Alpine County Jail Roster

Alpine County does not operate its own jail facilities. All inmates arrested in Alpine County are housed at neighboring county jails. Most go to El Dorado County or Calaveras County facilities. This is common for small rural counties in California. The Alpine County Sheriff's Office contracts with these counties to provide detention services. To search for someone arrested in Alpine County, you need to check the jail rosters of El Dorado County and Calaveras County. Both counties offer free online inmate searches.

Why Alpine County Has No Jail

Alpine County is the least populated county in California with only about 1,200 residents. The county does not have enough arrests or inmates to justify building and operating its own jail facility. Instead, the county saves money by contracting with larger neighboring counties. This arrangement provides better services at a lower cost.

When someone gets arrested in Alpine County, the sheriff transports them to a contracted facility in another county. The person goes through booking and stays in custody at that facility. Alpine County pays a daily rate to house each inmate. This is cheaper than running a full-time jail operation.

Several other small California counties use the same approach. Sierra County also lacks its own jail and uses Nevada County or Plumas County facilities. This system works well for rural counties with low crime rates and small populations.

Search El Dorado County Jail

Most Alpine County inmates go to El Dorado County facilities. El Dorado County operates jails in Placerville and South Lake Tahoe. South Lake Tahoe is closer to Alpine County, making it a logical choice for housing inmates from the area. You can search the El Dorado County jail roster at eldoradosheriff.citizenrims.com/incarcerated-people for free.

The El Dorado County Sheriff uses the CitizenRIMS system for its online roster. Type a name to search for someone in custody. Results show inmates at both the Placerville and South Lake Tahoe facilities. If someone was arrested in Alpine County, they should appear in this database.

For more information about El Dorado County facilities, visit our El Dorado County page. You can also call the South Lake Tahoe facility at (530) 573-3031 or the Placerville facility at (530) 621-6000 to verify custody status.

Search Calaveras County Jail

Some Alpine County inmates may be housed at Calaveras County facilities. The Calaveras County jail is in San Andreas. You can search their jail roster at calaveras.citizenrims.com/incarcerated-people for free. This is another CitizenRIMS portal similar to El Dorado County.

Type a name to look for someone in custody. The system shows all current inmates at the Calaveras County jail. If you cannot find someone in El Dorado County, check Calaveras County as a backup. Alpine County uses both counties depending on bed space and other factors.

For more details about Calaveras County detention services, see our Calaveras County page. You can call the jail at (209) 754-6499 to ask about specific inmates or custody arrangements.

VINE Inmate Tracking

The VINE system works across all California counties. VINE stands for Victim Information and Notification Everyday. You can search for Alpine County inmates using VINE at vinelink.dhs.gov or by calling 877-411-5588. This service is free and available 24 hours a day.

VINE lets you search by name across multiple counties at once. This is useful for Alpine County since inmates could be at different facilities. You can also register for automatic alerts. When an inmate gets released or transferred, VINE sends you a phone call, text, or email notification.

VINE tracks custody changes in real time. It works for both county jails and state prisons. This makes it a good tool for finding someone when you are not sure which facility they are in.

Alpine County Sheriff Contact

The Alpine County Sheriff's Office is at 99 Water Street in Markleeville, California 96120. The phone number is (530) 694-2231. Call this number to ask about someone arrested in Alpine County. Staff can tell you which facility is housing the person.

The sheriff's office handles law enforcement for the entire county. This includes unincorporated areas and the small towns. When deputies make an arrest, they transport the person to a contracted jail facility in El Dorado or Calaveras County.

Markleeville is the county seat and home to the courthouse. Court hearings for Alpine County cases happen there. Inmates are transported from their detention facility to Markleeville for court appearances.

Booking Records for Alpine County Arrests

Booking records for Alpine County arrests are maintained by the facility where the person is housed. This means records are at El Dorado County or Calaveras County jails. California law requires disclosure of certain booking information under Government Code section 6254(f). This includes name, arrest date, charges, and bail amount.

To request detailed booking records, contact the Alpine County Sheriff's Office or the facility holding the inmate. The California Public Records Act found in Government Code sections 7920 through 7931 governs access. Counties have ten days to respond to public records requests. Fees may apply for copies.

Online jail rosters show basic information for current inmates. For historical records or more details, you need to file a formal request. Each county has its own process for handling these requests.

Other California Counties Without Jails

Alpine County is not the only California county without its own jail. Sierra County also lacks detention facilities and contracts with Nevada County and Plumas County. These arrangements are practical for counties with very small populations and low crime rates.

The cost to build and staff a jail facility is high. Counties need enough inmates to justify the expense. When arrests are rare, contracting with a neighboring county makes more sense. Inmates get housed in modern facilities with full services while the small county saves taxpayer money.

If you are searching for someone in a small rural county, always check neighboring county jails. Most contracts are public information, so you can call the sheriff to ask which facilities they use.

Search Other Sierra Region Counties

Besides El Dorado and Calaveras, several other counties border Alpine. Amador County is to the northwest. Mono County is to the south. Each of these counties operates its own jail system with online rosters. If you are looking for someone in the Sierra region, you might need to check multiple counties.

The VINE system is useful for this type of search. It lets you look across all California counties at once. This saves time compared to checking each county's website individually. The service is free and works on any device with internet access.