Find Kennewick Booking Releases
Kennewick booking releases are held by the Kennewick Police Department and the Benton County Sheriff. The city sits in Benton County, on the south side of the Columbia River. People arrested in town are usually booked into the Benton County Jail. To search a Kennewick booking release, you can ask the police records team for the report or look up the inmate roster online. Across the river, Franklin County also runs a sheriff's office and shares some regional services. This page tells you where to send each type of request and what to expect back.
Kennewick Overview
Kennewick Police Booking Releases
The Kennewick Police Department keeps records of arrests, incidents, and booking events that happen inside city limits. The department's records division can give you copies of police reports, arrest reports, and other case files. To put in a request, contact the City Clerk's Office or the police records desk. Most simple jobs come back in five business days.
Kennewick is part of the Tri-Cities. The city shares roads, courts, and law enforcement networks with Pasco and Richland. But each city runs its own police force. If your case is from Pasco or Richland, you have to ask that city directly for the police report.
For city services, the official starting point is the City of Kennewick site. You can also call city hall and ask to be routed to the right office. Booking releases tied to a Kennewick arrest will normally come from the police records unit, not the general clerk.
Note: Washington's Public Records Act, found at RCW 42.56, gives the public a right to inspect most agency records.
Benton County Jail Bookings
Anyone booked by Kennewick police is taken to the Benton County Jail. The jail is run by the Benton County Sheriff's Office. They keep the booking log, the active inmate roster, and the release info. You can search the inmate roster online any time of day. Records older than the live roster have to be pulled by the public records officer.
The Benton County inmate inquiry portal is online at inmateroster.bipintc.org. The roster shows the name, booking date, charges, and bail. For a formal record request, write the Benton County Sheriff's Records Unit. Records related to inmates booked into the Benton County Jail may be available through the Benton County Sheriff's Office or the Benton County Clerk's Office.
The county clerk holds court files. The sheriff holds jail and arrest files. If you are not sure which office has what you need, call the sheriff first and they will route you.
Note: Per RCW 70.48.100, jail records are confidential except for arrestee name, booking time, charges, and release info.
Franklin County Sheriff Records
Across the river in Pasco, the Franklin County Sheriff's Office runs the law enforcement work for Franklin County. While Kennewick sits in Benton County, the Franklin County Sheriff handles regional services and supports nearby municipal police. If your case crossed county lines or involved a county deputy, you may need to file a separate request with Franklin County.
The Franklin County Sheriff site is online at franklincountywa.gov/sheriff. The Sheriff's Office maintains records for unincorporated areas and provides support to municipal police departments. The screenshot below shows what to expect.
The site has contact info for records, hiring, and the corrections division. For a formal Kennewick booking releases request that touches a Franklin County file, send your request through that office.
How to Request Kennewick Records
Most requests for Kennewick booking releases follow a basic path. You write down what you know: a name, a date, an address, a case number if you have one. Then you send it to the right agency. Kennewick PD for city arrests. Benton County Sheriff for jail bookings. Franklin County for arrests on the north side of the river.
Each agency has up to five business days to respond. They will give you the records, ask for more info, give you a date when records will be ready, or deny the request and cite the legal exemption. Body camera video and large file pulls take longer. Inspection at the office is free under state law.
Common items you can ask for include arrest reports, booking sheets, jail rosters, accident reports, and 911 call data. Fees for paper copies are charged at actual cost. Body camera video has its own per-minute redaction fee.
Court Records and Booking Releases
After a booking, most cases go to either Benton County District Court for misdemeanors or Benton County Superior Court for felonies. Court records are public and can be searched online through the Washington Courts case search at courts.wa.gov. You can look up cases by name in any court of record across the state.
For court files at the local level, the Benton County Clerk's office has the case papers. The clerk can give certified copies and tell you what is on file. Jail and court records do not always line up perfectly. A booking might happen one day and a charging document might land a day or two later.
Kennewick Booking Releases FAQ
Can anyone request Kennewick booking releases? Yes. The Public Records Act lets any person ask for public records without showing a reason. The agency cannot ask why you want them in most cases.
How long does it take? Five business days for the first response. Longer for big requests or video. The agency will give you a date.
Are mugshots public? In Washington, booking photos are often exempt from disclosure under jail confidentiality rules. The basic booking info, like name and charge, is still public.
Do I have to pay? Inspection is free. Paper copies are billed at actual cost, usually around fifteen cents per page. Video costs more due to the redaction work.