Seattle Police Department: Address, Phone Number, Precincts and County

The Seattle Police Department, commonly known as SPD, is the municipal law-enforcement agency serving Seattle, Washington. It responds to emergencies, investigates crimes, patrols neighbourhoods, enforces traffic laws and provides specialised services such as Harbor Patrol, K-9 operations, crime-scene investigation and tactical response.

Seattle is divided into five police precincts: North, East, South, Southwest and West. Police Headquarters is an administrative and public-service facility, but it does not operate as the downtown patrol precinct. The West Precinct handles downtown Seattle and surrounding neighbourhoods.

Residents should call 911 when a crime is happening, someone is in immediate danger or immediate police assistance is required. For delayed incidents and situations that do not require an urgent response, the police non-emergency number is 206-625-5011.

Seattle Police Department Quick Information

Seattle Police Department Headquarters

Seattle Police Headquarters is located at: 610 5th Avenue, Seattle, Washington 98104

The building is in downtown Seattle between James Street and Cherry Street. It contains police administration and a public front counter where residents can request certain records and administrative services.

Services available at the headquarters front counter may include:

• Police-report requests
• Collision-report assistance
• Clearance letters
• Fingerprinting
• Concealed pistol licence applications
• General police information

A valid government-issued photo identification document is normally required for services involving records, fingerprints or permits.

Headquarters does not serve as the patrol precinct for downtown Seattle. Emergency and patrol services for downtown are provided by the West Precinct.

Call 911 when:

• A crime is currently happening.
• Someone is injured or in immediate danger.
• A firearm or another weapon is involved.
• A suspect remains at or near the scene.
• A serious traffic collision has occurred.
• A child or vulnerable person is missing.
• Immediate police, fire or medical help is needed.

For delayed crimes, suspicious activity and other non-emergency police matters, call 206-625-5011.

Important Seattle Police Phone Numbers

Specialised telephone numbers should mainly be used for case follow-up, evidence appointments and administrative information. New incidents should normally be reported through 911, the non-emergency number or the online reporting system.

Seattle Police Precincts

Seattle Police patrol services are divided into five geographic precincts.

Precinct patrol operations remain available around the clock. However, public precinct lobbies are open only when staffing allows. Residents should call before visiting to confirm that the front desk is available.

North Precinct

The North Precinct serves a large portion of northern Seattle. Its neighbourhoods include Ballard, Fremont, Green Lake, Greenwood, Lake City, Northgate, Ravenna, Roosevelt, Sand Point, University District, Wallingford and surrounding areas.

East Precinct

The East Precinct serves central Seattle neighbourhoods, including Capitol Hill, Central Area, First Hill, Madison Park, Montlake, Judkins Park and the upper Pike/Pine area.

South Precinct

The South Precinct serves communities such as Beacon Hill, Columbia City, Georgetown, Mount Baker, Rainier Beach, Rainier Valley, Seward Park, SODO and surrounding neighbourhoods.

Southwest Precinct

The Southwest Precinct serves West Seattle and nearby communities, including Alki, Admiral, Delridge, Fauntleroy, High Point, South Park, Westwood and surrounding areas.

West Precinct

The West Precinct serves downtown Seattle and nearby neighbourhoods. Its service area includes Belltown, Chinatown-International District, Pioneer Square, Queen Anne, Seattle Center, South Lake Union, the waterfront and the central business district.

Residents do not need to identify their precinct before calling police. Dispatchers use the exact incident address to determine which patrol unit should respond.

Patrol and Investigative Services

Patrol officers provide the department’s primary response to calls for service. They work from the five precincts and are assigned to smaller geographic sectors and beats.

Their responsibilities include:

• Responding to emergency calls
• Taking crime reports
• Conducting preliminary investigations
• Handling domestic disturbances
• Responding to suspicious activity
• Conducting welfare checks
• Enforcing traffic laws
• Searching for missing people
• Responding to vehicle collisions
• Making arrests

Cases requiring additional investigation may be assigned to precinct investigators or specialised detective units.

SPD has investigative personnel responsible for cases involving:

• Homicide
• Robbery
• Sexual assault
• Domestic violence
• Child abuse
• Burglary
• Property crime
• Financial crime
• Auto theft
• Missing persons
• Narcotics
• Human trafficking

The department also maintains specialised units such as Harbor Patrol, K-9, traffic enforcement, crime-scene investigation and tactical response.

What County Is the Seattle Police Department In?

The Seattle Police Department is located in King County, Washington.

SPD’s regular jurisdiction is based on Seattle city limits rather than the entire county. The King County Sheriff’s Office is a separate agency responsible for county-level services and policing in many unincorporated communities.

Nearby cities such as Bellevue, Redmond, Renton, Kent, Shoreline and Federal Way have their own police departments or separate law-enforcement arrangements.

Other agencies operating within Seattle include:

• Washington State Patrol
• Port of Seattle Police
• University of Washington Police
• King County Sheriff’s Office
• Federal law-enforcement agencies

Incidents at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport are generally handled by the Port of Seattle Police Department. Freeway collisions and certain highway incidents may involve the Washington State Patrol.

How to File a Seattle Police Report Online

SPD accepts online reports for selected non-emergency incidents.

Eligible report categories include:

• Property destruction
• Graffiti
• Car break-ins
• Theft of vehicle accessories
• Theft
• Shoplifting
• Burglary
• Harassing telephone calls
• Credit-card fraud
• Wage theft
• Identity theft
• Lost property

The following conditions generally must be met:

• The incident is not an emergency.
• It occurred within Seattle city limits.
• There are no known suspects.
• No immediate police response is needed.
• There is no information that requires immediate investigation.

Seattle residents may file an identity-theft report even when the fraudulent activity occurred outside the city.

Online reporting cannot be used for stolen vehicles or incidents involving violence, injuries, known suspects or immediate evidence collection.

After submission, the reporting person receives a temporary transaction number. An official police-report number is provided by email after the report is reviewed and approved.

Reporting a Stolen Vehicle

A stolen motor vehicle should be reported immediately by calling 911. It cannot be reported through the ordinary online system.

The registered owner should provide:

• Licence plate number
• Vehicle identification number
• Year, make and model
• Vehicle colour
• Last known location
• Approximate time of disappearance
• Information about GPS tracking
• Details about available keys

Before reporting a vehicle stolen, check whether it was towed, repossessed or moved by another authorised person.

When a stolen vehicle is recovered, owners should inspect it carefully before driving it. Drugs, weapons, stolen property or other evidence may have been left inside. Contact the non-emergency number before touching suspicious items.

Collision Reports

Call 911 when a traffic collision involves injuries, blocked roads, a suspected impaired driver or another immediate safety risk.

When the collision is minor and police assistance is not needed, drivers should exchange identification and insurance information.

Washington State Patrol is the official custodian of collision reports throughout Washington. Qualifying collisions can be reported through the state’s online collision-reporting system.

A collision involving property damage above the state reporting threshold must be reported even when police do not attend the scene.

Obtaining Police Records

Seattle Police records can be requested through the department’s Public Records Request Center or from the public counter at headquarters.

The Records telephone number is 206-684-5454.

A request should include:

• Police incident number
• Date of the incident
• Exact location
• Names of the people involved
• Type of report or recording requested
• Requester’s contact information

Available records may include:

• Incident reports
• Arrest-related records
• Police photographs
• Body-camera recordings
• Dispatch records
• Audio recordings
• Clearance letters
• Other releasable police documents

Some information may be removed or withheld when the record involves juveniles, protected victims, confidential witnesses or an active investigation.

Evidence and Property Retrieval

The Seattle Police Evidence Unit manages evidence, found property and property held for safekeeping.

The Evidence Unit can be contacted at 206-684-8720.

A person retrieving property should generally have:

• Valid government-issued identification
• Police incident number
• Name of the investigating officer
• Property receipt or notification letter
• Proof of ownership

Property used in an investigation must first be cleared for release by the assigned officer or detective.

After the department authorises a release, the owner normally has 60 days to collect the property. Items not collected within the required period may be forfeited or disposed of.

Firearms require an additional eligibility and records check before they can be released.

Towed and Impounded Vehicles

The City of Seattle contracts with Lincoln Towing for police-authorised vehicle impounds.

To locate a vehicle towed from a Seattle public street, call:

206-364-2000

Be prepared to provide:

• Licence plate number
• Vehicle identification number
• Registered owner’s name
• Vehicle make, model and colour
• Location where the vehicle was parked

A vehicle towed from private property may be stored by a different towing company. The property’s posted signs should identify the responsible company.

To retrieve a vehicle, the registered owner generally needs:

• Valid photo identification
• Current registration, title or lease agreement
• Licence plate number or VIN
• Payment of towing and storage fees
• A licensed driver

Another person may retrieve the vehicle with notarised authorisation and a copy of the registered owner’s identification.

Seattle Police and King County Jail

Seattle Police officers make arrests, but SPD does not operate the county jail system.

Many adults arrested in Seattle are booked at:

King County Correctional Facility
500 5th Avenue
Seattle, Washington 98104

The King County Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention also operates the Maleng Regional Justice Center in Kent.

To locate an adult in King County custody, call:

206-296-1234

The county’s inmate lookup provides the person’s custody location and booking number. A recently arrested person may not appear immediately while identification, medical screening and booking procedures are completed.

Complaints About Seattle Police Employees

Complaints involving Seattle Police officers or civilian employees are handled by the independent Office of Police Accountability.

The telephone number is 206-684-8797.

Complaints can be submitted:

• Online
• By telephone
• By email
• In person
• By mail
• Anonymously

A complaint should include:

• Incident date and time
• Exact location
• Officer’s name or badge number, when known
• Police incident number
• Witness information
• Photographs, videos or documents
• A clear explanation of what happened

A person does not have to provide their name or immigration information. Anonymous complaints should contain enough specific details for investigators to identify the incident and involved employee.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. How many police precincts does Seattle have?

Seattle has five police precincts: North, East, South, Southwest and West.

Q2. Can I report a stolen vehicle online?

No. A stolen vehicle must be reported by calling 911 so its information can be entered promptly into law-enforcement databases.

Q3. Does Police Headquarters serve as the downtown precinct?

No. Headquarters is an administrative and public-service facility. The West Precinct provides patrol services for downtown Seattle.

Q4. How can I locate a vehicle towed from a Seattle street?

Call Lincoln Towing at 206-364-2000. When the vehicle cannot be found, contact Seattle Police non-emergency at 206-625-5011.

Q5. Does Seattle Police operate the King County jail?

No. King County detention facilities are operated by the King County Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention.