Please note: if you have an emergency please dial 911 to get assistance. If you require immediate service for disturbances or other police action, please call dispatch at 941-1488 and a deputy will come out to your home. Our hours for email questions are as follows:
Monday through Thursday, 7am to 6pm. If you email on a Friday or a weekend, your question will be read on the next normal business day.
Before calling or e-mailing us about your inquiries, kindly go over the Frequently Asked Questions listed below. You'll find out that most of your questions are already answered here: (Click on a question to view the answer; click again to hide.)
1) What hours is the Rancho Cucamonga Police Station open?
Answer: The station is open Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 5:45 p.m., however, administrative and detective personnel primarily work weekdays during normal business hours.
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2) How do I get to the Police Station?
Answer: Go to the Contact Us page. There is a map on the page with directions to the station.
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3) What is the difference between a Sheriff's Deputy, Police Officer, Highway Patrol Officer and the State Police?
Answer: All four are peace officers and are authorized under the California penal code with identical police powers anywhere in California.
a) A Deputy Sheriff works for the County Sheriff's Department. California is divided into counties. In San Bernardino County communities that have not incorporated into cities, the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department provides law enforcement and operates the county jails and courts. 14 cities in the San Bernardino County contract with the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department to provide law enforcement services in the City. Some independent cities maintain their own police department, many cities contract with the county for law enforcement, traffic and fire/paramedic services. This contract provides all services of a normal police department (including extra services such as SWAT teams, specialized detective units, air support and emergency services) at a substantial savings to the City.
b) A Rancho Cucamonga Police Officer (RCPD) works for the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department.
c) In state-operated facilities, state police and California Highway Patrol provide law enforcement functions. California Highway Patrol Officers provides traffic-related enforcement in various communities as well as on freeways.
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4) How do I get access to the list of convicted child molesters in my area?
Answer: There is a link to the "Megan's Law" page from the RC Police website on the ‘ External Links’ button. The site is part of a statewide database and information system designed to keep resident's informed of such information. Citizens may access this information at any time.
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5) What happens to someone when they get arrested?
Answer: Depending on the level of the crime, the person will be booked into a county jail or released on a promise to appear.
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6) What are the definitions of the different types of crimes?
Answer: There are 3 'grades of crime':
a. Low Grade Crime: On a misdemeanor arrest the suspect will be taken to the station and cited. He or she (in many cases) will be released on a promise to appear citation.
The suspect may be booked at the county jail if the circumstances dictate such action. If the offense is alcohol or drug related, the suspect will stay at the county jail until he or she can safely care for himself or herself.
b. High Grade Crime: On a felony charge the suspect will be booked at a county jail facility until his or her court date (Usually within two business days). They may also have the option of bailing out.
c. Juvenile Crime: Juveniles who are detained are taken to a Station and held pending either a transport to Juvenile hall or release to their parent/guardian.
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7) How can I have my fingerprints/Live Scan taken?
Answer: Fingerprints for job applications; court procedures and children (kid print) are available at our station Monday - Thursday 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM and costs $10.00 per card. Live Scans are also available on Tuesdays, Wednesdays & Thursdays (by appointment) from 12:00 p.m. to 3:45 p.m. The fees vary and you must have the correct change, personal check or credit card.
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8) How do I obtain a clearance letter?
Answer: You must bring photo-identification to the station with you to apply for a clearance letter. The current cost is $15.00 payable when you pick up the letter.
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9) How do I obtain a restraining order against someone?
Answer: These are orders from a judge, restricting specific contact between specific people. They can be applied for the court that has jurisdiction for your area.
In the Rancho Cucamonga Police Station area, contact:
San Bernardino County Court Services
Rancho Cucamonga Division
Address: 8303 Haven Avenue
Rancho Cucamonga, California 91730
(909) 945-4440
In certain domestic violence situations, peace officers can obtain emergency protective orders (only valid until the victim can apply for a restraining order from the local court).
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10) How can I get a copy of a police report?
Answer: Depending on the nature of the report and any confidentiality issues involved, report copies are generally available through the station that took the report. There is a fee of $0.25 per sheet for each report. Reports take approximately 7 to 10 working days to become available - traffic accident reports may take longer. If you do not have the report's file number, please be prepared to supply the date, time, location and name of the parties involved to assist us in locating the proper report.
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11) If my car has been towed, how do I locate it?
Answer: If the Rancho Cucamonga Police Department stored or impounded your vehicle, you should call the station's business line. Our personnel can provide you with that information. In most cases, you will be responsible for paying any towing and storage charges or fees directly to the towing company. Most cases will have to pay a $75.00 administrative fee as well as any other charges from the tow company.
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12) How do I get a citation signed off for proof of correction?
Answer: Bring the vehicle citation and identification to the Sheriff's Station for inspection. There is a $15.00 fee required. This service is also available at county court facilities.
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13) How can I find out the progress of an investigation or court case?
Answer: Call your local Sheriff's Station weekdays during business hours. If you do not have the report's file number, please be prepared to supply the date, time, location and name of the parties involved to assist us in locating the proper report. Unless you are listed on the report, we cannot release any information.
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14) How do I volunteer to help at my local Station?
Answer: The Rancho Cucamonga Police Department has a number of programs for people to become involved in the community. Please see the ' Volunteers' page of the website.
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15) What is a citizen's arrest?
Answer: You have the right to arrest another person for a criminal act they commit in your presence. Unless absolutely necessary, you should avoid taking direct action and call us to avoid being injured or sued for false arrest. In some specific situations, limitations in the laws may make it necessary for a deputy sheriff to have you make a citizen's arrest. In this case, you must sign a private person's arrest form, but the deputy will physically take the person into custody and ensure that they are properly arraigned in court. You will be required to testify in court.
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16) How do I find out the status of a person who has been arrested?
Answer: Call the West Valley Detention Center at (909) 350-2476.
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17) Who should I call to complain about (or compliment) a law enforcement officer?
Answer: All California police agencies have a procedure for investigating complaints about individual officers or Department procedures in general. For incidents involving Sheriff's Department personnel or procedures, you can call or come in to the Police Station and fill out a "Citizens' Complaint" form. The receptionist will give you the information necessary. For incidents involving other local law enforcement agencies, you should contact the agency in question directly.
For compliments, please write a letter of appreciation, and include the name of the officer and how they were of service to you. Send the letter to:
Chief of Police, Rancho Cucamonga
10510 Civic Center Drive
Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730
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18) What happens if I refuse to sign a traffic ticket I disagree with?
Answer: Signing a citation is merely your promise to appear in court for a violation. Your signature is not an admission of guilt. Only a judge can levy punishments. When a person refuses to sign a citation, a deputy is required to arrest and bring them directly before the magistrate having jurisdiction. This may involve being held at a county jail facility overnight or during the weekend until court is next in session.
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19) When must a deputy read me my rights?
Answer: The Miranda decision requires officers to inform a person of their rights involving counsel and self-incrimination only in certain situations involving interrogation after arrest. Current case law (based on past court decisions) dictates specifically which situations require this advisement. Generally, only juvenile offenders are advised immediately when arrested.
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20) How long will I have to wait for a patrol car to come to my call?
Answer: Calls for service are handled in order of priority based on the level of emergency each incident represents. Crimes in progress, rescues and felony crimes take precedence over non-violent crimes and report calls. Because emergency calls often require the coordinated efforts of many units, deputies may be delayed arriving to non-emergency calls. Desk personnel continually review the current calls for service and should advise you by telephone if a deputy expects a delay of more than thirty minutes. Please do not use the 911 telephone system for non-emergency situations.
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21) Do I have to give my name when reporting a crime?
Answer: No, we will attempt to investigate an anonymous crime tip, however, court decisions impose limitations on investigations based solely on anonymous tips. We recognize that you may not want to be identified by the people you are reporting. If you have concerns, request that your information be kept confidential or that deputies not contact you when they respond.
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22) Can a deputy sheriff give tickets on freeways?
Answer: Yes. California Peace officers have police powers throughout the state of California. The California Highway Patrol generally patrols freeways, but any deputy sheriff or city police officer can cite or arrest for a violation.
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23) Often Misunderstood Terminology: a. Burglary vs. Robbery; b. Trespassing vs. Loitering; c. Terrorist Threats; d. Assault vs. Battery; e. File Number; f. Call or Tag Numbers; g. Racial Profiling
Answer:
a. Burglary vs. Robbery - These two theft crimes often get confused.
A person who breaks into a home, business or locked car to steal is committing burglary. A person who steals from another person directly by force (like a purse snatch) or fear (threats or by using a weapon) is committing a robbery.
b. Trespassing vs. Loitering - Trespassing occurs when a person enters or remains on private property which has signs prohibiting entry or after they have been told to leave by the owner.
Loitering involves remaining in a public place without business. This is most often a concern when people loiter about a public restroom to commit sex acts.
c. Terrorist Threats - Terrorist threats is a very specific felony crime involving threats of death or great injury from a person capable of committing the threat. This is often confused with people who provoke fights or with threatening phone calls (some circumstances, these are misdemeanor crimes).
d. Assault vs. Battery - The severity of the crime and punishment involved in assaults depends on many specific factors including whether the person actually struck another or just tried, whether a weapon was used, what kind of injury resulted (or would most likely result), and the relationship between the parties (assaulting someone in a domestic relationship, a small child, or an official such as police, fire, postal workers, etc. would be a more serious crime).
e. File Number - This is the unique number assigned to a report taken by a deputy sheriff. A deputy taking a report will often leave a form with the person reporting the crime including this number. As we take many thousands of various reports each year, having this number on hand will make it much easier to reference your report.
f. Incident Numbers - Whenever a deputy handles a call or stops a car, even for a warning, the computerized dispatching system attaches a unique number to that incident.
g. Racial Profiling - Peace officers are prohibited from detaining person based solely on their race. The San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department voluntarily collects and reports information about the makeup of the people or personnel stop, issue citations to or arrest.
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24) What is the San Bernardino County District Attorney Bad Check Restitution Program?
Answer: The San Bernardino County District Attorney organized the Bad Check Restitution Program to help business people recover revenue lost to bad checks and discourage bad check offenders from repeating their offense. Assistance is provided free of cost and complaints are easy to file. Bad check offenders reported to the Program must pay restitution and attend a mandatory eight-hour intervention class. Those who fail to fully comply with all requirements of the Program risk having their case reviewed for a possible criminal filing. Moreover, while the Program is free for merchants, it is not free for the offenders who are required to pay statutory fees to participate in the diversion program. All this is accomplished without cost to County taxpayers or businesses!
How does the Bad Check Restitution Program work?
The merchant must mail the check attached to a Bad Check Complaint Form to the Program. The District Attorney will seek full restitution for the merchant if possible, which is 100% of the face value of the check plus applicable returned item bank fees. The primary goal of the Program is to obtain restitution for the merchant and secondly, to deter bad check offenders from future offenses.
What must I do to file a complaint on a bad check?
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Notify the check writer and extend a ten-day grace period to make the check good.
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Obtain a Bad Check Complaint Form from the Police or Sheriff. Forms are also available at chamber offices, can be downloaded from the Internet or can be mailed to you by calling the Victim Hotline.
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Determine if the check is eligible by calling the Victim Hotline. The check should be reported within 120 days of the transaction.
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If eligible, mail the check and Complaint Form to the Program.
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If restitution is recovered, you will receive a restitution check from the District Attorney's Program; if not, the check writer's case will be reviewed for prosecution. Case status can be obtained by calling the Victim Hotline.
What type of check is eligible for the Program?
The check was presumed good at the time of acceptance and received in exchange for goods or services.
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The check was processed by a bank at least one time and returned stamped:
- NSF checks (non-sufficient funds)
- Account-Closed
- Refer to Maker or Unable to locate
- Stop Payment checks that do not involve a performance dispute.
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The check was passed within the jurisdiction of Los Angeles County. (Checks mailed to L.A. County are also eligible.)
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The check was issued from a California bank account.
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The check has a valid California Drivers' License or I.D. recorded on the front side.
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Checks for any amount: no minimum or maximum filing restrictions based on check amount.
Are there checks that cannot be reported to the District Attorney’s Program?
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Stolen, counterfeit and forged checks are not eligible (report to local law enforcement).
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Checks that have exceeded the Program’s time limit for filing.
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Checks issued from an out-of-state bank account.
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Checks determined by the Program to be civil in nature, and therefore, ineligible.
For additional information on the Bad Check Restitution Program, you can visit the San Bernardino County District Attorney's website at: www.co.san-bernardino.ca.us/da/
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If you did not find the answer to your question, please send an email to the Watch Commander.
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