Arrests
An officer may make an arrest for misdemeanor or felony offenses in accordance with law and established procedure. If a person believes they are being wrongfully arrested, they still have the responsibility to comply with an officer’s orders, and their right to defend their case will occur after the arrest is made. Resisting arrest can bring additional criminal charges.
Depending on the circumstances, an arrested person may be released without charges, in which case the arrest is legally only a detention, the person may be released with a notice to appear, or they may be booked into jail. Adults are booked into the Department of Corrections’ Main Jail. At jail, they may be released on their “Own Recognizance (O.R.)”, released if they post bail, or held for a court appearance. Juveniles may be released to a parent, or if booked on a criminal charge, they may be taken to Juvenile Hall. Arrested persons have an assortment of rights, to include the right to make three telephone calls.
For more information about..
Santa Clara County Main Jail
Santa Clara County Main Jail inmate booking information
Santa Clara County juvenile in-custody information
In some cases, an officer may not affect an arrest, but will instead refer the matter to the District Attorney’s Office. If a criminal complaint is later filed, a warrant will be issued for the defendant’s arrest.
Citations
Officers may issue several types of citations. They include:
In each case, the person who receives the citation has the responsibility of paying any fines, making any required appearances, and/or contesting the citation in accordance with the rules of the court.If a person received a citation for a criminal violation, they may also need to be booked, which means getting photographed and fingerprinted. There is information on the violator’s copy of the citation that provides additional information and instructions.
ADIMINSTRATIVE CITATIONS
Administrative Citations may be issued for violations of the City Code committed by adults (18 years and older) that are not otherwise enforced by state criminal statutes. Generally, City Code sections covering animal control, vehicle abatement, and park ordinances are applicable violations.
An Administrative Citation may be issued as a violation, imposing the pre-determined fine, or as a warning with a specified date of correction.
Administrative penalties do not bar alternative enforcement proceedings for any continuation or repeated occurrence of any code violation. As such, repeat violators may be subject to a criminal citation and/or arrest.
If you receive an administrative citation, you may pay the fine by sending a check or money order to the City of Mountain View Finance Department, 500 Castro Street, Mountain View, CA 94041, or you may request an appeal. Refer to the below links for additional information.
Citation Process Information
Appeal Request
Hardship Waiver Request
Hearing Request
