Vancouver Arrest Records Search
Vancouver arrest records are public documents held by the Vancouver Police Department and, for county jail bookings, the Clark County Sheriff's Office. Washington's Public Records Act under RCW 42.56 gives the public the right to access most police records. Vancouver has a dedicated Police Records Division for law enforcement documents and a separate city public records system for other city records. The city must respond to requests within five business days. Vancouver is Washington's fourth-largest city, sitting along the Columbia River directly north of Portland, Oregon, with roughly 190,000 residents.
Vancouver Overview
Vancouver Police Department Records
The Vancouver Police Department runs its own Police Records Division for all law enforcement documents within city limits. Arrest records, incident reports, and related police documents go through this office, not the general city clerk. The division operates Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, excluding holidays. The division is located at the VPD West Precinct at 2800 NE Stapleton Road, Vancouver, WA.
To reach the Police Records Division directly, call 360-487-7598 or email vpdpdr@cityofvancouver.us. The division handles requests for police reports, Concealed Pistol Licenses, Firearms Dealer Licenses, and local background checks. A local background check from VPD covers any contact a person has had with the Vancouver Police Department. It is not a statewide check. If you need a full criminal history, you will need the Washington State Patrol WATCH system instead.
The Vancouver Police Records page shows current hours, contact information, and instructions for submitting a request. Police reports are available online for many incidents. For reports that are not posted online, you fill out a Police Request Form and submit it to the division.
The image below comes from the Vancouver Police Department records page, which shows the types of services the division provides.
The VPD also handles body-worn camera footage requests, though this type of footage may be exempt from disclosure under certain circumstances. If any portion of a record is withheld, the department will identify what was withheld and provide the legal reason in writing.
How to Request Vancouver Arrest Records
Vancouver operates two distinct public records systems. Police records go through the VPD Police Records Division. Other city records, including fire department documents and administrative files, go through the City of Vancouver Public Records office. Getting Vancouver arrest records means using the police records channel.
For general city records, the Public Records Officer is Sarah Leffler. Additional staff include Raelyn McJilton as a Public Records Officer and Matt Oftedahl as a Records Specialist. The general records line is 360-487-8480 or email citypdr@cityofvancouver.us. You can find the public records request portal and more details at the City of Vancouver Public Records page.
The image below shows the city's public records request portal, where residents can submit requests online.
The city responds to all requests within five business days. Large requests may be filled in installments rather than all at once. For requests that require a lot of copying, the city may ask for a deposit of up to 10% of the estimated cost before work begins. There is no charge just to inspect records in person.
| Police Records Division | VPD West Precinct, 2800 NE Stapleton Rd, Vancouver WA |
|---|---|
| Police Records Phone | 360-487-7598 |
| Police Records Email | vpdpdr@cityofvancouver.us |
| Hours | Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM (excluding holidays) |
| General Records Phone | 360-487-8480 |
| General Records Email | citypdr@cityofvancouver.us |
| Public Records Officer | Sarah Leffler |
| Response Time | 5 business days; large requests in installments |
| Inspection Fee | None |
| Copy Deposit | Up to 10% of estimated cost |
Note: Body-worn camera footage requests may require an advance payment, and portions of that footage may be exempt from release depending on the circumstances of the incident.
Vancouver Records Fee Schedule
When records are copied or transmitted, fees apply. The fee schedule is set by the city and follows state guidelines. Inspecting records in person costs nothing. Fees only come into play when you want copies of documents or data sent to you.
- Black and white copies: $0.15 per page
- Color copies: $0.52 per page
- Mailed records: actual postage and mailing cost
- Other media (CD, USB, digital delivery): actual cost
These rates apply to copies made by city staff. If you want to make your own copies on equipment provided by the city, different rates may apply. Verify the current fee schedule when you submit your request, as rates can change. The city does not charge for time spent locating records or for records that are available online and simply linked in the response.
What Vancouver Arrest Records Include
Vancouver arrest records are documents that show a person was taken into custody by the Vancouver Police Department. They are not proof of conviction. An arrest record may show the person was arrested, booked, and released without any charges ever being filed. Records and convictions are different things, and it matters how you read and use them.
A typical arrest record or incident report in Vancouver may include the name of the person arrested, the date and location of the arrest, the nature of the alleged offense, and the case number. Booking records from the Clark County Jail add the booking date and charge classification. Under RCW 70.48.100, basic booking information from county jails is public regardless of the charge type.
Some documents connected to an arrest may be exempt from release. These include records related to ongoing investigations, information that could identify confidential informants, juvenile records, and victim information in certain cases. The VPD will flag any withheld portions and explain the legal basis for the exemption.
Non-conviction records have separate rules under RCW 10.97.050. If charges were dismissed or the person was acquitted, access to those records is more restricted than for conviction records. You may be able to inspect them but not always receive copies.
Note: An arrest record shows that a person was detained by law enforcement. It does not show that the person was found guilty of any offense.
Statewide Tools for Arrest Records
Vancouver Police Department records only cover incidents that happened within Vancouver city limits. For broader searches, there are statewide tools that work across the whole state of Washington. These are useful when you need to know about activity outside the city or want to see a fuller picture of a person's history.
The Washington State Patrol runs the WATCH system. It costs $11 per search and returns a name-based criminal history report covering convictions statewide. Results come back quickly, usually within a few minutes. WATCH is the most direct way to check a person's Washington conviction history without going county by county.
For court records, the Washington Courts case search portal is free and covers District Court, Superior Court, and Municipal Court filings statewide. You can see filed charges, case dispositions, and hearing information. Vancouver cases involving misdemeanors go through Vancouver Municipal Court. Felony cases go to Clark County Superior Court.
If a person is currently in custody, VINELink provides free custody status lookups and lets you sign up for alerts when custody status changes. It works for the Clark County Jail and most county facilities across Washington. For Clark County Jail records and bookings from the broader county area, contact the Clark County Sheriff at clark.wa.gov.
Note: WATCH provides conviction records. It does not show arrests that did not result in a conviction. For that detail, you need to go directly to the arresting agency or court records.
Clark County Arrest Records
Vancouver is the county seat of Clark County. All felony arrests in Vancouver ultimately go through Clark County Superior Court. The Clark County Sheriff's Office also maintains jail records and handles arrest records for incidents in unincorporated parts of the county. For county-level records and booking information beyond city limits, see the Clark County page.
Nearby Cities
Other cities near Vancouver also maintain public records portals for arrest and police records.