Lakewood Public Records

Lakewood public records are available through the City Clerk's office and the Lakewood Police Department. Lakewood is Pierce County's second-largest city, located southwest of Tacoma with roughly 75,000 residents. The City Clerk serves as the designated Public Records Officer and handles all non-police city records under the Washington Public Records Act. The Lakewood Police Department and Lakewood Municipal Court each manage their own separate records. This page covers how to request Lakewood public records and where to find Pierce County records that serve Lakewood residents.

Lakewood City Public Records

The City of Lakewood handles public records requests through the City Clerk's office. The City Clerk is designated as the Public Records Officer and oversees the city's compliance with the Washington Public Records Act. You can find public records request information and forms on the city's website at cityoflakewood.us.

The Lakewood city website provides access to public records forms, department contacts, and information about city services.

Use the city website to identify the right department for your records request. The City Clerk can direct requests to the correct department if you are unsure where to start.

Lakewood city records include City Council meeting materials, ordinances, resolutions, permits, contracts, budgets, financial documents, and administrative correspondence. Under RCW 42.56.520, the city must respond within five business days by providing the records, giving a timeline for large requests, asking for clarification, or issuing a written denial with the specific legal reason. Standard copy fees are $0.15 per page.

Lakewood Police Department Records

The Lakewood Police Department handles all law enforcement records separately from the City Clerk. Police records include incident reports, collision reports, arrest records, and body-worn camera footage. Submit police records requests directly to the Police Department. Include the incident date, location, report number if available, and names of parties involved.

Body-worn camera requests require specific identifying information under RCW 42.56: the name of the person involved, the incident or case number, the date and location, or the officer's name. Some records may be withheld under RCW 42.56.240 if disclosure would harm an active investigation.

Lakewood Municipal Court Records

Lakewood Municipal Court handles city ordinance violations, misdemeanor criminal cases, and civil matters within the city's jurisdiction. Municipal court records are not subject to the Public Records Act. They are governed by Washington Court Rules GR 31 and GR 31.1. Contact the Municipal Court directly for case files and court documents.

For felony criminal cases, family law matters, civil litigation, and probate involving Lakewood residents, those cases are filed at Pierce County Superior Court in Tacoma. Contact Pierce County for Superior Court records.

What Lakewood City Records Include

Lakewood city records cover all documents the city creates or uses in official business. City Council materials, ordinances, permits, contracts, land use files, public works plans, budgets, and staff correspondence are public records. Emails, digital files, and electronic communications related to city business are also public records under Washington law's broad definition of "writing."

Pierce County Records for Lakewood Residents

Many records that affect Lakewood residents are held by Pierce County. Superior Court filings, property records, deeds, mortgages, and Sheriff records belong to Pierce County. Lakewood sits in Pierce County. For those records, contact the county rather than the city.

Visit the Pierce County public records page for county-level contacts, courthouse location in Tacoma, and online tools serving Lakewood residents.

Online Search Tools for Lakewood Records

The Washington State Courts Odyssey Portal provides free access to Pierce County Superior Court case information. The Washington State Digital Archives holds historical records from Pierce County free to search. For vital records, contact the Washington State Department of Health. For AG ombudsman help, call (360) 570-3418 or email AGOOmbuds@atg.wa.gov.

Nearby Washington Cities

These cities are near Lakewood in Pierce County. Each has its own city-level public records.