Find Police Records in Garfield County

Garfield County police records including incident reports, arrest records, and booking information are maintained by the Garfield County Sheriff's Office in Pomeroy, Washington. Each county department has its own public records request form, so requests for Sheriff's Office records must go through the GCSO-specific public disclosure form. The office processes all requests under the Washington Public Records Act, state law, and responds within five business days.

Garfield County Sheriff's Office

The Garfield County Sheriff's Office is located at 789 Main Street, Pomeroy, WA 99347. The phone number is (509) 843-3494. The office serves as the primary law enforcement agency for all unincorporated areas of Garfield County, one of the smallest counties in Washington by population. The Sheriff's Office maintains all law enforcement records, including incident reports, arrest records, and jail booking information for the county.

Garfield County takes a department-specific approach to public records. Each county department has its own form for public records requests. If you want records specific to the Sheriff's Office, you must use the GCSO-specific Public Disclosure Request form rather than a general county form. This is an important distinction because using the wrong form can slow down your request or send it to the wrong office. The Sheriff's Office page on the county website walks you through the process.

How to Request Garfield County Police Records

To request Garfield County police records from the Sheriff's Office, start by downloading the GCSO-specific Public Disclosure Request form from the Garfield County Sheriff public disclosure page. The form is also available directly at the records request form link. Fill out the form with your name, contact information, and a specific description of the records you want. The more detail you can provide, the faster the office can find what you need.

Requests can be submitted in person at 789 Main Street in Pomeroy, by mail to the same address, or by email. The Sheriff's Office processes requests under RCW 42.56 and has five business days to respond. That response might be the records, an estimate of when records will be ready, a request for more detail, or a denial with the reason cited. If only part of a record is exempt, the office will redact those portions and release the rest.

One important rule applies if you are asking for a list of individuals. In that case, the request form requires you to certify under penalty of perjury that the information will not be used for commercial purposes. This is a specific requirement under state law to prevent bulk misuse of personal information.

Types of Garfield County Police Records

The Garfield County Sheriff's Office maintains law enforcement records for unincorporated areas of the county. Common records people ask for include incident reports, which document deputy responses to calls; arrest records, which show when someone was taken into custody and what charges were listed; and jail booking records, which include the name, booking date, and charges for people processed through the county detention facility.

Not all records are available to the public. Records that could interfere with an ongoing investigation are typically withheld until the case is resolved. Information about confidential informants, juvenile records, and certain privacy-protected data may also be exempt under state law. Washington's Criminal Records Privacy Act, at RCW 10.97, sets specific limits on what criminal history information can be shared and with whom. The Sheriff's Office will tell you which exemption applies if any part of your request is denied.

Garfield County Criminal History Checks

County-level records from the Garfield County Sheriff's Office cover incidents that occurred in the county but do not provide a complete statewide criminal history. If you need a full Washington State criminal history check, that goes through the Washington State Patrol. WSP runs the WATCH system (Washington Access to Criminal History), which lets the public search statewide criminal records online for $11. Results come back instantly after you pay and submit the form.

The WSP Criminal History Records page explains what types of records appear in the WATCH database. Keep in mind that a WATCH search may not include every local record held only at the county level. If you need both a county-level report and a statewide history check, submit separate requests. State criminal records are governed by RCW 10.97, which sets out what can be disclosed.

Washington Public Records Act in Garfield County

Washington's Public Records Act, RCW 42.56, gives you the right to access government records held by agencies like the Garfield County Sheriff's Office. The law requires agencies to respond within five business days and to tell you which exemption applies if any records are withheld. Garfield County follows this framework for all public records requests, and the department-specific form structure is part of how the county manages compliance.

Copy fees are permitted under state law. The agency can charge for the cost of making copies but generally cannot charge for the time staff spend searching on standard requests. For large or complex requests, the office may provide a cost estimate before starting work. You have the right to inspect records in person at no charge in most cases. If you believe a denial was not justified, you can seek an administrative appeal. Judicial review is available under RCW 42.56.550 if needed. The MRSC arrest records guide is a helpful reference for understanding how Washington agencies handle law enforcement records requests.

Garfield County Collision Reports

Traffic collision reports for accidents on Washington roads are filed with the Washington State Patrol, not the county Sheriff. If you were in a crash in Garfield County, you can get the official report through the WSP collision records page for a fee of $10.50 per report. The WRECR online system lets you order reports without making a trip. The legal authority for collision reports is RCW 46.52.085. Some details may be redacted if an investigation is ongoing. If the Sheriff's Office also responded to the crash, it may have a separate incident report that you can request through the standard public records process.

Garfield County Court Records

Court records from Garfield County cases are separate from Sheriff's Office police records. Criminal case files, civil filings, and court judgments are held by the Garfield County Superior Court Clerk in Pomeroy. You can search for court case information through the Washington Courts case search tool, which covers courts statewide. This is the easiest way to look up case information without coming in person. If the record you need is not in the online system, contact the Superior Court Clerk directly in Pomeroy. Court records and police records are held separately, so you may need to contact both offices depending on what you are looking for.

Nearby Counties

Garfield County borders Asotin, Columbia, and Whitman counties. Find police records resources for neighboring counties below.