Reviewed and updated October 9, 2026 by the SearchSystems.net editorial team. The arrest and crime counts are the ones each agency reported to the FBI, as the FBI held them on October 8, 2026. Every office link was opened and checked against the office's own site between September 23, 2026 and September 30, 2026.
Bellingham, Washington, in Whatcom County, has about 96,000 residents (2024 Census Bureau estimate). A police report belongs to the agency whose officer wrote it, so which office holds a report from Bellingham depends on where the incident happened. This guide names each agency, where its records page is and what the Public Records Act (RCW 42.56) requires of it.
This guide covers which agency, the city's records page, the sheriff's reports, what the law requires and common questions.
Related guides: Bellingham public records, Whatcom County police reports, Bellingham arrest records, Bellingham warrants, Bellingham inmate search, Bellingham criminal records, Washington arrest records and Washington inmate search.
Which Agency Holds a Report from Bellingham
A crime, incident or collision report belongs to the agency whose officer wrote it, and that agency releases it, not the court, the jail or the prosecutor.
Inside Bellingham that is the agency that reports to the FBI for the city (filed by the FBI as Bellingham Police Department); outside it, the Whatcom County Sheriff's Office.
The FBI's list also carries Western Washington University (campus police), with a records office of its own.
Reports from the Bellingham Police
For Bellingham, SearchSystems opened and checked the Bellingham police records page at cob.org/gov/dept/police/about-police/records-bureau (page title: Records Bureau | City of Bellingham), phone (360) 778-8000, 210 Lottie Street Bellingham, WA 98225, which answered when SearchSystems opened it on September 26, 2026.
The agency that reports for Bellingham had 255 violent and 3,174 property crimes reported for 2025 and reported 3,203 arrests for 2025.
Reports from the Whatcom County Sheriff's Office
The Whatcom County Sheriff's Office is the county agency; it had 108 violent and 435 property crimes reported for 2025 and reported 714 arrests for 2025.
Its reports come from its records unit. The office's page SearchSystems verified is its custody page, at apps1.whatcomcounty.us/jaildata/roster.html (page title: Whatcom County Sheriff's Office | Jail Roster), which answered when SearchSystems opened it on September 23, 2026.
What the Public Records Act (RCW 42.56) Requires
The Public Records Act (RCW 42.56) sets the rules: an answer within 5 business days, at a charge of for copies at 15 cents a page, and set fees for electronic records, from the agency that holds the report.
Any other county record goes through the county records request page SearchSystems verified, at whatcomcounty.us/3044/Public-Records-Request---Sheriffs-Office (page title: Records Request | Sheriff's Office | Whatcom County, WA).
A defendant who has been charged gets the report through the case: the Prosecuting Attorney, 360-410-6365, handles discovery for pending cases.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a police report in Bellingham?
From the agency that took it. The Bellingham police records page is at cob.org, phone (360) 778-8000; the sheriff's reports come from the Whatcom County Sheriff's Office.
How long does an agency in Bellingham have to answer?
Under the Public Records Act (RCW 42.56), within 5 business days. It may charge for copies at 15 cents a page, and set fees for electronic records.
How do I get a report from the Whatcom County Sheriff's Office?
From its records unit. Under the Public Records Act (RCW 42.56) the answer is due within 5 business days.
Is this the official Bellingham website?
No. SearchSystems.net is an independent public records guide, online since 1997. It links to the official city, county, court and state offices described above and does not hold records, charge for them or take requests.