Find Longview Arrest Records

Longview arrest records are public documents held by the Longview Police Department under Washington's Public Records Act, RCW 42.56. The department handles police incident reports and arrest-related records separately from general city public records, which are processed through the city's Public Records Center. Dispatch records for Longview incidents are held by the Cowlitz 911 Authority, a separate agency. This page covers how to find and request arrest records, police reports, and related documents in Longview.

Longview Police Department Records

The Longview Police Department is the main contact for arrest records, incident reports, and police documents tied to activity within city limits. The department is at 1351 Hudson St, Longview, WA 98632. The main phone number is 360.442.5800. Business hours are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. The department is closed on holidays.

Police reports are handled separately from general city records. The Longview Police records page explains how to obtain a police report, what the process involves, and what fees apply.

The department has two public records staff members handling around 1,100 requests per staff member per year. That is a high volume for a city of Longview's size. Third-party notification letters are used in some cases to notify people when records involving them are being requested by others. Being specific and concise in your request helps the staff process it faster and reduces the chance of delays.

The LPD also lists a Public Disclosure Request link on its department page. Requests can be submitted online through the city's public records system, by mail, or in person during business hours.

City Public Records Center and Fees

For records held by city departments other than the police, Longview uses its Public Records Center. This handles city administrative records, budget documents, contracts, and similar non-law-enforcement files. You can submit requests for these through the city's online system or by other methods.

The Longview Public Records request page links to the city's online submission portal and notes that police reports are handled separately through the LPD.

Longview's fee structure follows RCW 42.56.120(2), which sets the framework for how state agencies charge for records. Fees are modest. Photocopies cost $0.15 per page. Scanned documents cost $0.10 per page. Electronic files are $0.05 for every four files. Data transmitted electronically costs $0.10 per gigabyte. Physical storage media such as CDs or USB drives are charged at actual cost, as is postage. If a request requires customized services, the city may charge actual costs and ask for a 10% deposit before starting.

Dispatch Records and Cowlitz 911

Dispatch records for Longview incidents are held by the Cowlitz 911 Authority, not by the Longview Police or the City. If you need 911 call logs, radio communications, or dispatch records tied to a specific incident, you contact Cowlitz 911 directly. The phone number is 360.762.6800. Business hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and the office is closed on holidays.

The Longview Police Department main page includes links to the Public Disclosure Request process and explains how the department is organized.

If you are not sure whether a specific record is held by the LPD or by Cowlitz 911, contact the police department's records staff first. They can tell you which agency has the document and give you the right contact. Sending a dispatch records request to the police department rather than Cowlitz 911 will delay the process.

What Longview Arrest Records Include

Arrest records in Longview can include police incident reports, booking data from the Cowlitz County jail, supplemental officer notes, collision reports, and evidence associated with a case. Under RCW 70.48.100, three pieces of booking information are always public: the person's name, the booking date, and the cause of arrest. Other materials tied to the arrest file may be withheld in whole or in part under exemptions in RCW 42.56.

When a record or portion of a record is withheld, the department must identify what was withheld and state the legal basis for the decision in writing. You have the right to challenge a denial through the city or in court. Washington's PRA has real enforcement tools, including a per-day penalty for records that are wrongly withheld.

Non-conviction records have more limited access under RCW 10.97.050. If charges were not filed, were dropped, or the person was not convicted, those records are treated differently from conviction records. You may be able to inspect non-conviction records in some cases but not always get copies. Ask the records staff about the status of the specific file if you are unsure.

Statewide Records Tools

Longview Police records cover incidents within city limits. For a broader picture, Washington State offers several tools. The Washington State Patrol runs the WATCH system, a statewide name-based criminal history check that costs $11. This is the fastest way to find prior convictions across Washington without filing requests with each jurisdiction separately.

Court records are available through the Washington Courts case search portal. It covers filed cases, charges, and dispositions in District, Superior, and Municipal Courts statewide. Longview misdemeanor cases go through Longview Municipal Court. Felony cases tied to Longview arrests are handled by Cowlitz County Superior Court.

To check whether someone is currently in custody at the Cowlitz County jail or another facility in Washington, VINELink provides free custody status lookups and alert notifications. The service works for most county jails across the state.

Cowlitz County Arrest Records

Longview is in Cowlitz County. For county-level jail records and broader arrest records information, visit the county records page.

View Cowlitz County Arrest Records

Nearby Cities

Other cities near Longview in southwestern Washington also maintain public records portals for arrest records.