| Address: | 12760 Osborne St, Pacoima, CA 91331 Map |
| Phone: | (818) 756-8861 |
| Website: | Foothill Community Police Station |
Update: All arrestees in this jurisdiction are being sent to Van Nuys jail. The Foothill jail is no longer active.
The Foothill Jail…located within the Los Angeles Police Department’s Foothill Community Police Station…serves as a temporary holding facility for men and women arrested by the LAPD or California Highway Patrol.
Typically those arrested around the Los Angeles neighborhoods of Pacoima, Sun Valley, or Lake View Terrace will be sent to the Foothill jail.
Arrestees are temporarily held at this facility until they
- are released on their own recognizance
(known as an “O.R.” release), - post bail, or
- are taken to court for their arraignment.
After their first court date male defendants will generally be transferred to a larger Los Angeles County jail such as the Los Angeles Twin Towers Jail, or the Los Angeles Men’s Central Jail. Female defendants will be transferred to the Century Regional Detention Facility.
This is typically because they cannot post bail or they have been convicted of their offense.
The Foothill jail is a smaller facility, housing a maximum of 70 inmates.
Free street parking is located on the streets surrounding the police station and jail.
In this article, our Los Angeles criminal defense attorneys will explain the following:
- 1. How do I Post Bail for an Inmate at the Foothill Jail?
- 2. How do I search for an Inmate at the Foothill Jail?
- 3. Can I call an Inmate at the Foothill Jail?
- 4. What are the visiting hours and policies?
- 5. Procedures for the Return of Property
If after reading this article, you would like more information, please contact us.
1. How do I Post Bail for an Inmate at the Foothill Jail?
After an inmate has been booked into the Foothill Jail, his or her bail will be set according to the Los Angeles County Bail Schedule and based on the crime(s) for which the inmate was arrested.
“Bail” is the amount of money that is designed to assure the arresting agency and court that the defendant will make his court appearances after being released from jail. Anyone can pay (or “post”) bail on an inmate’s behalf.
If you choose to post bail for an inmate, the Foothill Jail accepts three forms of bail: cash bail, cashier’s checks, and bail bonds, which are discussed in detail in our article “How to Post Bail in California“.
You may post bail directly at the Los Angeles Police Department Foothill Community Police Station (same location as jail) 24 hours a day / 7 days a week.
1.1. Cash Bail
If you elect to post cash bail, you must post the full amount. Once bail is posted, the inmate is released pending his or her first appearance before a judge.
If the inmate attends his or her court appearances, the bail will be returned following the conclusion of the criminal case. If he or she does not, the defendant forfeits your money to the court.
1.2. Cashier’s checks
Similar to cash bail, if you opt to use a cashier’s check, you must post the entire bail amount. The Foothill Jail only accepts certified California bank-drawn cashier’s checks that are payable to the Los Angeles Police Department’s Bail Account.
Cashier’s checks should include the inmate’s full name and booking number.
The funds must be verified before the jail will release an inmate. Thus an inmate’s release may take several hours or even a few days, depending on the time of day and whether the bail is posted on a weekday or a weekend.
The Foothill Jail does not accept Money orders.
1.3. Bail bonds
Most people don’t have funds to post cash bail or a cashier’s check. As a result, posting a bail bond tends to be the most common way to bail someone out of jail.
When you post bail you are only required to pay a maximum 7-10% of the total bail amount.
However, bail bondsmen keep your 7-10% as their fee. If the defendant makes all of his court appearances, you do not have to pay any more, but you do not get that 7-10% back. If the inmate doesn’t make those appearances, you may be liable for repaying the entire bail amount to the bondsman.
It generally takes about 20-30 minutes to obtain a bail bond from a bondsman and then from 1-4 hours for the inmate to be released from custody from the Foothill jail.
Bail bondsmen advertise through the internet, phone books, television, and billboards. Make sure you verify the bondsman’s license, and keep copies of all documents for your records.
∗NOTE: Once you post bail, you should immediately consult with one of our experienced Los Angeles criminal defense lawyers who can schedule a bail hearing to argue that the bail should be reduced or eliminated.
A skilled local attorney will also review the case to develop the most comprehensive legal defense to help your loved one fight his case.
2. How do I search for an Inmate at the Foothill Jail?
In order to obtain information about an inmate at the Foothill, you may
- call the Foothill Jail at (818) 756-8861,
- call the Los Angeles Inmate Reception Center (the “I.R.C.”) at (213) 473-6100, or
- access information via the web on the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department’s inmate information website. ∗The L.A. Sheriff’s Department provides information for all inmates in Los Angeles County.
Inmate information is generally not available until at least two hours after booking.
Before a deputy will release information, you must provide the inmate’s correct full legal name or his booking number.
Generally, inmates who are being held in custody must be brought before a judge within two (2) court days of being arrested. At that point, the judge will either continue the arraignment or will set the case for a pre-trial hearing.
If you wish to look up this type of case information for an inmate being housed at the Foothill Jail, visit the Los Angeles County case information website.
3. Can I call an Inmate at the Foothill Jail?
When an individual is booked into the Foothill Jail, the jail staff typically allows the arrestee 30 minutes to make free local telephone calls to arrange for bail, inform family members as to their whereabouts, and contact an attorney.
Thereafter, calls must be placed on a collect basis. If you know that a friend/family member is being held in the Foothill Street Jail, you may want to contact your local telephone carrier to make sure that collect calls are not blocked on your telephone plan.
Inmates are not allowed to receive incoming calls. Also, because inmates are only temporarily housed at this facility, they are not there long enough to receive mail.
However, you personally visit an inmate at the Jail, in accordance with the facility’s visiting hours and policies described below.
4. What are the visiting hours and policies?
Inmates may generally visit with one (1) guest and one (1) child once a day. Visiting hours are seven days a week from 10:00 am to 3:00pm.
Visits typically last a maximum of 15-30 minutes. Visiting hours are subject to change without notice. Thus, it is a good idea to call the Foothill Jail at (818) 756-8861 prior to your visit to make sure the inmate
- is permitted to receive visitors, and
- will be present in the jail and not in court.
Appointments are not required. Visits are granted on a first-come, first-served basis.
Attorneys and members of the clergy are not bound by these restrictions and may visit an inmate 24 hours a day / 7 days per week.
All visitors must bring valid picture identification, such as
- A California driver’s license or identification card,
- a U.S. passport,
- an alien registration card, or
- A U.S. military card.
In addition, all visitors are subject to a search of their person and property. Visitors may not bring anything illegal to the facility nor may they bring anything to the inmates.
The Foothill Community Police Station reserves the right to deny entry to anyone who poses a threat…either real or perceived…to the safety or security of the Jail staff or inmates.
5. Procedures for the Return of Property
When an inmate is booked into the Foothill Jail, his belongings are collected and stored. This property is returned to the inmate once he is released or transferred to a county jail.
Alternatively, an inmate who was arrested on a misdemeanor charge can fill out a property release form designating another person to claim that property.
Inmates who are arrested on felony charges must receive approval from a detective before they will be permitted to release their property.
If an inmate has chosen you to pick up his property from the Foothill Jail, you must bring a government issued I.D. This procedure is available 24 hours a day / 7 days a week.