Metropolitan Detention Center, The Downtown LAPD Jail
The Metropolitan Detention Center is the LAPD jail at 180 N. Los Angeles St. in downtown Los Angeles. People arrested by LAPD wait here for release, for bail or for a first court date. Reach the jail desk at (213) 356-3400. Bail is taken at any hour.
Key Facts
| Address | 180 N. Los Angeles St., Los Angeles, CA 90012 |
|---|---|
| Run By | LAPD Custody Services Division |
| Jail Phone | (213) 356-3400 |
| TTY | (213) 356-3406 |
| Bail Window | Open 24 hours a day |
| Inmate Lookup | Sheriff's online search or (213) 473-6100 |
Visiting Week At A Glance
Who Is Usually Booked At MDC
LAPD does not publish which stations use which jail. Going by bureau lines, MDC most likely takes arrests from the Central and West Bureaus, which hold ten stations between them.
In our neighborhood list, 58 of 115 neighborhoods most likely book here, station by station.
- Central Station covers Chinatown and Downtown.
- Rampart Station covers Echo Park, Pico Union and Westlake.
- Hollenbeck Station covers Boyle Heights, El Sereno, Lincoln Heights and Montecito Heights.
- Northeast Station covers Atwater Village, Cypress Park, Eagle Rock, Elysian Park, Elysian Valley, Glassell Park, Highland Park, Mount Washington and Silver Lake.
- Newton Station covers Central Alameda, Historic South Central and South Park.
- Hollywood Station covers East Hollywood, Griffith Park, Hollywood, Hollywood Hills, Hollywood Hills West and Los Feliz.
- Wilshire Station covers Beverly Grove, Carthay, Fairfax, Hancock Park, Larchmont, Mid City, Mid Wilshire and Windsor Square.
- West Los Angeles Station covers Bel Air, Beverly Crest, Beverlywood, Brentwood, Century City, Cheviot Hills, Pacific Palisades, Pico Robertson, Rancho Park, Sawtelle, Veterans Administration, West Los Angeles and Westwood.
- Pacific Station covers Del Rey, Mar Vista, Palms, Playa Vista, Playa del Rey, Venice and Westchester.
- Olympic Station covers Arlington Heights, Harvard Heights and Koreatown.
Visiting Someone At MDC
LAPD allows one visit per day with one visitor, for up to 15 minutes. One child may come with the adult. The watch commander can cancel visits when staffing is short.
An attorney, a bail agent or a member of the clergy may visit at any time.
Posting Bail At MDC
The bail window at MDC never closes. LAPD lists four ways to pay. Cash is one. A surety bond from a licensed agent is another. The third is a cashier's check written to the LAPD Bail Account and drawn on a bank in California. The fourth is a money order from Western Union or the Postal Service.
If the person is still in custody after the first court date, LAPD hands them to the Sheriff. From then on, look for them in a county jail.
Calls And Mail
LAPD's own plan says calls must be offered within three hours of arrest. LAPD jails allow unlimited mail, but no mailing address is published. Call the jail and ask.
For help with a bond for someone held downtown, see Jane Un Bail Bonds near the Metropolitan Detention Center.
Where These Facts Come From
Read from the pages below on October 29, 2026. Hours change, so call before you drive.
Bail Set For Someone At MDC
A family member, a friend or an attorney can call day or night. Have the person's full name and date of birth ready.