Tacoma Inmate Population Records
Tacoma inmate population records are kept at the Pierce County Jail, the main booking facility for all arrests made by Tacoma Police and other law enforcement agencies operating in the city. The jail is located in downtown Tacoma at 910 Tacoma Avenue South. Pierce County maintains two online systems for looking up people in custody: the LINX jail roster, which pulls real-time booking data and links to related Superior Court cases, and the Pierce County Sheriff inmate search, which shows current in-custody status by name. Both tools are free and open to the public. This page covers how to use them, what each system shows, and where to go for records that go beyond the basic roster.
Tacoma Jail Overview
Where Tacoma Arrests Are Processed
When Tacoma Police make an arrest, the person goes to the Pierce County Jail at 910 Tacoma Avenue South. This is the main booking facility for Pierce County and handles the largest share of daily arrests from the city. The jail is part of the Pierce County Department of Assigned Counsel and Sheriff operations in the downtown Tacoma government complex. It processes both misdemeanor and felony bookings, so unlike some cities that route different charge levels to different facilities, nearly all Tacoma arrests land in one place.
The jail has medical, mental health, and dental services on-site. That matters for people trying to understand an inmate's situation during a long pre-trial hold. Video visitation is available through ViaPath (formerly GTL) at GettingOut.com. Visit windows run Monday through Friday at 6-7 p.m. and 7-8 p.m., and on weekends and holidays at 9-10 a.m., 10-11 a.m., 6-7 p.m., and 7-8 p.m. Each session is 30 minutes, with a maximum of three visits per week per inmate.
| Facility | Pierce County Jail |
|---|---|
| Address | 910 Tacoma Avenue South, Tacoma, WA 98402 |
| Phone | 253-798-4590 |
| Jail Info Page | piercecountywa.gov |
| Tacoma Police | 3701 South Pine St, Tacoma, WA 98409 |
| Tacoma Police Phone | 253-798-4721 |
Tacoma is the third largest city in Washington. That size means the jail sees a high daily intake volume. Booking queues can run long on weekend nights. If you are trying to find someone who was just arrested, give it at least two to three hours before searching the online roster, since it takes time to process each booking into the LINX system.
How to Search the Tacoma Inmate Population
Pierce County gives the public two separate online systems for checking inmate records. They pull from related but slightly different data sources, and each has strengths depending on what you need.
The LINX system is the more detailed option. You can reach the LINX jail roster at linxonline.co.pierce.wa.us. This system shows the entire in-custody population or lets you filter by last name. Each booking entry lists charges and links to related Pierce County Superior Court cases, which makes it easier to follow a case from arrest to hearing without jumping between systems. The LINX Help Desk is available at 253-798-7757 if you have trouble using the portal.
The screenshot below shows the Pierce County LINX jail roster, the primary tool for Tacoma inmate population searches with live booking data and court case links.
After reviewing the LINX results, you can cross-check with the Pierce County Sheriff inmate search for a quick confirmation of current in-custody status.
The Pierce County Sheriff also runs a separate inmate search at piercesheriff.org/inmate-search. This one is faster to load and shows in-custody status, booking date, and charges in a clean format. It does not link to court records the way LINX does, but it is a solid first check when you just want to know if someone is currently held. Both systems are free and no login is needed.
The image below is from the Pierce County Jail information page, which covers facility services and the full booking process for Tacoma arrestees.
If the person you are looking for does not appear in either system, they may have bonded out, been released on their own recognizance, or transferred to a state facility. For state-level transfers, use the DOC search covered below.
Note: Both the LINX roster and the Sheriff inmate search reflect the current day. Historical booking records from past dates are not available through either public portal and require a formal public records request.
Public Records Access for Tacoma Inmate Data
Washington's Public Records Act under RCW 42.56 gives anyone the right to request government records without having to state a reason. Jail rosters, booking logs, and incident reports from Tacoma Police are all covered under this law. Agencies must respond within five business days, either by fulfilling the request, providing a timeline, or asking for clarification on what you need.
The specific statute that covers jail registers is RCW 70.48.100. This law requires all county jails to maintain a public record of each person confined. The register must include the person's name, the date and time of confinement, and how they were released. Pierce County's online rosters satisfy this requirement and represent the publicly available slice of what the jail keeps on file.
For records beyond what the online systems show, contact Pierce County Sheriff Public Records. The office is at 3602 Pacific Ave S #100, Tacoma, WA 98418. Phone: 253-798-7366. Email: SHRpublicrecords@piercecountywa.gov. For records related to Tacoma Police Department activity specifically, the Tacoma PD at 3701 South Pine St handles those requests. Written requests are preferred, and a clear description of what you need speeds up the response.
VINE Custody Alerts for Tacoma Inmates
VINE (Victim Information and Notification Everyday) is a free notification service that tracks custody changes at the Pierce County Jail. You can register at VINELink.com to receive alerts by phone, text, or email when a specific inmate is released, transferred, or has a court date scheduled. The service is anonymous and does not require you to share your name or reason for registering.
VINE covers Pierce County Jail bookings, including all Tacoma Police arrests that go through the facility. It updates roughly every 15 minutes, so you get near-real-time alerts when someone's status changes. If the inmate is later transferred to a state DOC facility, VINE can also cover that transition depending on how you set up your registration. For anyone monitoring a Tacoma case closely, VINE is a low-effort way to stay informed without having to check the roster manually every day.
Tacoma Court Records and Case Outcomes
Jail records show the arrest. They do not show what happened after. To find out how a Tacoma case was resolved, you need to check court records. The LINX system does link bookings to Pierce County Superior Court cases, which is useful for felony matters. But for misdemeanor cases handled in Tacoma Municipal Court or Pierce County District Court, you need to look elsewhere.
Washington Courts runs a public case search at courts.wa.gov. You can search by name across all Washington courts in one place. The system shows case type, hearing dates, and basic disposition information. This is the right tool if you want to know whether charges were dropped, a plea was entered, or a trial date is pending. The courts portal is free and no account is needed.
Pierce County Superior Court handles felony cases. Tacoma Municipal Court handles misdemeanor and traffic cases within city limits. Both are searchable through the statewide portal, though the level of detail varies by court. For full case files and documents, you need to contact the relevant clerk's office directly.
State Databases for Tacoma Inmate Searches
If someone convicted of a felony in Tacoma received a sentence longer than one year, they are serving time in a Washington State Department of Corrections facility, not the Pierce County Jail. The Washington State DOC incarcerated person search at doc.wa.gov covers all state prisons and reentry centers. You can search by name or DOC number. The system shows the current facility, projected release date, and in some cases the crime of conviction.
The Washington State Patrol runs the WATCH system at watch.wsp.wa.gov, which provides name-based criminal history lookups for $11 per search. WATCH uses fingerprint-backed conviction records, so it is more reliable than a name search alone. The system covers convictions statewide and arrests within the past year with pending dispositions. For verified background data on a Tacoma individual, WATCH is the most thorough public tool available.
The full text of Washington's public records and jail statutes is at the RCW online portal. Relevant statutes include RCW 42.56 for public records access and RCW 70.48.100 for jail register requirements.
Pierce County Inmate Population Records
Tacoma is the county seat of Pierce County. All Tacoma arrests are processed through Pierce County's jail system. The county page has full details on the jail, both online search systems, and additional resources for Pierce County inmate lookups.
Nearby Cities
These cities are close to Tacoma and also route arrests through the Pierce County Jail system.