Bremerton Public Records
Bremerton public records are available through the City Clerk's office and the Bremerton Police Department. Bremerton is the largest city in Kitsap County, located on the Kitsap Peninsula across Puget Sound from Seattle, with roughly 43,000 residents. City government documents, police reports, and administrative records are handled at the city level. For Superior Court filings, property records, and other county-level records, go to Kitsap County. This page covers how to request Bremerton public records, which offices handle what, and how to reach the right department for each record type.
Bremerton Overview
Bremerton City Public Records
The Bremerton City Clerk is designated by the City Council as the Public Records Officer. The Clerk oversees the city's compliance with the Washington Public Records Act and coordinates records requests across departments. Various records coordinators are designated throughout the city, so some requests may be directed to the relevant department depending on the record type.
To request Bremerton public records, contact the City Clerk's office through the city's official website at bremertonwa.gov. You can submit requests in writing, by email, in person, or through the city's online portal. The city must respond within five business days under RCW 42.56.520. That response will either provide the records, acknowledge the request with an estimated timeline, ask for clarification, or issue a written denial with the specific legal reason.
The Bremerton city website is the central starting point for all public records requests.
The city website provides department contacts, public records request forms, and information about each city office. Use it to identify the right department before submitting your request.
| Office | Bremerton City Clerk, Public Records Officer |
|---|---|
| Website | bremertonwa.gov |
City records in Bremerton cover all documents created or used in official city business. That includes City Council meeting minutes and agendas, adopted ordinances, permits, contracts, budgets, and administrative correspondence. Any writing in any format used for government business is a public record under Washington law.
Bremerton Police Department Records
Police records for Bremerton are handled by the Bremerton Police Department. The Support Services Lieutenant and Records Supervisor are the designated contacts for police public records requests. For incident reports, collision reports, arrest records, and body-worn camera footage, contact the Police Department Records office. Submit requests in writing and include the date, location, case number if known, and names of the people involved.
Body-worn camera footage requests require specific information under RCW 42.56: the name of the person involved, the incident or case number, the date and location, or the name of the officer involved. Some law enforcement records may be withheld under RCW 42.56.240 if nondisclosure is essential to an effective investigation.
The Bremerton Police Department handles its own records separately from the general City Clerk records process. Contact the department directly for police incident reports and law enforcement documents.
What Bremerton City Records Include
Bremerton city records cover everything the city government creates, owns, uses, or keeps in the course of official business. This includes City Council meeting minutes and agendas, adopted ordinances and resolutions, contracts and agreements, permits and land use documents, public works plans, budgets, financial statements, and administrative files. Washington law defines "writing" broadly to include electronic communications, so emails, text messages, and digital files are also public records when they relate to city business.
Bremerton Municipal Court records are separate from city public records. Municipal court records are governed by Washington Court Rules GR 31 and GR 31.1 rather than the Public Records Act. For court case files, contact the Bremerton Municipal Court directly rather than submitting a general public records request.
Note: Bremerton Municipal Court records are not subject to the Public Records Act. Contact the Municipal Court directly for court case files and documents.
Kitsap County Records for Bremerton Residents
Many records that affect Bremerton residents are held by Kitsap County rather than the city. Superior Court filings, property records, recording of deeds and mortgages, and Sheriff's Office records all belong to Kitsap County. Bremerton is the county seat of Kitsap County, so the Kitsap County Courthouse is located in Bremerton itself. If you need records from a Superior Court case, a county recording, or county law enforcement, go to the county directly.
For county-level records including Superior Court case files, property assessment data, and recorded land documents, visit the Kitsap County public records page.
Online Search Tools for Bremerton Records
The Washington State Courts Odyssey Portal provides free access to Superior Court case information for Kitsap County, which serves Bremerton. Search by name or case number. The Washington State Digital Archives holds historical records from Bremerton and Kitsap County going back decades, free to search.
For questions about a records denial or a delayed response, the Washington State Attorney General's public records ombudsman can help informally. Call (360) 570-3418 or email AGOOmbuds@atg.wa.gov. More information is at atg.wa.gov/open-government.
Nearby Washington Cities
These cities are near Bremerton. Each has its own city-level public records separate from county records.