
P.O. Box 160207
Sacramento, CA 95816-0207
Furthermore, the Contra Costa Sheriff’s Office provides local criminal records. Record subjects may request copies by filling and sending the application for local record review form, $25 fee, and other requirements to:
Contra Costa County Technical Services
Records and Identification Unit
2530 Arnold Drive
Suite 170 & 190
Phone: (925) 335-1570
Interested persons may also get criminal case disposition information from courts, arrest records from local police, and incarceration records from the County Sheriff Office.However, the California Department of Justice (DOJ) – the repository of statewide criminal history information – only conducts criminal background checks for the following:
- The record subject
- Law enforcement agencies acting within the scope of their duties
- Authorized employers like public and private schools, non-profit organizations, and in-home supportive care agencies
- Authorized regulatory bodies
How to Obtain Walnut Creek City Police Reports and Arrest Records
The Walnut Creek Police Department maintains records and reports concerning various criminal incidents that happen within its jurisdiction. Examples of these records include Walnut Creek arrest records, accident/collision reports, crime statistics, and other police reports. However, in line with the California Public Records Act, not all these records are publicly available.
For instance, only involved parties or their legal representatives may obtain copies of a police report. Also, accident reports may be unavailable if
- The accident report is related to a crime
- The accident resulted in a fatality or serious injuries
- The report is incomplete
- The report falls exempt under applicable laws, for instance, records of cases involving a juvenile
For police reports on accidents or crimes, visit the WCPD request a police report page, or send completed request forms to the Records Division at:
City Hall
1666 North Main Street
First Floor
Walnut Creek, CA 94596
Phone: (925) 943-5890
Fax: (925) 943-5811
Email: records@walnut-creek.org
(Monday to Thursday: 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.)
Requests may be done in person or sent via mail or email. For non-crime or non-accident records, visit the police public record page or contact the City Clerk’s Office.
Note: The Contra Costa Sheriff’s Office also maintains police reports and records of arrests carried out within its jurisdiction.
How to Find Sex Offender Information in Walnut Creek City
The Megan’s Law website contains information on registered sex offenders who study, work or reside in all regions of California, including Walnut Creek City. As per State Code, the Department of Justice collects and maintains information on sex offenders registered by local law enforcement agencies and state correctional facilities. Interested persons may find offenders in the sex offender registry by conducting searches according to the offender's name, a specific location, or the user's current map location. Search results will provide a list of similar offenders and a link to the offender's profile which may provide the following details:
- Photograph
- Full name
- Known aliases
- Offenses with conviction and release details
- Risk assessment details
- Address
- Date of birth and physical descriptions
However, persons should note that the registry does not disclose information on all registered sex offenders on this site. Following Penal Code § 290.46, the display of offender details depends on the offender's category upon conviction, which is determined by the risk to reoffend.
How to Find Walnut Creek City Inmate Records
The Contra Costa Sheriff’s Office manages the county correctional facilities that serve the City of Walnut Creek and other municipalities in the county. Individuals who wish to obtain inmate records or persons looking for an inmate in any detention facility maintained by the Sheriff’s Office may use the inmate report tool to find inmates by their booking number or name (first and last name).
For further information, contact the Sheriff’s Office at:
1850 Muir Road,
Martinez, CA 94553
Phone: (925) 655-0000
Phone: (925) 335-1570 (Records Unit)
How Do I Visit an Inmate in Walnut Creek City Jail?
For social visits in any detention facility managed by the Contra Costa Sheriff’s Office, visitors must:
- Be included in the inmate’s visiting list
- Have visits scheduled by the inmate
- Register for visit at the jail’s Visitor Registration Desk
- Submit to clearance and screening
Only inmates may initiate social visits for persons included in the inmate's visitors list. The inmate also has to inform visitors of the registration requirements before the visit schedule, such as the acceptable forms of identification and information for the visitors’ form. Visitors will submit this form at the Visitor Registration Desk, which will then conduct criminal record checks. Prospective visitors should note that the following persons may be denied visiting privileges:
- Persons with outstanding arrests warrants or a DMV Failure to Appear notice without a court disposition
- Persons previously incarcerated in a federal or state prison, except with prior written approval from the Facility Commander;
- Individuals previously detained in any Contra Costa County jail within the past six months;
- A co-offender of the incarcerated inmate
- A probationer, supervised parolee, or visitors who are on civil addict outpatient status, except with the Facility Commander’s approval and the case supervisor’s permission
- Any individual with omitted or falsified information on the visiting questionnaire
Furthermore, visitors must dress appropriately and must not carry contrabands into the visiting area because persons will be searched and screened. Intoxicated persons and minors without adult supervision will be denied entry. All visitors must keep the jail rules and regulations, which include:
- Visits must be during the specific facility’s visiting hours
- Visitors should be in the facility 30 minutes before the scheduled time
- All visitors must take along valid photo identification
- Only service animals are allowed in the facility
- Visitors shall follow the dress code and remain fully clothed during the visit
- Inmates can refuse visits
What Are Walnut Creek Vital Records?
Walnut Creek City vital records are documents that contain information on life events like marriages, births, divorces, and deaths that happen to residents or that happen within the city’s jurisdiction. These records may be available at local or state-run agencies in different forms like certified or uncertified copies, decrees, and certificates or verification letters.
Where and How to Obtain Walnut Creek City Divorce Records
Records of divorces obtained by Walnut Creek residents from the Contra Costa County Superior Court are available at the court in the form of Decrees/Judgment of Dissolution and court files. Like most court records, individuals may search online for information concerning a divorce case by using the open access or public access site, or may make in-person or mailed requests. To request Walnut Creek divorce records, interested persons should provide divorce details like a case number, party names, and filing year/date to the clerk in-person or by mailing request forms to:
Contra Costa County Superior Court
P.O. Box 911
Martinez, CA 94553
Attn: Court Records
Drop-box or walk-in:
1111 Ward Street,
Martinez, CA 94553
Requesters should pay fees in-person or include a self-addressed stamped envelope and money order or check made payable to the Contra Costa County Clerk of the Court with the mailed request. The fees should cover the retrieval and/or duplication costs, or the check should include a "Not to Exceed" amount. For instance, if the check states “Not to exceed $30”, the clerk will provide copies within that limit and a receipt of costs.
At the state level, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) issues records of divorces from 1962 to June 1984. Persons may request copies by mailing the completed application forms (Spanish) and $14 fees to:
California Department of Public Health
Vital Records – MS 5103
P.O. Box 997410
Sacramento, CA 95899-7410
Physical address for mail-in:
California Department of Public Health
Vital Records – MS 5103
1501 Capitol Avenue
Sacramento, CA 95814
Note: Effective January 1, 2022, CDPH divorce records shall cost $15 per copy.
Where and How to Get Public Walnut Creek Marriage Records
Walnut Creek City marriage certificates are obtainable from the county and state levels i.e. the Contra Costa Clerk-Recorder Office and the California Department of Public Health. These records are publicly available except for confidential marriage records, which are only accessible to the married couple. Moreover, only eligible parties may obtain certified or unrestricted copies with complete marriage details. Qualified persons including:
- The bride or groom mentioned in the record
- Attorney or legal representatives
- Party’s parent or legal guardian
- Party’s child, grandchild, or sibling
- Authorized parties or agencies
However, ineligible individuals may request informational copies of Walnut Creek marriage records. For copies of marriage records from the Contra Costa Clerk-Recorder, send completed application forms and $19 fees to:
Contra Costa Recorder
555 Escobar Street,
Martinez, CA 94553
Requesters can also request public records of marriages from July 1905 to date (except 2000 to 2008) from the CDPH. Mail complete request forms (Spanish), $15 fees, and sworn statement (if applicable) to:
California Department of Public Health
Vital Records – MS 5103
P.O. Box 997410
Sacramento, CA 95899-7410
Physical address for mail-in:
California Department of Public Health
Vital Records – MS 5103
1501 Capitol Avenue
Sacramento, CA 95814
Note: CDPH marriage records will cost $16 per copy from January 1, 2022.
Where and How to Find Walnut Creek Birth Records
The Contra Costa Clerk-Recorder Office and the California Department of Public Health maintain Walnut Creek birth certificates at state and county levels. However, while both custodians have records from 1905 to the present, the CDPH does not have birth records from 2000 to 2008. Moreover, certified or unrestricted copies may be restricted to eligible parties, including:
- The registrant
- Registrant’s parent or legal guardian
- Registrant’s spouse or domestic partner
- Registrant’s child, grandchild, or sibling
- A licensed adoption agency, law enforcement agencies, and other government agencies acting on official business
- Attorney or legal representatives
- Persons authorized by court order
Nevertheless, ineligible individuals may request informational copies of Walnut Creek birth records. For copies of birth records from the Contra Costa Clerk-Recorder, send completed application forms and $32 fees to:
Contra Costa Recorder
555 Escobar Street,
Martinez, CA 94553
For CDPH copies, mail complete request forms (Spanish), $25 fees, and sworn statement (if applicable) to:
California Department of Public Health
Vital Records – MS 5103
P.O. Box 997410
Sacramento, CA 95899-7410
Physical address for mail-in:
California Department of Public Health
Vital Records – MS 5103
1501 Capitol Avenue
Sacramento, CA 95814
Note: A copy of CDPH birth records will cost $27 from January 1, 2022.
Where and How to Find Walnut Creek Death Records
The Contra Costa Clerk-Recorder Office and the California Department of Public Health maintain records of deaths that happened in Walnut Creek City. However, only eligible persons may access certified copies. Qualified parties include:
- The decedent’s spouse or domestic partner
- Attorney, estate manager, or legal representatives
- Decedent’s parent or legal guardian
- Decedent’s child, grandchild, or sibling
- Persons authorized by court order
- A funeral director, law enforcement agencies, and other government agencies acting on official business
Nevertheless, ineligible individuals may request informational copies of Walnut Creek death records. For copies from the Contra Costa Clerk-Recorder, send completed application forms and $25 fees to:
Contra Costa Recorder
555 Escobar Street,
Martinez, CA 94553
For CDPH copies, mail complete request forms (Spanish), $21 fees, and sworn statement (if applicable) to:
California Department of Public Health
Vital Records – MS 5103
P.O. Box 997410
Sacramento, CA 95899-7410
Physical address for mail-in:
California Department of Public Health
Vital Records – MS 5103
1501 Capitol Avenue
Sacramento, CA 95814
Note: CDPH death records will cost $23 per copy from January 1, 2022.
