Pasco Police Records
Pasco police records are maintained by the Pasco Police Department Records Division, located in Franklin County in eastern Washington. The department processes requests for incident reports, body camera footage, and other law enforcement documents under the Washington State Public Records Act. Most requests go through the city's online portal, though the department also accepts submissions by email, phone, mail, and in person. Knowing the right contact and the right process helps you avoid delays and get the records you need faster.
Pasco Police Records Overview
How to Request Pasco Police Records
The City Manager designated the City Clerk as Pasco's Public Records Officer under the Washington State Public Records Act, Chapter 42.56 RCW. In practice, other city staff, including those at the police department, may handle specific requests. The police department operates its own records submission channel for law enforcement documents. General public records requests use the NextRequest online portal. The city recommends using Google Chrome or Firefox for the best portal experience.
Police records contact details are straightforward. You can reach the Pasco Police Records Unit by email at records@pasco-wa.gov, by phone at 509-545-3421, or in person at the Pasco Police Community Services Building, 215 West Sylvester Avenue, Pasco, WA. Mail submissions go to Pasco Police Department, Records Unit, 215 West Sylvester Avenue, Pasco, WA 99301. Use the phone number 509-545-3424 if you need the general department line.
The city provides "fullest assistance possible" to requesters, which means staff should help you identify the correct records if your request is unclear. Under RCW 42.56.520, the department has five business days to respond after receiving a complete request.
Body Camera Records and Video Footage
Pasco Police Department body camera records require a separate step in the request process. To seek a waiver for the video redaction processing fee under RCW 42.56.240(14), you must upload a photo ID when submitting your request. If you are an attorney submitting on a client's behalf, include your Bar Association Number instead. This step is specific to body camera footage and does not apply to text-based police reports or other documents.
Body camera footage requests often take longer to process because the footage must be reviewed and redacted before release. Third parties, witnesses, and bystanders who appear in footage may have their images obscured. The department will let you know if additional time is needed and provide an estimated completion date as required by state law.
For records requests from people who are directly involved in an incident, Pasco PD allows those individuals to request records directly with the police department outside the general public records portal. This applies to parties to the incident, their legal representatives, and certain government agencies with a legal right to access.
Who Can Access Pasco Police Records
Under Washington law, anyone can request public police records. You don't need to be a party to the incident, and you don't need to explain why you want the records. The city must treat all requesters equally and provide records in the order requests are received. However, certain records are exempt from disclosure, and those exemptions apply regardless of who is asking.
For Pasco Police incident records specifically, the following agencies and individuals also have direct access rights outside the general public records process: law enforcement agencies, the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS), juvenile justice agencies, a juvenile's guardian or parent, and juvenile care agencies. These entities can request police records directly from the police department rather than through the general public records portal.
Municipal Court records are handled separately from police records. For court documents tied to a Pasco case, contact Pasco Municipal Court directly at municipalcourtPRR@pasco-wa.gov or call 509-545-3491. The court is located at 1016 N 4th Avenue, Pasco, WA. Municipal court records fall outside the Public Records Act's typical process and must be requested directly from the court.
Fire and EMS Records in Pasco
Fire and emergency medical service records in Pasco are handled by Pasco Fire Administration, not the Police Department. If you need records tied to a fire or medical emergency incident, contact Pasco Fire by email at pascofire@pasco-wa.gov, by phone at 509-545-3426, or by mail to Pasco Fire Administration, 525 N. 3rd Ave, Pasco, WA 99301. In-person visits go to Fire Station No. 84 at 4920 W. Court St., Pasco, WA. Direct access rights for fire records apply to persons directly involved in the incident, law enforcement investigating fire events, and insurance companies.
Keeping fire and police records requests separate speeds up processing. Sending a fire-related request to the police department, or vice versa, will result in a redirect, which adds time. When in doubt, call the department first and confirm which agency holds the records you need before filing your request.
Criminal History Records and Background Checks
For criminal history searches and background checks, use the Washington State Patrol WATCH program. WATCH is available at fortress.wa.gov/wsp/watch/ for $11.00 per search and returns statewide criminal history data, not just Pasco records. This is the correct resource for personal use background checks.
More information about criminal history record maintenance and access is available at wsp.wa.gov/crime/criminal-history/. Criminal history records are also governed by RCW 10.97, which limits access to certain arrest records, especially those that did not result in conviction. The Franklin County Public Records system is available for county-level records, with a GovQA portal that provides 24/7 online access for submissions.
For collision records tied to Pasco incidents, the WSP Collision Records search is available at $10.50 per report. Crashes handled exclusively by Pasco PD should be requested through the police records portal.
Court Records for Pasco Cases
Court filings and case outcomes are held by the Washington State Courts, not the Pasco Police Department. Use the Washington Courts name and case search to find records from Pasco-related cases filed in Franklin County courts or statewide. Superior court matters are handled by Franklin County Superior Court. District and municipal court records may also be found through the statewide search or by contacting the individual court.
A police incident report and a court case file are different documents. The police report reflects what officers observed. The court file tracks the legal process. Both may be relevant depending on what you're trying to find out, and both require separate requests from separate agencies.
Franklin County Police Records
Pasco police records are maintained by the Pasco Police Department Records Division. The city sits in Franklin County, which has its own sheriff handling incidents outside Pasco's city limits.
Nearby Cities
These cities near Pasco handle police records through their own departments.