Spokane Police Blotter Search
Spokane police blotter records are maintained by the Spokane Police Department, which serves Washington's second largest city and its roughly 230,000 residents in Spokane County. The department handles public records requests through the city's GovQA portal at publicrecords-spokanewa.govqa.us under the Washington Public Records Act at RCW 42.56. Spokane PD is a separate agency from the Spokane County Sheriff. If you need records for an incident inside the city limits, Spokane PD is the right place to start. Requests submitted online are logged automatically and you can track them through the portal.
Spokane Overview
Spokane Police Department
The Spokane Police Department is the primary law enforcement agency for the city of Spokane. It operates separately from the Spokane County Sheriff's Office, which covers unincorporated parts of the county. If an incident happened inside Spokane city limits, Spokane PD is the agency that holds the records. If it happened in unincorporated Spokane County or a smaller city in the county, check with the sheriff's office instead.
Spokane PD's records unit processes public records requests submitted through the city's GovQA portal. You can also contact the city's general public records line at 509-625-4030. The department accepts requests by mail or in person as well. Online submission through GovQA is recommended because it creates a timestamped record of your request and allows you to monitor the status without making follow-up calls.
| Agency | Spokane Police Department |
|---|---|
| Address | 1100 W Mallon Ave Spokane, WA 99260 |
| Phone | 509-625-4030 |
| Public Records Portal | publicrecords-spokanewa.govqa.us |
| City Records Page | my.spokanecity.org/administrative/public-records |
Spokane is the largest city in eastern Washington and the hub of the Inland Northwest region. The police department handles a high volume of calls, and the records unit stays busy. Online requests tend to move faster than mail-in submissions because they go directly into the system without a manual intake step. If your request is urgent, note that in the portal when you submit.
How to Search Spokane Police Records
You can request Spokane police records through the GovQA portal, by phone at 509-625-4030, by mail, or in person at the department. The GovQA portal is the preferred method. It lets you describe what you need, attach supporting documents, and track the status of your request through every stage of processing.
To request records by mail, send a written request to Spokane Police Department, Records Unit, 1100 W Mallon Ave, Spokane, WA 99260. State clearly that you are making a request under RCW 42.56. The more specific your request, the faster it moves through the system.
Details that help your request get processed:
- Date and approximate time of the incident
- Address or location where it happened
- Report or case number if you have one
- Type of incident (traffic, assault, theft, etc.)
- Names of people involved
Washington law requires agencies to respond within five business days. That response may be the records themselves, a notice that more time is needed, or a denial with a reason. Spokane PD cannot charge you for time spent searching. Electronic records are often free. Printed copies may carry a per-page fee covering actual reproduction costs. Ask about fees before records are prepared if cost is a concern.
Some records may be withheld. Active investigation files, victim personal details, and juvenile records have specific exemptions under state law. Any denial must cite the exact exemption, not a general claim that records are confidential. Partial exemptions require partial release. The department must give you what it can and explain what it cannot provide.
Spokane Police Blotter and Incident Reports
The Spokane police blotter is a log of calls for service and incidents handled by the department. It covers arrests, traffic stops, property crimes, and other police activity across the city. Blotter records are public under Washington law. You can request the activity log for a specific date or range of dates through the city's records process.
Individual incident reports go deeper. Each one covers a single event and documents what was reported, how officers responded, what they found, and what action they took. If a case is under active investigation, some parts of the report may be withheld. The department must tell you what was withheld and cite the specific legal reason for withholding it.
Arrest records from Spokane PD are generally public. They include the name of the person arrested, the date, the location, and the charges. Once an arrest leads to charges, the case moves to Spokane County Superior Court. At that point, the court documents are maintained by the Spokane County Clerk, not the police department. You would request court records separately from the clerk's office.
Traffic collision reports are another common type of records request. Spokane PD handles collision reports for accidents within city limits. The Washington State Patrol maintains a separate statewide collision database at wsp.wa.gov. For accidents on state highways that run through Spokane, the WSP report may be more relevant than the Spokane PD report.
Washington Public Records Act
The Washington Public Records Act at RCW 42.56 gives every person the right to inspect and copy public records from government agencies. The law applies to Spokane PD and all other city and county agencies in Washington. Agencies must respond within five business days. They can charge only for actual copying costs. They cannot charge for staff time spent searching.
Certain records have exemptions. Police records most often involve exemptions for active investigations, personal information about victims, juvenile records, and information that could identify confidential informants. These exemptions are specific and narrow. They do not give agencies blanket authority to withhold records simply because they relate to police activity.
Criminal history records are governed separately under RCW 10.97, the Washington Criminal Records Privacy Act. This law controls how arrest records and conviction data are maintained and disclosed. It distinguishes between cases that resulted in conviction and those that did not. Non-conviction records receive more protection than conviction records. If you are researching criminal history, this is the statute that governs what can and cannot be shared.
If Spokane PD fails to respond within five business days or denies your request without citing a valid exemption, you can file a complaint with the Washington State Attorney General's Sunshine Committee or seek relief in Spokane County Superior Court. Agencies that violate the Public Records Act face daily fines under RCW 42.56.120.
Additional Records Resources in Spokane
Beyond Spokane PD, several other agencies may hold records relevant to your search. The Spokane County Sheriff's Office covers unincorporated areas and runs the county jail. The county jail roster is a public record. If someone was booked into the Spokane County Jail, that information is maintained by the sheriff.
Court records for Spokane County are searchable through the Washington Courts case search at dw.courts.wa.gov. This statewide tool covers Superior Court, District Court, and Municipal Court cases. You can search by name or case number. It shows case status, hearing dates, and charges but not the full text of documents. For complete documents, contact the Spokane County Clerk directly.
The Washington State Patrol runs the WATCH system for background checks at wsp.wa.gov. WATCH provides statewide conviction records and is available to any member of the public for a fee. It covers convictions from all Washington counties, not just Spokane. This is useful when you need a broader view of someone's record rather than records tied to a specific incident.
Spokane Police Department Online Resources
The Spokane Police Department website provides contact details, department news, and links for submitting public records requests.
The department site includes the records unit phone number and directions to the department building for in-person requests.
The City of Spokane public records page explains the request process and provides access to the GovQA portal for all city agencies including the police department.
The city page covers general rules about fees, response times, and how to appeal a denial under RCW 42.56.
The Spokane GovQA public records portal is where you submit requests online for police records and other city agency records.
The portal lets you track requests from submission through completion without making additional phone calls.
Spokane County Police Blotter
Spokane is the county seat of Spokane County. The Spokane County Sheriff's Office covers unincorporated areas of the county and operates the county jail. For sheriff records, unincorporated area incidents, or county-level blotter information, visit the Spokane County police blotter page.
Nearby Cities
These cities are near Spokane. Each has its own law enforcement coverage and public records process.