All requests for City of Bellevue public records, including police records, can be made via our public records center. Information about the process, including timelines and possible fees, are available at the records center.
Police records include case reports, collision reports, crime statistics, incident reports and photographs, and audio/video associated with police cases. Requests must concern identifiable records relating to the conduct of Bellevue police business prepared, owned, used, or retained by the Bellevue department. You may also request a public record via mail. Please address your request to - Bellevue Police Department, Public Records Request, P.O. Box 90012, Bellevue, WA 98009.
- 911 calls/tapes: The North East King County Regional Public Safety Communication Agency (NORCOM) dispatches several local police and fire departments, including Bellevue's, and is responsible for releasing 911 calls/tapes.
- Criminal history records: You may contact the Washington State Patrol WATCH program for a statewide criminal history check.
Redactions or Exemptions
All police records are available for review by the public unless they are specifically exempted or prohibited from disclosure by the public record laws. RCW Chapter 42.56 (the Public Records Act) discusses exemptions applicable to many government records. This non-exhaustive list includes, but is not limited to, common exemptions and prohibition statutes not listed in the Public Records Act commonly applied to police records (common public disclosure exemptions).
The Attorney General’s Office also provides a list of public disclosure exemptions created annually by the Washington State Code Reviser’s Office.
Clearance Letters
You can request a clearance letter by mail at:
- Bellevue Police Department, P.O. Box 90012, Bellevue, WA 98009
- clearance letters require a photocopy of government ID, as well as your current and any previous Bellevue addresses
- $10 fee (exact cash or check made out to City of Bellevue)