After investigation, if the police find that a particular person’s role in a crime can be established based on the evidence collected, they seek a warrant against the individual. For this judicial arrest order, they have to go to the criminal court of Lewis County, WA, with a sworn statement.
The document is supposed to specify the nature of the crime, the probable cause, and information about the suspect if the sitting magistrate is convinced of the reasons that led the police to believe that the person against whom the warrant is being requested is responsible for the crime, an active arrest warrant is issued.
The judge may ask to speak to the witness/victim before signing the arrest order. Depending on the seriousness of the matter, the individual in whose name the warrant has been issued can be arrested within a matter of hours.
However, if, for some reason, he/she is not taken into custody, this does not mean that the warrant has been recalled. An active arrest warrant never goes out of effect; it is termed differently as an outstanding arrest warrant when saved into the national crime database.
Peace officers run the name of every person involved in any legal violation, no matter how trivial, through this database. Needless to say, if a warrant is found against an individual, he/she will be arrested immediately.
So, it would be prudent to undertake periodic warrant searches to determine any arrest orders in your name. The Sheriff’s Department of Lewis County Washington can be contacted for this purpose by calling on them at 345 W Main Street, Chehalis, Washington 98532. You can also connect with the records clerk over the phone at 360-748-9286 or fax on 360-740-1476. However, you will be asked to come down in person for all arrest records related inquiries.
An online warrant search is the other alternative; it is convenient, faster, and safer. So, to access an internet-based repository of arrest records, fill the form above.
How do you get information on Lewis County active warrants and arrests over the phone? (2021- Update)
- Call the non-emergency dispatch phone line for information about arrests- (360) 748-9286
- Call the Lewis County Jail at for prisoner records and inmate searches- (360) 748-9241
- Contact the Records Division at for arrest records, incident and accident reports. (360) 740-2674.
- Call the Records Clerk for information on accessing judicial records/initiating a case search- 360-740-2756.
- Call the County State Attorney’s Office at for victim assistance- (360)740-1225
Crime Statistics of Lewis County, Washington
In 2019, the Lewis County Sheriff’s Department handled around 560 criminal complaints. Around 480 of the complaints were related to property offences. There are 270 larceny theft cases, 146 burglary cases, and 58 motor vehicle theft cases in this category. Of the 86 violent crimes reported, nearly 60 were assaults while instances of rape led to the filing of 22 complaints.
Of the total number of almost 25,000 crimes in Lewis between 1999 and 2008, less than 10% were violent. Yet, nearly ten murder cases and almost 300 incidents of rape were reported in the area in that period. However, the crime category that painted a bleak picture was theft and robbery at approximately 20,000 cases.
In the decade mentioned earlier, crime rates rose by nearly 60%. This alarming increase means that crime figures may hit just about 4000 in the years to come. Every day almost eight incident reports are filed with the law enforcement agencies in the area, and in most cases, the crime occurs within a mile of the victim’s home/office.