San Juan County Arrest Records Lookup
San Juan County arrest records are handled by the Sheriff's Office in Friday Harbor. The county provides an online detainee inquiry tool through the Adult Detention Center, which lets you search current and recent inmate data by name, booking number, or custody status. Public records requests follow RCW 42.56 and are coordinated through the county's public records office.
San Juan County Overview
Public Records Requests
The San Juan County public records page explains how to submit requests under RCW 42.56. The county's Public Records Officer is Sally Rogers, Clerk of the Council. You can reach her at 360-370-7472. The general public records coordinator line is 360-370-7410.
Physical visits can go to 55 2nd Street, Friday Harbor WA 98250. Mailed requests go to 350 Court Street No. 5, Friday Harbor WA 98250. Note that RCW 42.56 covers county records but does not apply to court records. If you need documents from a court case, submit that request directly to the court where the document was filed. Court clerks handle their own records separately from the county records office.
When submitting a request, be specific. Include the name of the person involved, the approximate date of the incident or arrest, and the type of record you need. The county has five business days to acknowledge your request and provide a timeline. Some records may be available immediately; others may take longer depending on the volume and complexity of the request. Fees follow state guidelines under RCW 42.56.
Note: Court records are separate from county public records. Submit court record requests directly to the court where the case was filed, not to the Public Records Officer.
San Juan County Sheriff's Office
The San Juan County Sheriff's Office is led by Sheriff Eric Peter, who is in his final year in office and has announced he will not seek a second term. The department operates on the Principles of Procedural Justice, which shape how officers interact with the public.
Those principles are: Voice, meaning everyone gets an equal opportunity to be heard; Respect, meaning all people are treated with dignity; Neutrality and Trust, meaning decisions are competent and unbiased; Understanding, meaning the department explains its actions; and Helpfulness, meaning officers assist when they can. These are not just slogans. They reflect a department-wide commitment to fair treatment in a county that values community trust.
The Sheriff's mission is to protect lives, rights, and property of all people through crime prevention and law enforcement, with equity and dignity. The county is an island jurisdiction, which creates unique challenges for law enforcement. Patrol coverage extends across multiple islands via ferry and, when needed, air support. Arrest processing funnels through the Adult Detention Center in Friday Harbor on San Juan Island.
Adult Detention Center Inmate Search
The San Juan County Adult Detention Center detainee inquiry is powered by Tyler Technologies and provides a searchable online interface. You can look up inmates by name, subject number, booking number, or current custody status. You can also search within a booking date range if you are looking for arrests that happened during a specific period.
The search covers two facilities: the San Juan County Adult Detention Center itself and the Alternative Sentencing Division. The Alternative Sentencing Division handles individuals who qualify for non-jail supervision, like electronic home monitoring or work release. Not all of those individuals will appear on the standard jail roster, so if you do not find someone in the detention center search, they may be under alternative sentencing.
Results from the detainee inquiry include basic booking data: name, booking number, housing facility, and custody status. Under RCW 70.48.100, the public roster is available as a matter of law. More detailed records, including medical and mental health information, are protected. If you need more than what the online search provides, a formal public records request to the Sheriff's Office is the next step.
Statewide Records Tools
The Washington State Patrol's WATCH criminal history check covers all Washington counties for $11 per search. San Juan County's small size means its local databases are limited in scope. WATCH fills in any gaps by pulling from the statewide conviction database. If someone has a prior arrest or conviction from another Washington county, WATCH will capture it.
Washington Courts at dw.courts.wa.gov provides case search for Superior and District Court records across the state. San Juan County cases appear in this system once charges are filed. This is a useful tool if you want to see how an arrest was handled in court: what charges were formally filed, whether the case is open, and what the outcome was if it has been resolved.
VINELink at vinelink.com offers free victim notification. Register with an offender name or ID and choose how you want alerts delivered. Because San Juan County's jail is small and transfers can happen quickly, VINELink is a practical way to stay informed without calling the jail repeatedly. Under RCW 10.97.050, conviction records are shareable with the public. Non-conviction records, meaning arrests that did not lead to a conviction, can be viewed but cannot be redistributed to others.
How to Request Records in San Juan County
Most requests start with a simple written submission. For Sheriff's Office records, include the subject's full name, date of the incident, and what type of record you need. Send it to 55 2nd Street, Friday Harbor WA 98250, or mail to 350 Court Street No. 5, Friday Harbor WA 98250. Call 360-370-7410 to confirm the best way to submit your request if you are not sure.
If you need court records from the San Juan County Superior Court or District Court, contact the Clerk's office at the courthouse. The courthouse address is the same general area in Friday Harbor. Submit court records requests directly to the court, not to the county public records office. Those are separate offices with different records and different response processes.
| Public Records Officer | Sally Rogers, Clerk of the Council |
|---|---|
| Records Phone | 360-370-7472 |
| Records Coordinator | 360-370-7410 |
| Physical Address | 55 2nd Street, Friday Harbor WA 98250 |
| Mailing Address | 350 Court Street No. 5, Friday Harbor WA 98250 |
| Inmate Search | sjcadc.net (Tyler Technologies) |
| Governing Law | RCW 42.56 / RCW 70.48.100 |
Cities in San Juan County
San Juan County has no cities with a dedicated arrest records page in this directory. Friday Harbor on San Juan Island is the county seat and the only incorporated town. All other communities in the islands are unincorporated and served by the county.
Note: No cities in San Juan County have a dedicated arrest records page here. All arrest record inquiries are handled at the county level through the Sheriff's Office and Adult Detention Center in Friday Harbor.
Nearby Counties
San Juan County's island location means mainland neighboring counties are accessible by ferry. Skagit and Whatcom counties are the closest on the mainland.