PUBLIC Records Request

HOW TO SUBMIT A PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST

What type of records are you looking for? Police Records, Court Records or General City Records? You can submit your requests directly to the Aberdeen Police Department or Aberdeen Municipal Court.

• Aberdeen Police Department Complete the Police Records Request From and email to records@aberdeenwa.gov or Fax to: 360-533-4786, Attention to Ross Lampky
• Aberdeen Municipal Court Records visit court records page for the courts records request forms or read the courts FAQs. 
• All other Requests Complete the Public Records Request Form and email to publicrecords@aberdeenwa.gov or Fax to: 360-537-5741, Attention Stana Carlisle

If you are unable to download and print the form, the forms are available at City Hall. 200 E. Market St. Aberdeen, WA. City Hall is open from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm (closed 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm) Monday through Friday.

Information required for a public records request include:

• Name of requester
• Date of request
• Phone, email, and/or address or other contact information of requester
• Identification of the public records adequate for the public records officer or designee to locate the records (title and date, if known)
• Location (department) of the requested records, if known.
• Whether the requester intends to inspect the records or obtain a photocopy of the records, at the cost of set forth.

A public record is any state or local record relating to the conduct of government or the performance of a government function, and which is prepared or retained by any state or local agency. The record may be in a variety of forms such as writing, a recording, a picture, an electronic disk, a magnetic tape, etc.

Access to public records

All records maintained by the City of Aberdeen are available for public inspection unless specifically exempted by law. You are entitled to access public records, under reasonable conditions, and to receive copies of those records upon paying the costs of making the copy.

In most cases, you do not have to explain why you want the records. However, specific information may be necessary to process your request. We may require information necessary to establish if disclosure would violate certain provisions of law.

The more precisely you can identify the record you seek, the more responsive we can be. The City of Aberdeen provides access to existing public records in its possession; however, the City is not required to collect information or organize data to create a record not existing at the time of the request.

Records Officer

It is the role of this office to assure the City is in compliance with the Public Records Act. This includes providing public access to current and historical documents. The City of Aberdeen provides access to public records under the provisions of the Washington State Public Records Act. (RCW 42.56)

How the City will respond to your Public records request

Within five business days of receipt of the request (day one is the first working day after the request is received), the City of Aberdeen will do one or more of the following:

• The City will make the records available for inspection or copying.
• The City will identify an online location where the record can be accessed. Requesters who cannot access the Internet may be provided hard copies.
• The City will provide a reasonable estimate of when records will be available.
• If the requester is unclear or does not sufficiently identify the requested records, the City will request clarification from the requester. Such clarification may be requested and provided by telephone, the public records officer or designee may revise the estimate of when records will be available.
• If copies are requested and payment of a deposit for the copies, if any, is made or terms of payment are agreed upon, send the copies to the requester.
• The City may deny the request.

Fee Schedule - AMC 2.112.040

 If fees are due, the fees must be paid before the records will be provided.

• Standard black and white photocopies of up to twenty (20) pages – No Charge
• Paper copies exceeding twenty (20) pages - $0.15 per page [Example, a request for twenty-one (21) pages will cost three dollars and fifteen cents ($3.15)]
• Records not already in electronic format, and exceeding twenty (20) pages - $0.10 per page
• Electronic records sent electronically - $0.05 per every 4 electronic files
• Records converted into electronic format - $0.10 per gigabyte (GB)
• Digital storage media (CD/DVD, flash drive) – Actual cost
• Postage including envelopes and/or packaging – Actual Cost
• In person inspection – No Charge

If, at the city’s discretion, materials need to be copied by an outside source, either due to volume, current workload of city staff, or any other reason, the requestor will be charged the actual amount invoiced to the city by the copying vendor.

If payment arrangements are not made within 30 calendar days of notice that records are available, the entire request may be deemed abandoned and closed.

Records Index – Pursuant to AMC 2.112.070 there is no single index of the City of Aberdeen’s records. The mayor and the city council find that it would be unduly burdensome and would interfere with the city’s operations to maintain an index of records as specified in RCW 42.56.070 because of the complexity and diversity of its business and the resulting volume of correspondence, reports, surveys, staff studies and other materials.