Are Police Reports Public Record In Washington State

Criminal History Background Check

If you request a criminal history background check with our office, you will only receive information regarding criminal history in Grant County Sheriff’s records. You will not receive any information from any other law enforcement agency in Grant County or any law enforcement agency in Washington State. For a complete criminal history background check, you may contact the Washington State Patrol Criminal History and Identification Section at 360-534-2000 or on the Washington State Patrol website.

I Called About An Incident Why Can’t I Find My Incident Listed Here

There are three possible reasons for this.

If you would like to request a report that is not listed here, you may complete and submit a Public Disclosure Request.

What Are Washington Juvenile Criminal Records

Washington juvenile criminal records provide details of criminal activities of persons regarded as minors . While Washington does not try juveniles as adults, their criminal records still include details of arrests, indictments, judgments, adjudications, and probation. The Washington legal code does not recognize juvenile delinquency and some juvenile criminal records may be accessible to the public. For example, juvenile adjudication records are just as accessible as adult conviction records. Similarly, Washington juvenile records do not disappear when juveniles turn 18. To prevent public access to these records, former juveniles must ask the court to seal those records.

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How To Search For An Inmate In The Washington Jail & Prison System

All information relating to inmates housed in detention facilities across Washington and also criminals incarcerated due to sentencing in the state can be availed from the Washington State Department of Corrections. Details stored in the Washington Prison System like the name of the inmate, his/her DOC number and location are revealed in the interest of public safety.

To locate an inmate lodged in a prison in Washington, simply log on to the website of the Washington Department of Corrections at doc.wa.gov/offenderinfo/default.aspx. Enter the last name or the DOC number of the inmate and your search should bring back information like the name of the correctional facility that he/she is incarcerated in first, last and middle name and the DOC number. The location link on the page will even give you driving directions to the correctional facility.

Alternatively, you can call on 360-725-8213 to locate criminals who are from Washington and have been convicted of a crime in the state. For inmates who are not residents of the state, dial 360-725-8900. Information is offered on both numbers from Monday to Friday between 8 am and 5 pm Pacific time.

If you are specifically looking for information on sex offenders in the area, it would be best to log on to the national sex offender registry website at fbi.gov/scams-safety/registry/

Are Police Reports Available To The Public

Its important for our community to realize that accident reports are different from other police records. Arrest reports, crime and or incident reports that are part of an investigation are not made readily available to the public. Motor vehicle accident reports are available to the public. They can be readily accessed by any interested party. In fact, the state of Washington allows you to access motor vehicle accident reports online.

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What Are Duis In Washington

A Washington DUI is a serious traffic violation. Other serious traffic violations in the state of Washington include speeding, negligent driving, tailgating, failure to stop/yield right of way, and reckless endangerment of road workers. Washington state DUI law defines a DUI as a person operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol, mairjuana, or any other mind-altering substance. A blood alcohol content of .08 or higher constitutes a DUI charge in Washington. Drivers with a THC concentration of 5 or higher will also face DUI charges.

In addition to possible court-ordered punishments, the Washington State Department of Licensing may also suspend the licenses of repeat offenders. The DOL suspends the licenses of motorists with six moving violations within a 12-month period or seven moving violations in a 24-month period. Such license suspensions last for 60 days followed by a 1-year probation period. Getting a ticket for a moving violation during the probation period leads to a 30-day license suspension and the restart of the probation period.

Are Washington Arrest Records Public

Yes, Washington arrest records are open and available for public viewing according to the FOIA. Public arrest records are generated by local and state law enforcement agencies. Free arrest can be obtained through the official record custodian, typically the agencies that perform the arrest. Arrest records are also available online through the county Sheriffs website arrest search tools.

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Washington History And Accuracy Of Criminal Records

Before computer systems were used for recordkeeping, Washington state and local courts, law enforcement agencies, and detention facilities kept records on paper. Keeping records on paper means writing or typing them out. Therefore, they are more prone to human error than electronic records. Similarly, paper records are easier to lose and deteriorate with time. Electronic records, on the other hand, can be kept in multiple locations and are easier to retrieve and access. These differences make electronic criminal records more accurate.

Who Can Search For Arrest Records And Warrants In Washington And How

Crime history records are disseminated to the public under two statutes in the state of Washington: the Child Abuse and Information Act and the Criminal Records Privacy Act. Depending on who is seeking the information, for what purpose and under which statute, some restrictions do apply.

RCW 10.97: The Criminal Records Privacy Act: Under this statute, conviction records stored in the CHRI can be made available to any member of the public through the WATCH program after filling Form 3000-240-569. Both name and finger print search request are entertained.

The form has two sections of which, in section A, you will need to furnish the name of the subject, all aliases including birth and married names along with the sex and race the last two bits of information are optional.

In Part B, the requestor will have to provide personal information including his name, telephone number and the name of the requestors home or business address including the name of the agency. If you would like to receive the results of your search electronically, simply check the box provided for receipt through email.

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What Is The Description Of These Crime Types

PART I CRIMES: The four crime types currently posted here Burglaries, Robberies, Aggravated Assaults and Homicides are among those known as Part I or Major Crimes. These terms refer to seven crimes designated by the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting System as a basis for charting crime trends across the United States. The seven crimes chosen by the FBI as Part I crimes are: homicide, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault, which comprise Violent Crimes and burglary, larceny/theft and vehicle theft, which comprise Property Crimes.

People sometimes confuse the criminal behavior involved in a burglary versus a robbery. They may also not realize there is a difference between aggravated assaults and less serious assaults. The official FBI definitions of the crime types posted here are, as follows:

BURGLARY: the unlawful entry of a structure to commit a felony or theft.

ROBBERY: taking or attempting to take anything of value from another person by force, threat or force or violence and/or by putting the victim in fear.

AGGRAVATED ASSAULTS: an unlawful attack by one person upon another for the purpose of inflicting severe or aggravated bodily injury. This type of assault is usually accompanied by the use of a weapon or by other means likely to produce death or great bodily harm.

Does South Sound 911 Provide Police Traffic Collision Reports

South Sound 911 no longer processes requests for Police Traffic Collision Reports however, you may obtain a copy of a PTCR from the Washington State Patrol , which is the central repository for PTCRs:

Visit the Washington State Patrols website at for more information on requesting a collision report from them. You will be able to immediately download your document for a fee.

If you have difficulties with your request and need to contact WSP, they can be reached via phone at 570-2355 or via email at . There is also an FAQ box and a help box at the top of their web page to assist you with making your request.

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What Is An Arrest Record

Arrest records in the state of Washington refer to crime related information stored in the central repository of CHRI . Maintained by the State Police of Washington, the data has been accumulated through inputs from all the local crime justice agencies across the state.

Since its establishment of the CHRI in the legislative session of 1972, all local law enforcement agencies are legally obligated to submit information relating to gross misdemeanor and felony arrests to the State Patrol which files the details into a CHRI database known as WASIS .

The Identification and criminal history section of the CHRI provides accurate information to private citizens as well as peace officers along with expert technical service pertaining to legal matters, in the interest of public safety.

Records are furnished on the basis of a name/description inquiry as well as finger print identification. While there may be some discrepancies in the results of a name search, finger print inquiries offer positive identification.

Information provided in response to a criminal history inquiry will include details about the individual in question his/her such as his/her name, identifiable traits/ characteristics, finger prints, photographs along with crime and disposition related data like indictment and charges filed, verdict in the matter and correctional facilities that the criminal was sent to.

Why Are Some Things Blacked Out On The Page

This is called redacting and it is done to protect the privacy of the people involved in the incident.

The Department redacts the names of all victims, all non-involved parties, all juveniles/minors and all suspects unless they have been booked into jail. This is a major reason why it takes time to prepare crime reports for online posting.

Once a suspect has been booked into jail, their name is no longer private. If they were booked into King County Jail you can view suspect information online at the King County Jail Register.

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How Long Will It Take For Me To Receive My Records Or 911 Audio Request

South Sound 911 processes public records requests on behalf of the agencies it serves however, the applicable law enforcement agency oftentimes must approve requests before South Sound 911 may provide copies. It is common for requests to experience delays during this process and requestors will be notified by email when the materials are available for download via the Records Portal.

What Public Records Are Available For Inspection

All records maintained by state and local agencies are available for public inspection unless law specifically exempts them. You are entitled to access to public records under reasonable conditions, and to copies of those records upon paying the costs of making the copy. In most cases, you do not have to explain why you want the records. However, specific information may be necessary to process your request. An agency may require information necessary to establish if disclosure would violate certain provisions of law.

Exempt Records

While the state strongly encourages disclosure of public records, state law does allow for some information to be withheld. These exemptions are listed in the Public Records Act . Other exemptions are found elsewhere in Washington law, and in federal law.

Many of the exemptions are designed to protect the privacy rights of other individuals. Other exemptions are designed to protect the investigative functions of law enforcement and other agencies with investigative responsibilities, as well as the legitimate business interests of other citizens.

You should refer to the Public Records Act itself for specific exemptions. You may also wish to consult with an agencys records officer.

Just because part of a record may be exempt does not mean the entire record can be withheld. In those cases, the agency has the obligation to black out or otherwise remove the information it believes is exempt from disclosure and provide you the rest.

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What Are Washington Inmate Records

Washington inmate records are described as the official documents providing details on inmates incarceration and release from these facilities. These records also establish the identities and locations of incarcerated individuals.Washington jail records refer to documents detailing the operations of various detention and correctional facilities in the state. These include state prisons as well as county and city jails.

The Washington State Department of Corrections oversees the operations of all state prisons and work release facilities. To search for inmate information, use the agencys Inmate Search tool. Local jails are administered by the various sheriffs offices and police departments in the counties and cities of Washington. For inmate and jail records for these local detention centers, a requester can look up the various local law enforcement by visiting or calling them.

A Washington inmate record contains the following details:

• The full name of the inmate including known aliases
• Identifying personal data such as gender, race, height, scars etc.
• Full set of inmates fingerprints and mugshot
• Details of crime committed by the convicted inmate
• Date of incarceration, eligibility for early release, and projected release date
• Location of the detention/correctional facility housing the inmate
• Details of past convictions and sentences served

Are Criminal Records Public In Washington

Yes, criminal records are public records in Washington. As per the Freedom of Information Act , criminal records are public records since they were created and maintained by law enforcement agencies in the state. The only exceptions are those that have been sealed, expunged or expressly restricted by the law. Information provided in a Washington criminal record include:

• Full name of the subject as well as all known aliases
• Date of birth, gender, race/ethnicity, and other unique personal details
• A complete set of fingerprints and the subjects mugshot
• Details of previous and current indictments
• Subjects arrest records and outstanding warrants
• Subjects Conviction data

Criminal records, considered public in the United States, are made available through some third-party aggregate sites. Searching with third-party websites is often easier as the information is not limited to geographic record availability. Information found on third-party websites can serve as a jumping off point for parties searching for a specific record or multiple records. Typically, requesters must provide the following information to gain access to these records:

• The record subjects name, unless the subject is a juvenile.
• The record subjects last known location, including cities, counties, and states.

Third-party websites offer these search services, but they are not government sponsored. Availability of records may vary.

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Access To Police Records As A Matter Of Right

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• In-person: Pasco Police Community Services Building, 215 West Sylvester Ave, Pasco, WA
• Mail: Pasco Police Department – Records Unit as 525 N 3rd Avenue, Pasco, WA 99301
• For Body Worn Camera Records, even if directly involved, please submit a public records request with the City Clerk’s Office using the online public records request portal.

Where To Get Washington Parole Information

The Indeterminate Sentence Review Board handles parole and probation in the Washington correctional system. The parole board functions as a quasi-judicial board that works with the Washington DOC to guide inmates against parole violation. Use the Inmate Data Search tool to find some information about parolees in the state. For additional parole information, submit a public records request to the ISRB. Use the Boards Electronic Request Portal to send in the request. Alternatively, send a mail request to:

Department of Corrections Public Records Office PO Box 41118

Make sure to include the parolees name, date of request, and records requested.

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How Do I Get A Police Report

• May 25, 2017
• Auto Accidents

If youve been involved in a car accident in Washington, you may be wondering how to obtain a police report for your own benefit and for insurance purposes. Many people involved in an auto accident believe that the paper they receive at the scene of the vehicle collision is the police report however, that is normally just an Exchange of Information and the actual report is something that is created and submitted later by the responding officer.

Washington Sex Offender Registry

The Washington sex offender registery are registries for sex offenders that are maintained by local law enforcement agencies in the state. While local law enforcement agencies register sex offenders in their jurisdiction, the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs maintain a statewide database containing sex offender records collated from local law enforcement. To see a complete listing of sex offenders in the state, search the Washington state sex offender registry. The megans law in Washington has also made it compulsory for all sex offender to register at the state of national sex offender registry.

There are three sex offender levels in Washington. Level I offenders are the least likely to re-offend and are excluded from the publicly accessible Washington State Sex Offender Registry. However, this listing includes information about out of compliance and transient Level I offenders. Level II offenders pose moderate risk while Level III offenders are most likely to re-offend. Washintons sex offender regsitry lists all Level II and III offenders.

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