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 October 1, 2026.
Jefferson County, Washington, has about 34,000 residents (2024 Census Bureau estimate). A police report belongs to the agency whose officer wrote it, so which office holds a report from Jefferson County depends on where the incident happened: the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office for the unincorporated county, the agency that reports for the city inside a city. 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 sheriff's reports, the cities' reports, how many reports, what the law requires and common questions.
Related guides: Jefferson County public records, Jefferson County arrest records, Jefferson County warrants, Jefferson County inmate search, Jefferson County criminal records, Washington arrest records and Washington inmate search.
Which Agency Holds a Report from Jefferson County
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.
In Jefferson County that is the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office for the unincorporated county and for any city that contracts with it for police service, and the agency that reports for a city where the city has one of its own.
Reports from the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office
The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office is the county agency; it had 24 violent and 142 property crimes reported for 2025 and reported 185 arrests for 2025.
Its reports come from its records unit, reached through the office at 360-385-3831. The office's page SearchSystems verified is its custody page, at co.jefferson.wa.us/174/Jail-Inmate-Search (page title: Jefferson County, WA), phone 360-385-3831, 79 Elkins Road Port Hadlock, WA 98339, Monday - Friday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., which answered when SearchSystems opened it on October 1, 2026.
Reports from the City Agencies in Jefferson County
The one city the FBI lists in Jefferson County with a reporting agency of its own:
- Port Townsend: 23 violent and 134 property crimes reported for 2025; 219 arrests reported for 2025.
A city on that list is reported separately whether the officers are the city's own or the sheriff's under contract; the FBI's list does not say which.
How Many Reports: Jefferson County in 2025
The two agencies in Jefferson County with all twelve months of 2025 on file reported 47 violent and 276 property crimes to the FBI that year, each one a report taken by the agency that holds it.
Together, the two agencies in Jefferson County with all twelve months of 2025 on file reported 404 arrests to the FBI that year, and each arrest is a report of its own.
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.
A defendant who has been charged gets the report through the case: the Prosecuting Attorney, 360-385-5291, handles discovery for pending cases.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a police report in Jefferson County?
From the agency whose officer took it: the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office for its own arrests, or the agency that reports for the city where it happened. Under the Public Records Act (RCW 42.56) the answer is due within 5 business days.
How long does an agency in Jefferson County 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 Jefferson County Sheriff's Office?
From its records unit, reached through the office at 360-385-3831. Under the Public Records Act (RCW 42.56) the answer is due within 5 business days.
Is this the official Jefferson County website?
No. SearchSystems.net is an independent public records guide, online since 1997. It links to the official county, court and state offices described above and does not hold records, charge for them or take requests.