Public Records Requests Including Requests for Body Worn Camera Video

In accordance with WAC 220-120-040 any person wishing to inspect or copy public records of the department must make the request in writing and the written request must be addressed and sent to the public records officer.

You may make a public records request to the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife (WDFW) by using one of the following options:

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
WDFW Public Records Officer 
PO Box 43200 MS# 43140
Olympia, WA 98504-3200

In your request, please identify and describe in detail the records you are requesting. Please include the subject matter, date range and types of records requested, when possible.

RCW 42.56.070(8) prohibits the release of lists of individuals for commercial purposes. If you are requesting a list of individuals, you must complete the WDFW Public Records Request form and sign the declaration of non-commercial purpose. The request will be reviewed for compliance.

When completing the Public Records Request Intake Form and requesting body worn camera recordings provide as much information as you know about the incident so that staff may locate the relevant body worn camera recording(s) requested.

Per RCW 42.56.240(14)(d) a request for Body Worn Camera video must include at least one of the below:

  • The name of a person or persons involved in the incident
  • Case/Incident Number(s)
  • Locations(s), Date(s) and/or time(s) of incident
  • Identify information of WDFW Officer(s) involved in incident

Fees

Agencies may charge fees to recover costs of making and providing copies of records when fulfilling requests (RCW 42.56.120). Washington laws RCW 42.56.120 and RCW 42.56.240(14) also allows local law enforcement agencies to charge for actual cost of reviewing and copying body worn camera video.

In accordance with RCW 42.56.240(14)(e) fee waiver of the body worn camera video redaction fee may be requested in certain circumstances. Waiver of fees is at the discretion of the Public Records Officer.

Response

You will receive a response within five business days. We will respond in one of several ways:

  • Provide the records.
  • Request clarification.
  • If the documents are not readily available, we will provide a reasonable estimate of time it will take us to produce the records.
  • For some large requests, we may have to produce the records on a partial or installment basis. We will also provide the estimated timeframes for each incremental delivery as we work through your request.
  • When legal exemptions apply, we may deny the request in whole or in part, either by withholding the requested records or redacting the documents, including an explanation of the denial.
  • Commonly used exemptions (PDF)

Washington law limits disclosure of body worn videos in certain circumstances (see RCW RCW 42.56.240(14) for details), such as when a video:

  • Contains images of any areas of a medical facility, counseling, or therapeutic program office;
  • Contains information that meets the definition of protected health information;
  • Contains images of the interior of a place of residence where a person has a reasonable expectation of privacy;
  • Contains images defined in the RCW as "intimate," i.e., nudity, partial nudity, sexually explicit content;
  • Contains images of an identifiable minor;
  • Contains images of a deceased person;
  • Contains the identity or communications from a victim or witness of an incident involving domestic violence or sexual assault; or
  • Contains images from an incident where a domestic violence or sexual assault victim or witness indicates a desire for non-disclosure of their recorded identity or communications.

In the above scenarios, the Public Records Office may release the video with the relevant video/audio redacted (blurred or blocked out) and/or audio redacted (sound removed). If none of the above scenarios exist, the video may be released un-redacted, depending on whether the victim has requested non-disclosure.

WDFW Public Records Office is committed to accountability and transparency. If you have additional questions, please contact the WDFW Public Records Officer at PublicDisclosureRequest@dfw.wa.gov or 360-706-3325.

For more general information about Public Records Requests: