Douglas County Arrest Records

An arrest in Douglas County, Washington, occurs when law enforcement reasonably suspects a person of committing a crime. The police have the right to detain such an individual with or without a warrant. To help keep track of arrested persons, law enforcement officers take the detained persons to the nearby county jails, as Douglas County does not operate its jail facility. This includes the Chelan County Regional Jail, the Okanogan County Regional Jail, and the East Wenatchee City Jail. During this process, the arrestees have their personal information taken down and filed. This information is what forms an arrest record.

An arrest record usually includes information on the offenses committed, the arresting officer, the arresting agency, the arrest date and location, and the charge description, typically included in arrest records. Arrest records also contain the arrestee's full name, alias, age, sex, mugshot, race, eye and hair color, body weight, and height. The Douglas County Sheriff can provide copies of arrest records to anyone requesting them. Additionally, interested parties can find arrest records in Douglas County court records since they are used in court proceedings.

Are Arrest Records Public in Douglas County?

According to the Revised Code of Washington, records from local government are considered public records and can be viewed by everyone. Since arrest records are maintained by the Sheriff’s Office, a government agency, they fall under the category of public records. The public can view and copy them upon request from the Sheriff’s Office. Those interested in doing so may request in person or by mail to the county sheriff:

Douglas County Sheriff’s Office
100 NW 19th ST,
East Wenatchee, WA 98802
Phone: (509) 884-0941

However, the public cannot view all information on an arrest record. For instance, information that may put a person in danger, if known, is usually barred.

Douglas County Arrest Statistics

According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Crime Data Explorer, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office made 217 arrests in 2023. People who identified as white were the most of those arrested, with 210 arrests. Regarding gender, more men were arrested than women, with 163 male and 54 female arrestees. The age demographic with the highest number of arrests was men aged between 30-34. They saw 28 arrests. Simple assault was the most popular offense arrested for, with 59 arrests. This was followed by DUIs, all other offenses, Destruction/Damage/Vandalism of Property, and Burglary, which saw 55, 47, 13, and 12 arrests, respectively.

Find Douglas County Arrest Records

Information about the inmates of Douglas County is compiled and filed by the Douglas County Sheriff. Anyone who wants to find out the details of a county prisoner can reach the County Sheriff at:

Douglas County Sheriff’s Office
100 NW 19th ST,
East Wenatchee, WA 98802
Phone: (509) 884-0941

Record seekers can also use the inmate search feature on the Washington Department of Corrections website to locate an inmate in a Washington State prison. The requestor must enter the inmate's first and last name or their six-digit DOC identification number to use the inmate search.

Douglas County Arrest Records Vs. Criminal Records

Arrest and criminal records record a person's interactions with the legal system but differ in breadth, content, and intent. The arrestee's personal information, the claimed offense, and the incident's date, time, and location are all included in the arrest record. On the other hand, criminal records contain many details on a person's past interactions with the criminal justice system, including charges, convictions, and sentences. The main distinction is the extent of the records: criminal records show guilt or innocence, whereas arrest records show that the police arrested a person.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

Arrests in Douglas County remain on file indefinitely unless a court expunges, deletes, seals, or vacates them. Interested parties who meet specific eligibility requirements may vacate, seal, or expunge their arrest records. Vacuated records indicate that the conviction has been deleted from the person's criminal history, sealed documents are inaccessible to unauthorized individuals, and expunged records are destroyed. Parties may only remove non-conviction records from their records if two years have elapsed since the record was declared non-conviction and three years have elapsed since the arrest date. A person can either write a letter to the agency, obtain a court order, or complete and submit an expungement request form. Electronic and physical court files must be sealed for an arrest record to be expunged entirely. Only the arrestee's name and case number will be accessible during a background search, as sealing the record prevents it from being viewed by the general public. Unauthorized access to all other arrest details will be prohibited.

Douglas County Arrest Warrants

An arrest warrant is an official order issued by a court that permits police to detain an individual they suspect of committing a crime. However, law enforcement must establish probable cause with an affidavit and supporting documentation before the court can issue a warrant.

The warrant includes the full name, birth date, physical description, details of the alleged offense, and the information of the issuing judge. Anyone who wants to find out who has an outstanding warrant can visit the Sheriff's Office, located at:

Douglas County Sheriff’s Office
100 NW 19th ST,
East Wenatchee, WA 98802
Phone: (509) 884-0941

Do Douglas County Arrest Warrants Expire?

In Douglas County, arrest warrants only end when specific requirements are fulfilled. They stay in force until the subject is taken into custody, the issuing court recalls the warrant or the charges against the suspect are withdrawn. To check if a warrant has expired, interested parties may have to visit the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office.