Kennewick Criminal Records
Kennewick criminal records are split across several courts and agencies in Benton County. Misdemeanor cases go through Kennewick Municipal Court or Benton County District Court. Felony charges land in Benton County Superior Court. If you want to search Kennewick criminal records, the statewide Washington Courts case search tool covers all three court levels at once. For conviction history, the Washington State Patrol WATCH system is the main state resource. The Kennewick Police Department holds local arrest and incident reports. Each source covers a different part of the record trail, so knowing which agency has what you need saves time.
Kennewick Overview
Kennewick Municipal Court
The Kennewick Municipal Court handles misdemeanor criminal violations, traffic infractions, and city ordinance violations. If someone was cited or arrested for a misdemeanor within Kennewick city limits, the case goes here. The court is located at 900 W Chrome Street. You can call (509) 585-4294 to ask about a case or find out how to get a copy of court records.
Municipal court records in Kennewick are part of the statewide case search system. You can look them up through Washington Courts Name and Case Search by entering a person's name or case number. The portal shows party names, charges, case status, and hearing dates. It does not provide document images, but it tells you whether a case exists and what stage it is at.
| Office | Kennewick Municipal Court |
|---|---|
| Address | 900 W Chrome Street Kennewick, WA 99336 |
| Phone | (509) 585-4294 |
Benton County Courts Serving Kennewick
Benton County operates two court levels that handle Kennewick criminal cases. The District Court covers state misdemeanors and gross misdemeanors. The Superior Court handles all felony charges. Both courts are located at 7122 W Okanogan Place in Kennewick.
Benton County District Court can be reached at (509) 735-8388. It handles lower-level criminal matters including domestic violence misdemeanors, DUI charges, and other gross misdemeanors filed under state law. These cases are public record and show up in the Washington Courts statewide search tool.
Benton County Superior Court handles Class A, B, and C felony cases for Kennewick residents. The Superior Court Clerk maintains the official case files and processes records requests. If you need certified copies of a felony judgment or sentence, contact the Benton County Clerk of Superior Court at (509) 735-8388. The court's case information is also available through the statewide portal at dw.courts.wa.gov. Felony cases include all the charging documents, plea agreements, sentencing records, and any appellate history tied to the case.
Note: Benton County handles criminal cases for Kennewick, Richland, and all unincorporated areas of the county.
Kennewick Police Department Records
The Kennewick Police Department maintains arrest records, incident reports, and collision reports for events that occurred within city limits. Police records are not the same as court records. An arrest report documents what happened at the time of the incident. Court records show what happened after charges were filed.
To request a police report, contact the Kennewick Police Department Records Division at 211 W 6th Avenue, Kennewick, WA 99336. The phone number is (509) 585-4208. Washington's Public Records Act under RCW Chapter 42.56 gives the public the right to inspect and copy most government records. Some portions of police reports may be redacted to protect victim identities or ongoing investigations.
You can also check the Kennewick Police records page for details on how to submit a formal public records request.
Statewide Criminal Records Search Tools
Washington offers two primary statewide tools for finding criminal records linked to Kennewick residents. The first is the courts case search. The second is the WATCH background check system run by the Washington State Patrol.
The Washington State Courts case search pulls data from all court levels statewide. You can search by name and get results from municipal, district, superior, and appellate courts. For Kennewick cases, this covers all three local court levels at once. The tool shows case numbers, party names, charges, and current status.
The screenshot below shows the Washington Courts case records portal where Kennewick criminal cases can be found:
The courts portal is free to use and available 24 hours a day. Keep in mind it shows case-level information only. You need to contact the court directly for document copies.
WSP Criminal History and WATCH
The Washington State Patrol runs WATCH, a web-based tool for name and date of birth background checks. WATCH pulls conviction history from the WSP central repository. It covers all Washington State criminal convictions, adverse findings, and arrests less than one year old without a final disposition.
WATCH costs $11 per name search and accepts Visa, MasterCard, or American Express. You enter the person's exact name and date of birth. Within seconds you get one of several responses: no record, no match, a candidate list if multiple people share the same name, or a full criminal history RAP sheet. The RAP sheet includes conviction dates, offense types, sentence details, and sex offender registration status if applicable.
For Kennewick residents, WATCH is often the fastest way to get a full conviction record picture without contacting each court separately. The WSP Identification and Criminal History Section is the central repository for all of this data. More information is available at wsp.wa.gov/crime/criminal-history.
The screenshot below shows the WSP criminal history records page with information about WATCH and mail-in requests:
Mail-in requests cost $32 by name and date of birth. Fingerprint-based searches run $58 and are more precise when name-only searches return multiple candidates.
Sex Offender Registry in Kennewick
The Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs runs the statewide sex offender registry at waspc.org. County sheriffs manage local registration. In Kennewick, the Benton County Sheriff's Office handles registrations for Level II and Level III offenders.
Level I offenders are low risk. Their information is not published on the public registry. Level II and Level III offenders are listed publicly. Level III offenders are considered high risk, and their information is actively shared with the community. You can search by name or location at the Washington Sex Offender Registry website at www.wasor.org or through the national registry at www.nsopw.gov.
Washington law under RCW Chapter 10.97 governs how criminal history records are held and who can access them. The sex offender registration requirements are set out separately under RCW 9A.44.130.
DOC Incarcerated Offender Search
If you are looking for someone currently held in a Washington State correctional facility, the Department of Corrections has a public search tool. You can look up current inmates by name or DOC number at doc.wa.gov. Results show age, location, and custody status. This tool does not cover county jail holds or people already released.
The DOC also handles public records requests through its Public Disclosure Unit. Contact them by email at publicdisclosureunit@doc1.wa.gov or by phone at (360) 725-8213.
Benton County Criminal Records
Kennewick sits in Benton County, and all felony cases plus state-level misdemeanors run through Benton County courts. The county page has more detail on court locations, clerk contact information, and how to access county-level criminal case records.
Nearby Cities
These cities are close to Kennewick and have their own criminal records pages.