Search Edmonds Police Records
Edmonds police records are maintained by the Edmonds Police Department and are available to the public under the Washington Public Records Act. The city uses GovQA to process public disclosure requests for incident reports, accident reports, body camera footage, and other law enforcement documents. Requests can be submitted online through GovQA, by mail, email, fax, or in person at the department. This page covers how to request Edmonds police records, what the department holds, and where to find related state-level resources.
Edmonds Police Records Overview
How to Request Edmonds Police Records
The Edmonds Police Department uses GovQA as its online program to process public disclosure requests. You can reach the GovQA portal from the department's Support Services page on the city website. Once inside, you create a request, describe what you need, and track its progress. The system sends email updates as your request moves through the review process. GovQA also includes a public archive where previously released records can be found. If someone else already requested the same document, it may already be available without a waiting period.
The Edmonds Police Department is located at 250 5th Ave N., Edmonds, WA 98020. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Main phone: 425-771-0200. Fax: 425-771-0208. Email: policeinfo@ci.edmonds.wa.us. For non-emergency police response or to file a police report, call (425) 407-3999. For in-progress emergencies, always call 911. You can also submit a records request by completing the department's paper request form and mailing, faxing, emailing, or dropping it off at the department during business hours.
Under RCW 42.56, the city has five business days to respond. The response may be the records, a notice with a completion estimate, or a written denial with specific reasons. Body camera requests and other complex cases often take longer than five days, but staff must keep you informed of the timeline.
Edmonds Body Camera Records and Requests
The Edmonds Police Department equips officers with body-worn cameras. Footage from those cameras is subject to public records requests under RCW Chapter 42.56. Body camera requests can be directed to the City Clerk's Office or the police department itself, and they are handled by the public disclosure specialist. Before release, all video is reviewed and may be redacted to remove protected information.
Video from body cameras or patrol vehicle cameras may be withheld or redacted if it shows medical facility interiors, protected health information, residential interiors, intimate images, identifiable minors, or deceased individuals. Footage involving victims of domestic violence or sexual assault also carries additional protections. These rules come from RCW 42.56.240(14) and apply statewide, not just in Edmonds. The result is that even if footage exists, parts of it may be removed before you receive it.
To get body camera footage, you generally need to provide specific details: the name of a person involved, the incident or case number, the date, time, and location, or the name of the officer present. General requests for all footage from a given time period are typically too broad to process efficiently and may result in lengthy delays or follow-up questions from staff.
The Support Services division at the Edmonds Police Department handles public records requests and coordinates the review and redaction of body camera videos before release. This is the division to contact if you have questions about the status of a body camera request or need help identifying the right way to describe what you are looking for.
Edmonds Police Records Available to the Public
The Edmonds Police Department holds incident reports, traffic accident reports, arrest logs, and other law enforcement records. Most are open to the public under state law, subject to exemptions. Active investigation files, juvenile records, and victim information in certain case types may be withheld in whole or in part. When only part of a record is exempt, staff redact that portion and release the rest rather than denying the entire document.
Traffic accident reports are often needed for insurance claims or civil litigation. If you were involved in a crash in Edmonds, you can request a copy through GovQA or the department directly. Having the date, location, and your name or case number speeds up the search. These reports are generally releasable to involved parties and members of the public unless the accident is tied to an active criminal case.
Arrest information for Edmonds incidents is also available through a public records request. Note that an arrest record does not mean a conviction occurred. Washington's Criminal Records Privacy Act (RCW 10.97) sets limits on how arrest and criminal history information can be released, even when the information is technically part of a public record. If your request involves arrest records, staff will apply those rules in their review.
State-Level Records Related to Edmonds
For statewide criminal history, use the Washington State Patrol WATCH program at fortress.wa.gov/wsp/watch. The cost is $11 per search. WATCH returns conviction records from across Washington, not just Edmonds or Snohomish County. This is useful when you need a broad view of someone's record and do not want to submit individual requests to each jurisdiction where they may have had contacts with law enforcement.
Traffic collision reports on state highways can be requested from the WSP at wsp.wa.gov/driver/collision-records for $10.50 per report under RCW 46.52.085. For crashes on local Edmonds streets, the local police report is the better starting point. The WSP collision record and the Edmonds Police report may have different detail and serve different purposes in legal or insurance proceedings.
Court records tied to Edmonds cases can be searched through the statewide Washington Courts name and case search. Felony cases involving Edmonds go to Snohomish County Superior Court. Misdemeanor cases go to Edmonds Municipal Court or Snohomish County District Court depending on the charge. Court records are separate from police department records and are held by the courts themselves.
Criminal Records Privacy and Exemptions in Edmonds
The MRSC guidance on arrest records and criminal history explains the key legal distinctions that apply in Edmonds. Arrest logs are generally public documents. They show that a person was arrested, when, and what the charge was. Detailed criminal history, including records of charges that were dismissed or arrests that did not lead to prosecution, is subject to additional protections under RCW 10.97.
If you request records and some are denied, the Edmonds Police Department must provide a written explanation. The explanation cites the specific statute or exemption being applied. You can then decide whether to appeal through the city's internal review process or seek review from the Washington Attorney General's Office. Either way, a denial is not the end of the road if you believe the records should be released.
The WSP Criminal History Records section at wsp.wa.gov/crime/criminal-history covers the process for obtaining certified conviction histories. This is more formal than the public WATCH portal and applies to official or licensed background check requests rather than general public inquiries.
Snohomish County Police Records
Edmonds police records are handled by the Edmonds Police Department, but the city sits within Snohomish County. For county-level records and Snohomish County Sheriff resources, visit the county page.
Nearby Cities
These cities are close to Edmonds. Each handles police records through its own department or contract agency.