Jefferson County 72 Hour Booking
Jefferson County 72 Hour Booking records are kept by the Sheriff in Port Townsend. The Sheriff runs a small jail at 79 Elkins Road and handles all booking paperwork for the county. Unlike larger counties, Jefferson does not post a live online roster. To find someone booked in the past three days, you call the jail or send a public records request to the Sheriff. This page walks you through how to search, what records you can ask for, and which state tools fill the gap when a local roster is not online.
Jefferson County Booking Snapshot
Where to Find Jefferson County 72 Hour Booking Records
The Sheriff is the source. Call (360) 385-3831 to ask about a current inmate or a recent intake. Staff can confirm whether someone is held at the Port Townsend jail. They can give you the booking date and the basic charge. They will not read out a full file over the phone. For that you file a written request.
Jefferson County does not run a public 72 hour booking page like Kitsap or Island. The jail is small. Most days only a few people are booked. The Sheriff tracks each one in an internal log. To see that log you need to ask in writing under RCW 42.56, the state Public Records Act. The same chapter governs how police and sheriff records are released across Washington.
Lead-in: many booking records also tie back to state systems hosted on Washington's official portals, such as the Washington Courts page.
Use the state courts site to find the case linked to a Jefferson County booking once charges are filed.
Public Records Requests in Jefferson County
To request a booking file, write to the Jefferson County Sheriff at 79 Elkins Road, Port Townsend, WA 98368. Spell out the inmate's name, date range, and what you want, such as the booking sheet, charge list, or release record. Include your contact info. The Sheriff has five business days to respond. Copies are about $0.15 per page.
Some items are held back. Booking photos are restricted under RCW 70.48.100. Active investigation files and juvenile cases are also exempt. The Sheriff will tell you which records are released and which are not. You can ask the agency to review the call if you think a record should be open.
For criminal history across the state, use the Washington State Patrol Criminal History system. WSP runs the state repository for arrest and conviction data. Fees are listed on the WSP site.
Jefferson County Jail and Sheriff
The jail sits at 79 Elkins Road in Port Townsend. The Sheriff's main line is (360) 385-3831. The fax number is (360) 385-7556. The jail is open around the clock for booking. Visiting and phone hours are set by the Sheriff. Call ahead before you drive out. Hours change.
The county also has a District Court at 1820 Jefferson Street, Port Townsend, phone (360) 385-9131. The Superior Court shares the same address, phone (360) 385-9125. Misdemeanor bookings go to District Court. Felony bookings move to Superior Court for arraignment. Hearings often happen within a day or two of a booking, so check the court calendar through Find My Court Date.
If your search reaches outside Jefferson County, the Odyssey Portal covers many local courts. The DOC Incarcerated Search covers state prison inmates. The DOC Warrant Search shows open state warrants.
Note: Jail booking data flows to the statewide JBRS jail booking reporting system run by the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs.
Searching Without a Local Roster
When a county does not host a roster, you have a few options. Call the jail. File a records request. Check the court docket for a name. Use statewide tools. Each one has limits. The phone gives you a quick answer about who is currently held. The records request gets you the paper trail. The court docket shows charges and hearings once a case is filed.
Statewide tools matter most in small counties. The Washington Courts system shows case filings from counties that submit data. The WASPC main site links to the JBRS booking system and other criminal justice tools. The MRSC law enforcement records guide explains which jail records you can ask for and which are exempt under state law. Federal cases, when they apply, are searchable through PACER.
Privacy rules also matter. The Criminal Records Privacy Act, RCW 10.97, sets the rules for how arrest and conviction data are shared. Some records are open. Some are not. The Sheriff has to follow the same rules every other agency does.
Jail Mail and Visits
To send mail, address the envelope to the inmate's full name at Jefferson County Jail, 79 Elkins Road, Port Townsend, WA 98368. Use a return address. The jail screens mail and rejects items that break the rules. Phone calls run through the jail phone provider. Friends and family set up an account to take calls.
Visits are by appointment. Call the jail to schedule. The jail is small and slots fill fast. Plan ahead. If you are an attorney, the jail has separate rules for legal visits. Bring ID and a bar card.
Port Townsend Police Department covers city calls and brings city arrests to the county jail. Their address is 1220 Blaine Street, phone (360) 385-8324. Most city bookings still appear in the same county booking log.