Data You Give Us Directly
Search Queries
A name or location entered in a search tool is sent directly to the outside provider that operates that tool. The provider processes the query and supplies its results. We do not keep or log those search terms on our systems.
Messages and Contact Submissions
When you email us, the message is retained for the purpose of responding. It remains within our organization unless disclosure is required by a valid legal obligation.
Data We Gather Automatically
Our servers automatically receive certain technical details whenever a visitor loads a page:
- Page-view timestamps
- Your device type and operating system
- The referring website, when one is available
- Your device's assigned IP address
- The browser type and version
- Pages viewed and time spent on them
Cookies and Analytics
Cookies are small files saved on a device. We use them with analytics services to understand traffic in aggregate, including popular pages and points where visits end. You can block cookies through browser settings, although doing so may change how some site functions behave.
What We Do With This Data
- Routing search requests to the appropriate partner service
- Maintaining site availability, speed, and operation
- Diagnosing and repairing technical problems
- Understanding which pages visitors use and where improvements are needed
- Displaying advertising that may reflect visitor interests
No Criminal-Record Data on File
This website does not maintain, assemble, or sell a database of personal criminal-record information. It publishes general directions to Cowlitz County record custodians, including the sheriff's records unit, local courts, the Washington State Patrol repository, and the Washington Sex Offender Public Registry. The website is not a consumer reporting agency under the Fair Credit Reporting Act. Visitor information is not assembled into consumer reports or third-party criminal records.
Third-Party Search Partners
Outside companies power the search boxes. Information entered there is processed under each partner's privacy policy, not under this policy. Those companies control their own retention and disclosure practices. Review the applicable partner policy before sending a query.
Links to Other Websites
Links may lead to the Cowlitz County Sheriff's Office, Washington court portals, state agencies, legal-aid resources, or third-party search tools. Once you leave this website, the destination's privacy policy controls. Read that policy before providing personal information.
Some advertising partners may track activity across websites to select targeted ads. That activity occurs on the partners' systems rather than ours.
Who Might See Your Data
We do not sell personal information. Data may nevertheless be disclosed to:
- Analytics services that measure traffic and performance
- Search partners that process submitted queries
- Government bodies or law enforcement when compelled by valid legal process
- Advertising networks that place ads on the website
How We Protect Your Data
We use standard safeguards for collected information. No internet-connected system is fully secure, however, and we cannot guarantee that a breach will never occur.
Users Under 18
The website is intended for adults. We do not knowingly collect personal data from anyone younger than 18. If we learn that a minor supplied such information, we will delete it.
Your Data Rights
Rights can vary with a visitor's location and the law that applies. Washington's Public Records Act, chapter 42.56 RCW, governs records held by public agencies, while the Criminal Records Privacy Act, chapter 10.97 RCW, governs criminal-history collection, dissemination, review, and correction. Those laws do not turn this private website into a government record custodian. With respect to information we hold about you, you may:
- Request correction of inaccurate information
- Ask for a copy of information held about you
- Opt out of certain processing when applicable
- Request deletion of your information
Updates to This Policy
This policy may be revised from time to time. A revised version will appear here with a new effective date, so visitors should review it periodically.
Effective date: August 10, 2026