Irvine Police Department

If a loved one, a family member or you have been arrested by or are being investigated by the Irvine Police Department, it can cause a great deal of anxiety. 

Facing such a situation, it can be calming to know the bail amount (if any) associated with the offense if police deny an own recognizance (OR) release.  It is also good to know 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 valuable to know a few more things before interacting with any branch of law enforcement.  It can be prudent to know the size of the police or sheriff’s department, the area’s demographics, the most common types of crimes the department investigates and just a bit about the area’s history 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 Irvine Police Department's jurisdiction includes the entire city of Irvine, which covers nearly 70 square miles (180 km2) and a population of over 270,000, as well as the Orange County Great Park, the former El Toro Marine Corps Air Station from 1943 to 1999.  The Department also supplements the jurisdiction of the University of California, Irvine (UCI), Police Department, whose jurisdiction includes the UCI campus and surrounding areas of the city.

The city of Irvine was originally developed as a master planned community by the Irvine Company, working in conjunction with the state that also built the University of California, Irvine during the early 1960’s.

Today, the City of Irvine is the largest city in Orange County and the 63rd largest city in the United States. 

As of 2010, the city’s population was 34.47% non-Hispanic white, 45.41% Asian, 2.16% African American and 11.65% Hispanic.  During 2009–2013, Irvine had a median household income of $90,585, with 12.2% of the population living below the federal poverty line.

According to the 2000 United States Census, Irvine is ranked seventh nationwide, among cities with populations of at least 100,000, for having the highest percentage of people who are at least 25 years old with doctoral degrees, with 3,589 residents reporting this educational level.

In 2015, 5.0 percent of Irvine households lacked a car; this percentage decreased to 4.0 percent in 2016.  The national average was 8.7 percent in 2016. Irvine averaged 1.83 cars per household in 2016, compared to a national average of 1.8.

The University of California at Irvine is the city’s biggest employer, employing 18,373 people.  Blizzard Entertainment is the next largest employer with just over 4,000 employees. 

Most cases arising out of the Irvine Police Department’s areas of responsibility are brought at the Fullerton Courthouse, but some are also brought at the Central Justice Center at 700 Civic Center Driver West in downtown Santa Ana.  Cases that may be filed at the Central Justice Center instead of at the Fullerton Courthouse would be very serious cases needing specialized prosecutors trained in handling such cases.

According to Neighborhood Scout’s evaluation of Irvine’s crime statistics, Irvine is safer than 27% of U.S. cities, which does not make it seem too safe.  The chance of becoming a victim of either violent or property crime in Irvine is 1 in 58.  Based on FBI crime data, 

Irvine is not one of the safest communities in America.  Relative to California, Irvine has a crime rate that is higher than 46% of the state's cities and towns of all sizes.

Over the last 25 years, our office has handled perhaps 150 cases arising out the Irvine Police Station and brought in the Fullerton Courthouse.  Such cases vary from DUI to felony sex offenses, domestic violence, to public intoxication, and auto burglary to shoplifting.

Below is the Google Map to the Irvine Police Department.