Indio Police Department

If a loved one, a family member or you have been arrested by or are being investigated by the Indio Police Department, it can cause a lot of angst, mostly just from fear of the unknown of what will happen or can happen.  Moreover, one is dependent upon the competence, honesty and accuracy of a police officer, who may or may not be experienced or have the same sense of urgency as you in having the police report properly written.  

Facing such a situation, knowing the bail amount (if any) associated with the offense or offenses at issue if police deny an own recognizance (OR) release may ease one’s anxiety.  It is also well worth the time learn what evidence is needed to convict one for the crime or crimes that allegedly took place, the defenses possible and the sentence a judge can impose if one is convicted of the crime or crimes.  

We at Greg Hill & Associates believe it is prudent to know a few more things before interacting with any branch of law enforcement.  It can be smart to know the size of the police or sheriff’s department, the area’s demographics, a bit of history about the town, city or area, and the most common types of crimes the department investigates to make one’s communication with law enforcement more meaningful, more savvy and perhaps, more respectful.  This can lead to a better outcome than if one lacks such perspective.

This article is presented with these goals in mind.

The Indio Police Department is a medium to large police force with 90 sworn police officers and an unspecified number of civilian support personnel assigned to it (we would estimate about 35 based on other police forces of similar size). 

The Indio Police Department is responsible for patrolling the City of Indio, which is 33.23 square miles and has a population of 89,137 as of 2020.  

The official elevation of Indio is below sea level.  The city hall is 14 feet below sea level, as the eastern half of the Coachella Valley drops as low as 150 feet below sea level (the lakeshore of the Salton Sea is 15 miles south of Indio.  About 3 miles north and east of Indio is the San Andreas Fault, a major tectonic plate boundary of the Pacific and North American plates.

The City of Indio came about because of the need for a halfway point for the Southern Pacific Railroad between Yuma, Arizona and Los Angeles, since the engines needed to be refilled with water.  Since other areas had the name Indian Wells, Indio (after a Spanish variation of the word "Indian") was chosen instead.  After the railroad's arrival in 1876, Indio began to grow.

Indio is now nicknamed the City of Festivals, a reference to the numerous cultural events held in the city, most notably the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.  Greg Hill’s daughters went to this festival when they were in high school.

For arrests along the freeways crossing Indio, such as I-10 or State Route 111, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) will normally handle this work, although one may be thereafter transported to the Indio Police Department for processing, a breath test (if a DUI) and booking.  The person may also be held at the Indio jail until bail is posted or the person is transferred to the Riverside County Jail, also called the Robert Presley Detention Center in downtown Riverside.

As of 2020, the city’s population was 24.09% non-Hispanic white, 2.23% Asian, 2.02% African American and 69% Hispanic.

Most cases arising out of the Indio Police Department’s areas of responsibility are brought at the Indio Courthouse, but some are also brought at the Riverside Hall of Justice at 4100 Main Street in downtown Riverside.  Cases that may be filed at the Riverside Hall of Justice instead of at the Indio Courthouse would be very serious cases needing specialized prosecutors trained in handling such cases.

Over the last 25 years, our office has handled perhaps five cases arising out the Indio Police Station and brought in the Indio Courthouse.  Such cases were post-conviction matters involving reducing a felony to a misdemeanor so our client could regain his right to own, possess and purchase a firearm, as well as expungements.  However, we would expect the majority of the criminal cases arising in Indio to be like those in other courthouses – mostly DUI’s, domestic violence cases, shoplifting and possession of a controlled substance or sales of a controlled substance.  

We find that locals to the Indio area often distrust local criminal defense attorneys as being social friends with prosecutors and judges, so they are unwilling to fight too hard to preserve their friendships, so we are hired instead because we presumably have no such ties or loyalties.

Below is the Google Map to the Indio Police Department.