Wahkiakum County Booking Reports

Wahkiakum County booking reports cover every adult booked into the tiny jail in Cathlamet. Wahkiakum is the smallest county in Washington by population, and the jail has only six beds, the smallest in the state. You can still search Wahkiakum County booking reports by name, check booking dates, and see the charges. This page shows you where to look, how to use the jail viewer tool, and how to file a public records request with the Wahkiakum County Sheriff's Office.

Wahkiakum County Sheriff and Jail

The Wahkiakum County Sheriff's Office runs the small jail in Cathlamet along the lower Columbia River. With only six beds, the jail can only hold people for short stays. Anyone needing longer jail time is moved to a nearby county, often Cowlitz or Pacific County. That means a full Wahkiakum County booking report may cross county lines. Check with the Sheriff first to see where an inmate is being held.

The main Wahkiakum County portal is the entry point for Sheriff info, court records, and public services.

From the portal you can reach the Sheriff's page, file a records request, or look up a court case. Under RCW 70.48.100, the jail roster in every Washington county is a public record. That law applies to Wahkiakum County the same as it does to King or Pierce County. The Sheriff must make the name, booking date, cause, and release info open to the public.

Wahkiakum County Jail Viewer

The county maintains a jail viewer tool that lets you search names, charges, photos, and booking dates. It is a small system because there are only a handful of inmates at any time. The viewer is the fastest way to see a current Wahkiakum County booking report without calling the Sheriff. You can also try the national VINELink database to track custody status across state lines.

Here is what a typical Wahkiakum County booking report shows:

• Full legal name and any aliases
• Booking date and time
• Charges on file
• Bail amount if set
• Current facility if transferred

Note: Because the jail is so small, most Wahkiakum County inmates move to a larger facility within a day or two of booking.

Wahkiakum County Public Records Requests

Some Wahkiakum County booking reports need a written records request. Mug shots, incident reports, and body cam video are not on the public viewer. File your request with the Wahkiakum County Sheriff's Office in Cathlamet. Under RCW 42.56, the Washington Public Records Act, the agency has five business days to respond. You do not have to say why you want the records. The Sheriff may give you the records, ask for more info, deny with a reason, or give you a date the files will be ready.

Some data gets held back under RCW 10.97, the Washington Criminal Records Privacy Act. Juvenile booking records are closed. Booking photos are usually held back unless they help an active case or the person is a registered sex offender. Staff will tell you what you can get. Wahkiakum County has a small records staff, so give them a few extra days on anything beyond the basic roster data.

The Wahkiakum County Jail uses NCIC/Crown Correctional for phone service. Phone rates are $0.21 per minute for both in state and out of state calls. That is the federal rate cap for small jails. Commissary accounts can be funded through the jail front desk.

How to Find a Wahkiakum County Inmate

Start with a phone call. The Wahkiakum County Sheriff's Office is the fastest way to find an inmate in a county this small. Ask for the booking date, the charges, and where the person is being held. If the inmate has been moved to another county jail, the Sheriff can tell you which one. Then check that county's roster online.

For state prison data, use the Washington DOC inmate search. Wahkiakum County booking reports only cover the local jail. For a full state criminal history, use WATCH from the Washington State Patrol.

Wahkiakum County Booking Reports and Courts

Every booking that leads to charges ends up in Wahkiakum County District Court or Wahkiakum County Superior Court. Both are in Cathlamet at the county courthouse. Cross check a booking number against the court docket on the Washington Courts public case search. That shows the case number, hearings, and judge. District Court handles misdemeanors. Superior Court handles felonies and family law. The jail booking record and the court docket together show the full picture of a Wahkiakum County case.

Wahkiakum County Cities

Cathlamet is the only incorporated town in Wahkiakum County. It is the county seat. The Sheriff covers the town and all of the rural parts of the county, including Puget Island and Skamokawa. Every arrest in Wahkiakum County ends up at the small Cathlamet jail for booking. After that, many inmates move to a larger county jail. That means the Wahkiakum County booking reports often trail through two or three jail systems to reach final custody.

Note: Always ask the Sheriff which facility is holding an inmate before you drive to visit, since Wahkiakum County transfers move fast.

Wahkiakum County Jail Facts

Wahkiakum County is the smallest county in Washington by population. The county seat is Cathlamet. The county jail sits in Cathlamet and has just 6 beds. That makes it the smallest jail in the state. Even with the small size, the Sheriff's Office still books people held in the county and keeps the records on file. The jail uses NCIC and Crown Correctional for inmate phone service. The phone rate is $0.21 per minute for both in state and out of state calls.

The Sheriff's Office keeps the current booking list and links to the Washington Department of Corrections inmate database for state prison searches. For older booking reports, contact the Sheriff's Office direct. The county is small and rural with limited online resources. A phone call often gets faster results than a web request.

Wahkiakum County Booking Reports and State Records

Every Wahkiakum County booking that leads to a conviction feeds into the statewide criminal history system. The WATCH system from the Washington State Patrol collects conviction data from all 39 Washington counties. A WATCH check may show a Wahkiakum County arrest after the case closes in court. The system costs a fee and runs on name and date of birth.

The Criminal Records Privacy Act under RCW 10.97 sets the rules for criminal history data. Conviction records are mostly open. Non-conviction data is restricted. If charges get dropped in Wahkiakum County, that record may not show up in a standard check. The law protects people from having dismissed charges follow them in the state database.

Public Records in Wahkiakum County

State law under RCW 42.56 covers public records requests. The Sheriff has five business days to reply. RCW 70.48.100 keeps the jail register open. Name, charge, booking date, and release date stay public. RCW 10.97 limits some criminal history data. File a request with the Sheriff for older booking reports or full incident files. The county clerk also keeps court files tied to each booking. Note: Plan ahead in this small county. Staff numbers are low, so big requests take time.