Does Pierce County Publish Released Inmates?
The short answer is no. Pierce County does not appear to publish a separate "released within 24 hours" or "released within 72 hours" list anywhere on its official sites. The only public jail tool in Pierce County is the LINX jail roster, and LINX itself states clearly that the name list "will not include persons who have been released." Once someone walks out, the LINX entry goes away. There is no archive of recent releases that the public can browse online.
The LINX FAQ answers this question directly. Historical jail release date information is not available on the internet, and the FAQ tells users to contact the jail at 253-798-4668 if they need a past release date. That phone number reaches jail administration. It is the correct starting point for any question about when a specific person was released from Pierce County custody. This is not a workaround; it is the official guidance from the county's own case management system.
The sheriff's public records page does list Release Date as one of the limited fields on the public jail roster. That field may appear while someone is still in custody and a release date has been set. But it is a prospective date on an active booking record, not a searchable historical archive. Once the person is out, the booking entry leaves the active roster entirely.
The Pierce County Sheriff's Office main page describes the agency as the second largest sheriff's office in Washington, serving more than 946,000 residents.
The sheriff's Corrections Bureau manages the Pierce County Jail and oversees all custody records, including the public roster fields that appear in LINX.
Why Released People Drop Off LINX
LINX is Pierce County's integrated case and jail management system. It was built locally and has been used for nearly 20 years. For jail roster purposes, LINX shows who is currently in Pierce County custody. The system is designed for real-time custody tracking, not as a permanent historical release log. When someone's custody ends, whether by posting bail, completing a sentence, having charges declined, or being transferred, the jail management side of LINX removes them from the active roster.
This is not a gap in the system. It is a deliberate design choice that reflects Washington's approach to jail record confidentiality. Under RCW 70.48.100, most inmate jail records are not public records and are exempt from disclosure. The Pierce County Sheriff states that booking photos and most inmate jail records are confidential and can only be released to the inmate, to a third party with the inmate's signed authorization, or by court order. The public roster fields that do appear in LINX are limited to name, booking date, charge, warrant type, charging agency, court jurisdiction, court date, sentence or bail information, sentence or fine, and release date while active.
Sheriff Keith Swank's biography page provides background on the current leadership of the Pierce County Sheriff's Office, including his role overseeing the Corrections Bureau.
Sheriff Swank took office in January 2025 and oversees the agency that runs the Pierce County Jail and its related custody and records functions.
How to Verify a Pierce County Release
There are several ways to confirm whether someone has been released from Pierce County custody. None of them involve a public online released-inmate list, because that list does not exist. The practical steps depend on whether you need a current status check or a historical release date.
- Search the current LINX jail roster at linxonline.piercecountywa.gov. Use the Jail Inmates section and enter the name as last name, first name. If no entry appears, the person may have been released, transferred, or booked under a different name.
- Call jail custody at 253-798-4590 for questions about current custody or visitation status.
- Call jail administration at 253-798-4668 for historical release date questions. This is the number LINX FAQ specifically gives for release date inquiries not available online.
- Use VINELink to set up an automated notification if the person re-enters custody or if a custody change occurs. VINELink is described in the next section.
- Search the Washington DOC locator if the person may have been transferred from county jail to state prison rather than released outright.
Note: LINX FAQ says some information can take up to 24 hours to update. Current custody status should generally reflect the next business morning after any change.
Pierce County Jail
910 Tacoma Ave S
Tacoma, WA 98402
Custody: 253-798-4590
Admin / Release Date: 253-798-4668
Setting Up WA VINE Release Notifications
VINELink is the victim information and notification system used across Washington State, including Pierce County. It lets family members, attorneys, crime victims, and others register to receive an alert when a person's custody status changes. If someone in Pierce County custody is released, transferred, or has another custody event, VINELink can send a phone call, email, text message, or TDD notification to anyone who has registered for that specific person.
Washington uses WA VINE, the statewide service running through VINELink. Registration is free. You do not need to be a crime victim to register, though the service was originally designed with victims in mind. Registration stores the offender's name and your contact preferences so future events trigger automatic alerts. This is especially useful when someone is held pretrial and you want to know the moment bail is posted or charges are dismissed and they walk out.
The VINELink site provides custody notification services for Pierce County and other Washington jurisdictions through the WA VINE program.
After registering on VINELink, you receive automated notices any time the custody status of the registered person changes in the county or state system.
| Field Label | Type | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| State / Service Area | Dropdown or map | Yes | Select Washington or WA VINE to search Pierce County custody records. |
| Name or ID | Text | Optional | Search availability depends on the custody data source connected to VINELink. |
| Offender or Case Type | Tabs or options | Optional | Offender custody and protective order notifications may be separate options. |
| Register for Notification | Button or link | n/a | Choose phone, email, text, or TDD. Notifications are sent when custody status changes. |
Searching State and Federal Released Inmates
Not everyone who leaves the Pierce County Jail is simply released. Some people are transferred to Washington state prison to serve a longer sentence. Others face federal charges and move to federal custody entirely. For those cases, the county jail roster will not show them as released; they have just moved to a different system. Two separate locators cover these situations.
The Washington Department of Corrections runs an incarcerated individual search at doc.wa.gov. The DOC search covers people currently in state prison or under DOC community supervision. The DOC says it publishes currently incarcerated individuals to improve public safety, and that users may also contact DOC for information about current and former inmates and supervisees. If someone moved from the Pierce County Jail to a state facility, the DOC locator should show their current location. Former inmates who are out on community custody, which is Washington's term for post-prison supervision, may also appear depending on their status.
The Washington DOC also maintains a Wanted for Arrest page for people who have DOC-issued Secretary's warrants. The DOC wanted for arrest page lists individuals sought by DOC for supervision violations.
DOC Secretary's warrants are separate from Pierce County court warrants and appear on the DOC wanted page rather than in LINX.
| Field Label | Type | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| First Name | Text | Optional | Special characters other than hyphens and apostrophes cannot be used. |
| Last Name | Text | Optional | Browse for a specific incarcerated individual by last name. |
| DOC Number | Text | Optional | Direct identifier; DOC page includes a "What is a DOC Number?" help link. |
| Search | Button | n/a | Results show DOC Number, Name, Age, Location, WA VINE Notification with register link. |
The Washington DOC home page provides access to the incarcerated search, community supervision information, reentry resources, and public safety data.
The DOC home page links directly to the incarcerated individual search and WA VINE notification registration, both of which are useful when tracking someone who may have moved from Pierce County custody to state supervision.
For people in federal custody, the Federal Bureau of Prisons runs a separate locator at bop.gov/inmateloc. The BOP locator covers people sentenced in federal court, including cases from the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington, which serves Pierce County out of the Tacoma Union Station Courthouse at 1717 Pacific Avenue. If a person faces federal drug, firearms, or other federal charges, their custody record is in the BOP system and will not appear in either LINX or the Washington DOC search.
| Field Label | Type | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Find By Number | Tab or section | Optional | Search by BOP Register Number, DCDC Number, FBI Number, or INS Number. |
| Find By Name | Tab or section | Optional | Enter First, Middle, Last name; Race; Age; Sex; then click Search. |
| Clear Form | Button | n/a | Clears all fields in the BOP locator form. |
| Search | Button | n/a | Runs the federal locator search across BOP facilities nationwide. |
Washington Sex Offender Registry
People convicted of qualifying sex offenses in Washington must register with local law enforcement after release. The Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs runs the Washington Sex Offender Public Registry, commonly called WASOR. Pierce County registrants who have been released from custody and returned to the community may appear on WASOR. Registration requirements and public visibility depend on the offender's risk level. Level 1 offenders, who are considered lower risk, may not appear in the public registry. Level 2 and Level 3 offenders generally do appear, and community notification requirements are broader for higher levels.
The legal basis for public notification is RCW 4.24.550, which authorizes public notification of sex offender and kidnapping offender status. The registry is a separate tool from LINX, the jail roster, and DOC. It does not show current custody status; it shows registration information for people living in the community after release.
| Field Label | Type | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Text | Optional | Search by offender name; enter last name or full name. |
| County / City / ZIP / Address Radius | Location fields | Optional | Location-based search to find registered offenders near a specific address or in Pierce County. |
| Offender Level or Filter | Option | Varies | Washington excludes some level 1 and community-notification-limited data from public display. |
The WASPC sex offender information page provides access to the public registry and explains how Washington's three-tier risk-level system works.
Parole and Probation in Pierce County
Washington does not use traditional parole in the same way many other states do. After release from state prison, people are placed on community custody, which is supervised by the Washington Department of Corrections. Community custody terms, conditions, and supervision levels vary by offense and sentence. The DOC assigns community corrections officers in each county, and Pierce County is covered by DOC's Tacoma-area field offices. Violations of community custody can result in re-arrest and return to prison.
For people convicted in Pierce County Superior Court and sentenced to jail time rather than prison, probation is a common condition. Probation supervision for Superior Court cases is handled by court services through the Superior Court. District Court may impose probation conditions for misdemeanors and gross misdemeanors. If someone on probation violates their terms, the court can issue a bench warrant and the person may reappear in custody. Those bench warrants would show up in LINX case records under the original case number.
People looking for contact information about DOC community supervision for a specific person can search the Washington DOC locator, which shows location and supervision status for people currently incarcerated or under active DOC supervision. For questions about specific probation terms set by a Pierce County court, the correct contact is the court that issued the sentence, either Superior Court at 253-798-3654 or District Court at 253-798-7487.
Note: Washington's term is community custody, not parole. Both refer to post-release supervision, but Washington law and DOC materials use community custody consistently for people released from state prison.
Reentry Legal Help in Pierce County
People leaving jail or prison often face legal questions that do not disappear at the release door. Outstanding court obligations, pending civil matters, housing and employment barriers, and records issues are common. Pierce County has several legal resources that can help, though most are focused on civil needs because criminal defense ends when the sentence concludes.
The Pierce County Department of Assigned Counsel provides mandated public defense for people charged with crimes, juvenile delinquency matters, dependency and termination proceedings, and involuntary civil commitment. DAC does not handle general civil reentry matters. For civil help after release, the county directs people to two contacts: the Tacoma-Pierce County Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service at 253-383-3432 and Legal Aid at 253-572-4343. Both are named specifically by DAC as civil resource referrals.
The Pierce County Library system operates a law library with access to legal research materials and legal help pop-up events. TacomaProBono partners with the Pierce County Library for pop-up sessions that cover basic family law questions and eviction prevention. Pierce County Human Services also provides eviction prevention assistance through these events. The law library page is at mypcls.org.
Pierce County's legal help and advice page at piercecountywa.gov/2075 lists lawyer referral, law library, and family law facilitator links in one place. Self-represented people filing for divorce, modifying parenting plans, or dealing with other court matters after release can find forms and guidance there. Superior Court Clerk self-help also links forms for dissolution, parenting plans, guardianship, protection orders, evictions, and probate.
- Tacoma-Pierce County Bar Association Lawyer Referral: 253-383-3432
- Legal Aid: 253-572-4343
- Pierce County Department of Assigned Counsel: piercecountywa.gov/92 (criminal and mandated civil matters only)
- Pierce County Law Library: mypcls.org law library
- Pierce County Legal Help page: piercecountywa.gov/2075
The Pierce County Sheriff's blotter posted the Sheriff Swank and command staff swearing-in ceremony from January 2025, showing the current leadership of the sheriff's office that oversees jail operations and released inmates processes.
Sheriff Swank and his command staff took office in January 2025 and lead the agency responsible for the Pierce County Jail, including custody records and the procedures that govern release from county detention.
Civil Rights Restoration After Release
Washington restores voting rights after a person is released from total confinement. This means someone who has served their full sentence and is no longer physically confined can vote in Washington elections. People on community custody, probation, or other forms of supervised release who are not physically confined may also be eligible to vote; the key requirement under current Washington law is release from total confinement, not completion of all supervision. If there is any question about eligibility, the Washington Secretary of State's voter registration office can confirm current status.
Firearm rights are handled separately and involve a different legal process. A Washington felony conviction results in the loss of the right to possess firearms under both state and federal law. Restoring firearm rights after a Washington felony requires a court process and legal analysis specific to the offenses involved. This is not automatic upon release, and it is not the same as voting rights restoration. Do not assume that completing a sentence, completing probation, or even having a conviction vacated automatically restores gun rights. Anyone seeking firearm rights restoration after a Washington conviction should consult an attorney.
Washington's primary conviction-clearing mechanism is vacation, not expungement. Felony vacation is under RCW 9.94A.640 and misdemeanor or gross misdemeanor vacation is under RCW 9.96.060. A person generally petitions the sentencing Pierce County Superior Court or District Court, shows eligibility based on offense type, waiting period, and sentence completion, and serves the prosecuting attorney. If granted, the conviction status changes and the order requires updates in law enforcement and criminal history systems. Some offenses are excluded from vacation entirely. The Tacoma-Pierce County Bar Association referral line at 253-383-3432 can connect people with attorneys who handle vacation petitions.
The Pierce County Sheriff's blotter covered a ride-along with Sheriff Swank in April 2025, showing day-to-day county enforcement activities relevant to the reentry and supervision landscape in Pierce County.
The sheriff's blotter provides ongoing updates about agency operations in Pierce County, including activities that affect people in custody and those recently released into the community.